July 15, 2004

Tamar Pans PAN

One the most fascinating things about the mainstream media is that despite all evidence to the contrary, it remains firmly dedicated to its position that continued mass immigration is a Good Thing.

Many of us were hopeful that after 9/11 a more skeptical media would emerge. Unfortunately, we have been disappointed.

If anything, the reporting on illegal immigration has been worse than it was prior to 9/11.

Among the major offenders is Tamar Jacoby who seems to have emerged as the immigration enthusiasts’ chief enforcer. A typical example is her July 12^th Op-ed in the Los Angeles Times entitled “Anti-Immigrant Fever in Arizona”

The “fever” in question is the recent success of the Protect Arizona Now vote effort to get enough signatures to put an initiative on the November ballot requiring valid U.S. identification to vote and to receive non-federally mandated social services

Jacoby glosses over the fact this legislation would quite reasonably deny those benefits to illegal aliens that don’t deserve them. She consistently uses the silly “anti-immigrant” slur to describe immigration reformers (some of whom, as it happens are immigrants themselves). Most significantly, she expressed surprise that PAN drew such support—although the most recent attempt to renew California’s Proposition 187 drew 483,000 signatures without any money or Establishment help at all.

What’s going on in Arizona is a tough, take no prisoners fight mounted by citizens to preserve their state against an all-out invasion by illegal aliens. The consequences of unchecked illegal immigration so far have been overwhelmed schools; rising crime, near-bankrupt medical care facilities and an assault on the environment. On that side of the argument—the perfectly reasonable and sane side---Jacoby has virtually nothing to say.

Jacoby interviewed Randy Graf, Congressional candidate and PAN advocate. Graf is well qualified to speak about the urgency of passing the PAN initiative in November. But, although Jacoby’s interview took place two days before the LA Times printed her column, she quoted nothing of what he told her.

Instead, Jacoby helpfully advised PAN opponents how they can defeat the initiative in November: cool it with the Mexican flags and the rowdy demonstrations.

Jacoby and others immigration enthusiasts are blind to the national significance of PAN’s success. And I suppose they will cheerlead for illegal immigration right up to the bitter end.

But if Jacoby is indeed surprised that PAN made it to the ballot, I have this advice for her:

“Get used to it!”

Joe Guzzardi [email him], an instructor in English at the Lodi Adult School, has been writing a weekly newspaper column since 1988. This column is exclusive to VDARE.COM.