The issue isn’t going to go away. We do have to do something about that southern border, and about the 12 million illegal guest workers. But there are some things to bear in mind about the country that 56 percent of those illegal guest workers are coming from. And these things ought to encourage us not to be apologetic about wanting to insist on our border.

It is interesting that we have been criticized for believing that we can enforce our borders without being embarrassed by it. We were called, among other things, nativists for wanting to do precisely that. It’s ironic when you think about it.

Want to talk about nativists? (And, on the subject, why we think the senate are largely ignorant.) Let’s have a look at certain provisions of the Mexican constitution ( here; english translation here).

Some of the pandering to which we have been treated included heartwarming stories of the (legal) immigrants serving in our armed forces. In the U. S. a naturalized citizen can serve as a commissioned officer, even to the extent of serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. This is not true in the United Mexican States (see const art. 32). If you want to be a commissioned officer in the Mexican armed forces, you must be native born; naturalized citizens need not apply.

Here in the U. S. a naturalized citizen can be elected to the House or the Senate, even to the governorship of a state (like Arnold Schwarzenegger); a naturalized citizen can even be a member of the cabinet. This is not the case in Mexico, where one must be a native born Mexican citizen in order to serve in the federal legislature or the cabinet (Arts. 51, 95, 99). Again, naturalized citizens need not apply. (And propononents of the bill called us nativists!) It’s a bit more stringent if you would like to be President. If you are native-born, but your parents were not, sorry, no presidency for you. (And we are criticized because Governor Schwarzenneger cannot run for President. At least here in the U. S. his sons can do.)

Here in the U. S. those who supposedly are stuck in the shadows engage in political demonstrations, marches and the like (including the flying of the flag of their homeland). Mexico would not permit non-citizens to do so (art. 9); indeed the Mexican president is permitted summarily – without any legal proceedings whatsoever – to deport any foreigner whose presence he deems inexpedient (art. 33). And Mexico most certainly would not permit illegal guest workers to stage protests and demonstrations. (If we did that we would be treated to lectures on human rights.)

You know those evil “vigilante” minutemen on the border that the Mexican government objects to? Article 16 of the Mexican constitution states, "in cases of flagrante delicto, any person may arrest the offender and his accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities." So Mexican citizens have a constitutional right to arrest illegal aliens and hand them over to police for prosecution. (I’m sure those illegal aliens will be well-treated by those arresting citizens.) Our minutemen are odious simply for watching the border and alerting law enforcement to encroachments of our borders. Imagine what would be said about them if they had the federal constitutional authority to conduct citizens’ arrests!

I object to none of Mexico’s constitutional provisions. It’s their country; it’s their business. I’ve written several times on this blog that I believe in the right of nation-states to protect and preserve their borders. I also believe in the right of nation-states to preserve their cultures. And the preservation of the Mexican culture – which, as Octavio Paz once wrote, is still in many respects a work in progress – is one of the reasons for those stringent constitutional provisions. I understand the purpose of those provisions: to ensure that those who may wield the power to alter the culture have imbibed that culture, and know that culture, and love that culture, and will therefore (hopefully) be disinclined to work to alter that culture.

It would be nice if Mexico, which has provided around 56 percent of our illegal guest workers, would acknowledge that we have the same right and privilege they so enjoy.