Ilegal Immigration and Xenophobia

This is a quick thought I had reading the May 17^th, 2008 Aljazeera news PCBC(politically correct bull crap):

“Spain’s deputy prime minister [Fernandez de la Vega] has criticized the detention of about 400 foreigners in Italy in a crackdown on street crime and illegal immigration, saying it encouraged racism and xenophobia” (ALjazeera.net, Saturday, May 17 2008)(Italics added).

Italy’s Roberto Maroni, interior minister, insists that “the crackdown was on criminals, not foreigners.”

Spain’s DPM said the action exalts “violence, racism, and xenophobia.”

How does the police actually getting up off their rears, stepping outside of the cafes, and protecting people result in exalting violence? What kind of messed up place is Europe? That is a rhetorical question. Those of us who have lived in Europe know the contradictory laws and expectations the police and military have to put up with in the EU.

Now, what I am about to say may shock and anger some people, especially De la Vega of Spain. And it may class me as a racist xenophobe. But, most of the illegal immigrants that Italy is cracking down on, believe it or not, are not Italian. I know, I know. This may come as a shock. That is why I warned you. Illegal immigrants in Italy tend to be from, gosh, some other country. So I guess Italy is racist. How dare they round up criminals who happen to be foreigners? They should let them do whatever they feel like, why, because they are foreigners.

The BBC News brought up the point again in their Wednesday, May 28, 2008 article “Italy Condemned for ‘Racism Wave.’” Turns out Amnesty International “is extremely alarmed by what it calls a ‘climate of discrimination in Italy’”( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7423165.stm). The Italians this week have passed (finally) a new law giving Police the power to arrest and detain illegals and also more power to deport them (Finally!). Amnesty International is outraged that these new laws “target, above all, immigrants.” Above all? I am pretty sure these laws only target immigrants. As I already stated, to be an illegal immigrant in Italy, you have to be from some other country.

Italy cites the rising crime as the motivation for these new laws. As Maroni stated, the “crack down was on criminals” not just foreigners in general. The street crime is a delicate issue. I lived in Italy for two years, and have gone back and visited as well. I have seen a shooting, several robberies, a mugging, and been threatened at knife point. First off, can you start to see why Italy is concerned about street crime? When a foreign visitor, such as I, has had so many pleasant encounters in their otherwise beautiful country? Second, guess how many Italians were the perpetrators in these situations? You are right. Not even one. Each and every time I witnessed something ‘go down’ on the street it was perpetrated by a person from some other country. How do I know? Well, the perpetrators were the wrong color, height, build, and couldn’t speak Italian. That gives it away, don’t you think?

While Italians do mill around the streets even late at night, riot against the police every chance they get, and occasional kill people at soccer games, I have yet to meet one who isn’t friendly, if not a little sarcastic. And other than being asked for a cigarette, they have never tried to take anything from me or harm me.

I know, I know. This makes me a racist xenophobe. Sorry. I guess we should just let anybody and everybody in that wants, and leave them to do whatever they want. Whether they decide to get a job or to kill, steal, lie…They are foreigners. They don’t know better. And making them obey the laws of the country they have sneaked into isn’t fair when they aren’t even legal members of that country. Isn’t that what Amnesty International is saying?