[lbo-talk] Dean Baker on immigration

[B.]

Ambrose Bierce defined a border as "the imaginary line
that separates the imaginary rights of one people from
the imaginary rights of another." But Marx also said
that if enough people believe enough "imaginary"
things, it becomes a real, material force in the world
that has to be dealt with in the here and now. 

Having said that, I'm also on the "fuck the border"
side of this fence, and though hearing statistics can
be cold comfort to working class folks (i.e. hearing
about how gas prices aren't all that bad when I live
in an urban sprawl hell that really does demand I have
a car, and it does feel like my blood is being drained
from my body when I gas up my infernally necessary
car, etc.) I do think the immigration protests are on
the right side of history, and that it's our duty to
support them. Fuck the border.

-B.

Mike Ballard wrote:

"How can a government remain a national entity?"

Doug Henwood wrote:

"What is so wonderful about retaining a national
identity? Really?"