Reply #33: I don't think any kind of stereotyping comes close.

[TahitiNut]

I can easily understand why those Cubans who were beneficiaries of the Batista regime and who took refuge in the US tend to vote conservative, or even fascist. I don't believe for an instant that a person's ethnicity assures a political orientation. I can also easily understand that, as Latin American countries swing to the left, advocates and beneficiaries of colonialism would not only flee but opt to take refuge in the US instead of, say, Venezuela or Canada. The US is obviously and clearly far more fascist these days than either Canada or Venezuela. I don't think we're seeing the end, either. As the rest of the Western Hemisphere countries become more and more liberalized - Chili, Venezuela, Nicaragua - more people will flee to preserve their privilege or seek a system in which they think they have an advantage over others. The "ownership class" exploits "their own" as well as "others."

That's NOT to say that ALL or MOST refugees are either right-wingers or fascists - or even personally conscious of the ideological slant. People tend to vote in accordance with social opinion-leaders - and every group has them.


I also don't necessarily believe BushCo really wants amnesty. It's surely a handy political position to take while perhaps working behind the scenes to assure it doesn't happen. After all, "we're here to help you" is something anyone can say - even thieves.

I personally oppose both amnesty and felonizing. I think people need to "get in line" and those who've shown respect for the laws of the nation they want to join should receive priority. The only instance in which I'd argue for individual pardons is when they provide material assistance in the indictment and prosecution of predatory employers - the bigger the better.