Jerry Kilgore has decided that immigration is the hot-button issue that is going to turn his campaign around. Immigration is a strange issue that cuts across the spectrum, but I have to question his actual way of jumping into the debate. Alright, you're a bit xenophobic like much of the population, that's one thing....but what is your solution again? Because in his effort to prove how anti-immigrant he is, he's definately showing off how little he knows of Northern Virginia and its relationship to day-laborers, or
the actual consequences of his actions should those policies be put in place.
From the Washington Post
RICHMOND, Aug. 8 -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore said Monday that Virginia should not pay for centers to help day laborers, calling them the latest examples of society rewarding illegal immigrants.
Kilgore said the creation of publicly financed gathering areas such as the one proposed in Herndon undermines the rule of law and "denigrates" citizens who immigrated to the country legally.
Continued in the extended....
Supporters say creating worker sites with public funds represents the best hope to resolve the community disputes that arise when day laborers congregate at informal hiring sites, such as convenience store parking lots. But the idea of the subsidized centers has become a flash point for people who object to some of the changes they believe immigration has brought to neighborhoods and downtowns.
Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, a lobbyist who represents immigrant groups, said that Kilgore "seems determined to lead from ignorance" and that he is "playing to the tune of fear mongers and worse."
Now, there's a 7-11 by the Amphora in Herndon that is currently an unofficial "immigration day labor center". And some of us, views on immigration aside, would prefer it not to be so, as it can be rather intimidating to have thirty or so day laborers in-between you and your daily red bull.
Besides that, though, how is having them gather in front of a 7-11 a grand solution for anything? An actual center where employers could meet up with laborers and they wouldn't have to loiter around until one happened to pull up, and where there could be some sort of government oversight, seems to me to just be a bit of common sense. I mean, not producing these centers is not going to make the laborers disappear. It's not going to make it any easier to enforce existing immigration law. In fact, the center will make things hella easier in that respect. But no, to spend public money on immigrants is wrong.
Well, back to my morning red bull for a moment. Maybe it's not the immigrants alone who are being served by this legislation. Maybe it's me and my morning red bull. Maybe it's in the public interest to not have day laborers combing the streets looking for work and rather have an official place to go. Maybe if Kilgore was actually interested in delving into the dynamics of illegal immigration, he might consider how building all these McMansions requires day laborers, and that if you wanted to cut down on the number around in Northern Virginia, you ought cut down on the rapid growth and development. Stop building the houses. You know what, that might solve our transportation issues a bit, too.
It just angers me that someone can propose something of such little practical value by taking away something of clear and valid public benefit to prove a point, or rather, to polarize an issue he thinks he can win on. Even if you're against immigration, you should support these centers, for the sake of the red bull, if nothing else. While I hate to tow the official line, I simply cannot put it better than the Kaine spokesman in this case:
A spokeswoman for Democratic Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Kilgore is "putting a political ideology over a practical solution."
Well, Mr. Kilgore, you have officially ticked me off. You have decided to stand between a local government's good freakin' idea by banking on the greater communities lack of understanding of what these centers are setting out to accomplish. So to all who oppose immigration:
Think of the 7-11. Think about how one of the reasons for all the tension between immigrant labor and the yuppie populace, which is dependent on that labor for their jobs and three car garages, is because of that 7-11, because of the lack of facilities to coordinate it all. Here is a solution, and the Republican nominee for governor is standing in its way.