Pride, a dirty word

I am in awe of the protests over illegal immigration. If the following images and sentiments are any indication of how huge numbers of hispanics in America feel about the U.S., then we are in big trouble. I'm astonished at the spiteful and even hateful attitude toward our desire to remain a sovereign nation living by laws, with borders, with reasonable interests in security and safety and the ability to absorb the world's refugees.

If we had only enforced and managed the flow of hispanic immigration earlier. If we had helped Mexico develop its own resources to retain its people, if we had cracked down on U.S businesses that exploit illegals, if we had bore pressure on politicians who turned a blind eye, if we had worked to assimilate these immigrants rather to allow them to create pockets of sub-culture, unwilling to learn English and unable to participate fully in American life.

If we had not let our political correctness cloud our pride in our country, if we had not stood for fringe groups tearing down our traditions in the name of civil rights, if we had insisted our youth respect authority or at least pretend to for civility's sake, if we had not let the world see us bicker and express vile hatred of one political party for the other, if we stood a little more united in our love for our country, if we were not afraid to be proud of our country in spite of past mistakes, if we believed in the blessings and goodness of our country and the opportunity it offers--maybe we would have immigrants who want to be Americans, not Mexicans living in America.