Immigration Debate: Civility Without Change

Behind all the belligerence, the immigration discourse has undergone a semantic change – at least from the pro-immigration side. America now needs illegal aliens from across the southern border to pluck tomatoes not because Americans won’t do the jobs but because employers can’t find Americans to get the job done.
How far this linguistic transformation would inject greater civility into the debate remains to be seen. But it won’t take away the essence.
Go to any gas station, convenience store or motel run by immigrant communities in the Midwest. You see a snapshot of the world – ethnic, demographic and linguistic.
Try striking up a conversation with the youngest-looking guy, especially when the boss (or manager) isn’t around. You discover that those manning the cash registers and front desks are relatives of the owner. How wonderful, these family values so far away from home. Until you realize there are too many Mohammeds and Manohars claiming to be brothers.
Yes, yes, Muslim, Hindu communities tend to use terms of endearment very generously. And don’t they say distance strengthens fondness? Then there are facts of life our affluent society simply can’t understand.
A Hindu grandaunt might have married into a Muslim family. A Muslim uncle might have renounced everything to do with religion except his name for his Hindu beloved. Their descendants might probably still be at each other’s throats if they were still somewhere along the Kashmir line of control. If life in America can breed peace and amity even in one soul, what’s there to complain about?
Moreover, how dare the West lecture on these things when all those white men of yore did so much to tear families asunder on the basis of religion?
Then get out of the premise for a smoke or some fresh air. If you stay long enough you might find a few Americans inquiring around for work? Some will have one job and be on the lookout for some extra buck.
No, the business is not hiring, they’re told inside. The economy still sucks. Just in case, they’re asked to fill out an application for future vacancies. Or at least leave a name, phone number and a good time to call.
The manager won’t call. He’ll probably be too busy yelling at his (illegal) workers, perhaps even threatening to cut their already sub-minimum wage, flaunting that file full of applications.