Mexican President Calderon Has No Right to Chastise Americans

The President of Mexico Felipe Calderon has no right to lecture the United States. I was particularly offended as an American by his doing so and our so called leaders standing and applauding him. Our leaders have particularly gracious to his country going out of our way not to offend the Mexicans. His tone seemed as though he was sending us money instead of the other way around.

I have no malice towards the Mexican people and have enjoyed them on both sides of the border. I grew up with Mexican-Americans in Texas and some of my best friends are Mexican-Americans. Working in the construction industry primarily in the Southwest I have probably been around more Mexican Nationals than most Americans. These Mexicans have been hard workers that I have depended on and been friends with.

With that, profiling happens on both sides of the border and abstaining from it has not been a reciprocal agreement. Trips past the border often result in Americans, including Mexican-Americans being profiled often for economic gain. The Mexicans can tell the difference between a Mexican-American and Mexican National and anyone who has lived in the Southwest can as well.

Though this may sound politically incorrect, Mexican-Americans are a part of the American culture and are recognizable as such. Growing up with Mexican-Americans it is easy to pick up on those who are proud to be legal and those who are avoiding the system. The Mexican-Americans I have known in my forty years have pride in being a citizen, and though they hold to the culture are very proud to be Americans. The Mexican-Americans are more likely to use slurs toward illegals than Americans of other races.

Growing up among Mexican-Americans I have come to appreciate the culture and often have been thought to have some origin. I grew up next door to Mexican-Americans and consider them a part of my family. One of my brothers in that family now works for the Harris County Sheriff's Department as a deputy. Before going to the sheriff's department he worked for a police department on one of the major trafficking routes from Mexico. Not being able to do anything about something he knew was illegal was both frustrating and dangerous for him.

In Mexico I have never been able to enjoy the protection that I enjoy in the United States. I realize that and use caution because of that and have respect for their nation, it is time they have respect for ours. The drug war that President Calderon started that has left nearly 23,000 dead since he took office cannot be passed off to us. Why should we give up our rights because of a country that borders on becoming a failed state. President Calderon can't control his own country, why should he control ours.

The horrible drug war Calderon instigated has shown widespread corruption in Mexican police. The largely corrupt Mexican police and Federales show no respect for rights be they legal or illegal. To take away a law enforcement tool that was supported by American voters is incorrigible. Calderon must realize the effect on his country if the money made by illegal immigrants was not sent back to Mexico every week.

Calderon spoke in front of the U.S. Congress in Spanish saying that Mexicans miss and admire them and are working for their rights. I am sorry but I thought rights were a benefit of being a citizen. His rhetoric sounds as though he is speaking of the partisans and Jews trapped behind the lines in Nazi Germany. The difference is that those people were trying to escape or take their country back, not coming into a sovereign country.