Columbia Riots

Columbia Spectator: Minutemen Protesters Rush Stage

Protestors took the stage minutes after Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, came to the microphone in Roone Arledge Auditorium Wednesday night, sparking a chaotic brawl involving more than 20 students, other attendees, and guests.

Two students in the International Socialist Organization unfurled a yellow banner reading, "No one is illegal!" which prompted other protestors to rush the stage. Gilchrist supporters then clamored on stage while the speakers were ushered out of the auditorium.

EDITORIALS:

• Spectator Staff Editorial
• No Voice, Even Repugnant, Unheard
• Stop Squelching Speech
• The Riot Act
  

I believe that plenty has been said with regards to the inappropriate nature of the protest and ensuing riot that occured during the Minutemen event held by the College Republicans. I certainly agree with the majority opinion that it was incredibly juvenile and entirely against the spirit of free speech and academic inquiry that Columbia espouses. In the words of John Stuart Mill in On Liberty:

"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."

I will also freely admit that there are plenty of members of the minutemen organization who are wholly xenophobic, though I believe to call them racist in many instances goes beyond the pale.

However, I don't entirely disagree with their existence or what they are trying to do, and I will tell you why.

First, let me explain that I am a firm supporter of immigration and that I realize completely the inherent value in a working immigrant population. I have taken my fair share of economics courses. As is the case with most people in this country, my family came here as immigrants. I also have many acquaintences and friends who are themselves immigrants of this country, and I recognize the hard work and that they have put in and the heartache they have experienced ust to get to this country, nevermind to establish a life, family, and career here.

But I've also worked long enough in the business to recognize the absolute necessity of border security and a controlled immigration program. I know what is out there. The world is a dangerous place and many people simply do not realize (even after 9/11 surprisingly) how quickly and easily it is for a country, even this country - especially this country, to be harmed. Nor do many realize how easy it can be for our delicate social and economic programs to become entirely overrun and underfunded due to major population changes.

I agree that our immigration system is rediculously complicated and loaded with red tape. It unquestionably must be simplified. I, for instance, have relatives from Ireland who have been working in this country for over a decade and still haven't been granted citizenship. The inner workings, rules, and regulations of the INS are counterintuitive at best. At worst, I fear the organization is being run by a family of manatees, all of whom have likely experienced head injuries from the tail end of a speedboat. It should not be this difficult to obtain citizenship, particularly for those who already have jobs here!

But I also agree with the Minutemen: neither the Bush administration nor Congress has done anything to improve security along our borders. I do not fear 99% of illegal immigrants. In fact I believe that a great majority of them only serve to improve our economy and enrich our culture. But I do know that allowing people to come into this country with out any sort of control or surveillance over who enters this country and from where will only serve to endanger our population and severely inhibit our own social services. Just as one example: think about the exorbitant cost of healthcare when you have tens of thousands of visits to emergency rooms every day by people who are too afraid or too poor to go anywhere else for their cold or flu symptoms because they are not living in this country legally.

Yes, part of the solution should be to make it easier for people to attain legal status (either as resident or citizen) here in the United States. This must be done. But it does nothing at all to fix the other half of the problem! The fact that our borders are still not secure! Again, I am not worried about the 99% of people who cross that border in order to find jobs and support their family and find a better life. As a nation of immigrants, we should embrace them and do everything in our power to find ways for them to do so. I am worried, however, about that fraction of a percent who wish to do harm to this country or its citizens - whether as criminals, or as terrorists, or simply as social freeloaders. And I am worried about our ability to support that other 99% - through social programs, healthcare, education, &c - with out having any means to either track or control the influx of people.

And so, as I see it, the vigilante Minutemen organization has stepped in where both the state and federal governments have consistently failed. They are an ad hoc organization that is poorly run and has little oversight. They should not exist. Then again, if the government was doing its job, they wouldn't need to.