I.N.S. and Outs (or E.T. go home)

We have a strange relationship with foreigners in this country. Just ask any pre-Columbian tribes of North America. How must native Americans today think of the US government's attitude towards the rest of the world today? The Calusa, Creeks, Iroquois, Cherokee....they were here for centuries until Europeans discovered a continent full of people, yet many contemporary Americans have the audacity to look eagle-eyed at our borders and say no more to the swelling number of legal and illegal immigrants that come to the U.S. when they know that they or their ancestors came to this country legally or illegally and probably very much against the wishes of those that were here before they were. But it's understandable to be upset. I mean the number of undocumented illegal immigrants has grown from 11 million just 4 months ago, to 13 million during the first 2008 presidential debates to a staggering 20 million on the Rush Limbaugh radio program. 7 million people have apparently illegally immigrated in the last 4 months! Who wouldn't be terrified of the tsunami of humans eroding "our" shores! Now I am all for legal immigration. It's a complicated issue which I won't get into here. But I firmly believe in following the proper channels for becoming a U.S. citizen or resident alien.


I just have a problem with how we treat aliens. Take for example the dichotomy of alien themed rides at Universal's theme park in Orlando. On the one hand you have E.T. the ride where you affectionately harbor a stranded alien (and a botanist at that) and help him escape the authorities despite his ability to assist our planet's global warming issue. He can grow our plants, heal our sickness, fly us across an impossibly large full moon...but stay in the closet where we can conveniently ignore your presence.


Then there is Men in Black: Alien Attack where aliens have infiltrated our planet. Some are good, some are naughty and as you ride through a darkened and sinister landscape, you destroy every single living alien with your laser. The more casualties the better. If a few "good aliens" get blasted, it was all for the betterment of the planet. or for freedom. whatever. At the end of the ride, regardless of your success, you are blasted with a neuralizer where the truth is wiped from your mind and you go on living a blissful and unaware life with no knowledge of your slaughter of Iraqis. I mean aliens.


I thought I would get sympathy from MaLe regarding this analogy. E.T. - although chased, is still cherished and we root for him. The Men in Black aliens are persecuted mercilessly. She told me she "liked blasting the aliens".


My point is many Americans and our government including INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) have such a xenophobic attitude.... And MaLe's visa is expiring. She must return to Ecuador on Monday. It's made me extra cranky these last few weeks and explains the lack of reading material here.


She could stay. Illegally. But she has a conscience and fears the consequence of ignoring U.S. laws. She's doing the right thing and returning home. She could turn around and return in a short time, but she will return in 6 months. I may not like it, but I understand. And while I am separated from her by a thousand miles of sea, I will be inundated here in SW Florida with a wave of aliens who right or wrong came her for the same reason we did or our ancestors did. To find something better. I shall treat them like Drew Barrymore and kiss them all on the forehead.

Sigh...See you in 6 months Malenita.....