Spectrum/Special legislation for illegal aliens a wrong policy

There is no wiggle room in the Midwest in the national immigration issue.

For two days, this question appeared on our Web site, marshallnews.com: "Do you believe illegal aliens should receive the benefit of special legislation to keep them in the United States and not be deported?"

After 262 votes had been cast, granted not a huge sampling, but certainly a snapshot of local opinion, only 11.1 percent of our readers, just 29 votes, believed that illegal aliens should receive the benefit of the special legislation.

A whopping 88.9 percent, 233 votes, said no.

At first, it would seem that our little corner of the world is swimming against a tide of public opinion that wants to see the special legislation for the illegal aliens.

After all, there have been huge rallies in support of the special legislation sought by President Bush. Those conducting the rallies have even had the good sense to hoist American flags at the most recent rallies, according to reports by The Associated Press. At the first rallies the Mexico flag was prominent.

Even with that concession, I can't agree with the 11.1 percent of our readers who would like to see the special legislation. No, on this issue, I come down on the side of the United States -- the United States that was perceived by my ancestors who came here from Germany, Ireland and The Netherlands.

When they arrived at Ellis Island, fresh off an ocean voyage to what they perceived as a brave new world, they didn't ask for special treatment. They wanted to be a part of America, tossing aside their allegiance to their homelands.

Eventually, they learned the English language and became citizens of the United States. Many of them died as citizens of the United States. Many of them shed blood as soldiers serving in the United States armed forces.

I can see my ancestors twirling in their graves as the leader of the free world -- at least that's what the U.S. president used to be called -- advocates special treatment of illegal aliens.

President Bush calls it compassion. I call it capitulation. I call it a cop out.

What has been particularly disturbing to me is the rationale that is being offered in support of the illegal alien legislation. People are saying that America has to do this to ensure its employment base. The agriculture sector, in particular, has been cited as one place where the aliens' impact is greatly felt.

There is no doubt that minimum wage jobs are occupied in this nation by illegal aliens and others who have come to this country from another to live and work.

More than minimum wage jobs are also occupied by these individuals.

In many ways, they are very productive members of our society.

However, rules are rules.

We have established procedures in this country for becoming a citizen of the United States. Many, many individuals have accepted the responsibility of adhering to those procedures and have become naturalized citizens of the United States.

When the great immigration wave hit America at the turn of 20th century, there wasn't a great outcry to change the rules then to allow people to slip in as American citizens.

Even though there are millions of people in this country right now as illegal aliens, I don't think those rules should be adjusted for convenience.

To do so cheapens the accomplishment of my ancestors and millions and millions of others to whom becoming a citizen of the United States was a privilege to be sought, not a birthright that is automatically bestowed when you hit the border.

Mason is the editor of The Marshall Democrat-News. Spectrum appears on Friday.