Let's say you take a time machine back to the 1930's, and you and a German acquaintance are arguing about Hitler's politics. Your friend, a supporter of Hitler, is winning the argument, so in a rage you resort to ad hominem: "Well, Hitler was just a dirty-nosed German!" Your statement doesn't help your argument, because it is entirely irrelevant to Hitler's policies (and not even factually accurate since he was Austrian!). However, the statement "Hitler is a Nazi" is entirely factually accurate, relevent, and therefore not ad hominem. Indeed, both of you have to AGREE on Hitler's political beliefs - the fact that he's a Nazi - before you even start to argue. "Nazi" doesn't become an offensive term until it is proven through force of argument that only deranged people would hold this belief. The term "xenophobic" works the same way - no one would admit to this label, even if they really were one, since it is (or at least it should be) fairly obvious that xenophobic opinions are idiotic ones that will not withstand the force of logic (even if my 550 word article failed to connect all the dots for you). So until people are able to stand up and say "I'm xenophobic and I'm proud!" or "I'm homophobic and I'm proud!", allow me at least these few little "ad hominem" attacks. (And God rue the day if this ever becomes the case!)

One particularly jarring thing is the use of Reagan in the last sentence. Reagan, as you rightly reference, pushed through amnesty. He was convinced that illegal immigration would subside after it was passed. He later came to regard that decision as the worst he made in office, as it did nothing to subside big business' desire for cheap, illegal labor.

"The Berlin Wall seperated ONE country--not two and also kept people in not out. I may suggest you go live on the border of the USA with the drugs, drug cartels, terrorists, illegal aliens, criminals that are flowing in through a open border." The 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall was a few weeks ago, I was out of space in my column so I just threw it in there. I don't mean to press the Berlin Wall analogy too far, but the fact is walls are not just physical barriers, they are also political statements. It makes sense to have a wall between countries as different as North Korea and South Korea, or Israel and Palestine. It makes little sense to start walling off Mexico, a capitalist democracy and our second biggest trade partner. It is also true that a wall does nothing to solve the issue of the 12-20 million illegals already here, and the underlying economic inequality issues that would make people circumvent the wall. If we legalized marijuana, a more harmless drug than alcohol or tobacco, that would take a big chunk out of the illegal drug trade. I suggest you go live in places like Chicago, where homegrown gangs are just as much of a problem. Inequality is a fact of life under a capitalist system (the only economic system that works). But continuing to shove the problem under the rug is no way to go. We have to engage these people. Some immigrants burn and spit on the flag because they are angry with our country for turning a blind eye to them. Many more are too concerned with making ends meet and feeding their families to care too much about politics. What we have now is wage slavery. If anyone has a right to be angry, it is them. "It seems you like to mix legal and illegal immigration. America was built on the backs of people who did not use this country as a motel like the illegal immigrants are today." It makes sense to consider legal and illegal immigration similarly, because the causes are the same - economic opportunity and political freedom. How could illegals treat our country as anything but a motel when they are at risk of deportation? Giving them a path to citizenship would encourage ownership. "The people come here to work--nothing more nothing less." If I could find a job that pays much more and have a much better quality of life in another country, I would move. Wouldn't you? But we stay in America because we have excellent living conditions, and illegal immigrants become angry when they discover all the problems illegal immigration has engendered. America isn't as accomodating as they expected. They could do a better job managing their expectations, just as we could do a better job building our country. America is the envy of the world because its economy is one of the best in the world. This is because America understands that people are most productive when they are free. Our founders were geniuses in this respect, and as long as we continue to be on the leading edge of the ideas of our day, we have nothing to fear and only our best days ahead of us. "Ever hear of another Arizona topic called Sheriff Joe?" Indeed I have read of Sheriff Joe, and I find his law enforcement practices disgusting. He is a rogue law enforcer who terrorizes illegals, and he is so smug about it. If all of our law enforcers acted like him, we'd have fewer productive illegals, lots more desperate illegals, and even more prison inmates. Sure, if you terrorize them - "make life hard on them" - some of them will leave on their own. But this is not the best outcome. The best outcome would be to integrate these people. It won't be easy, but social progress never is. Why don't the Western states like Arizona and California adopt Texas's attitude of acceptance which seems to serve their state so well? "If you wish to see video myself and others have shot at immigration marches of those supporting amnesty burning the US flag, walking on it, spitting on it and proudly flying their home country flag I will send them. Let me know." For your next video project, go to schools and find their children pledging allegience to the flag every morning. "The simple fact is they want this country turned into a boarding house and you either support them because you share these ideas or because you are just ignorant." Many argue that illegal immigrants have no interest in assimilating; if they'd only assimilate they'd be better off. To this I say, you can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't tell them to go home AND invite them to stay. Rather than enforcing the current broken system, we need to change the laws: have more legal immigration. Accept that the majority of those who are already here are not going back, unless you undertake "impressive" Hitler-style social engineering. In conclusion, to quote Sarah Palin (of all people, and out of context, admittedly) "Whatever your gender, race, or religion, if you love this country and will defend our Constitution, then you're an American." This idea sounds great in a memoir, but to bear it out completely requires that we broaden our definition of citizenship (probably not what she intends, although she doesn't mention illegal immigration at all in "Going Rogue"). Legal immigrants wait in line for years, and illegal immigrants risk life and limb to have their shot at the American dream, or at least give their children a better chance at life. Their examples should inspire the rest of us who have been blessed enough to have been born here to appreciate our country even more.

I have a few remarks about your article "And don’t even get me started on the Berlin Wall ... erm, I mean, “border fence.” The Berlin Wall seperated ONE country--not two and also kept people in not out. I may suggest you go live on the border of the USA with the drugs, drug cartels, terrorists, illegal aliens, criminals that are flowing in through a open border. So yea I guess I can see your point that a open border and a lack of sovereignty makes perfect sense! I think what you fail to see is that we have citizens of other countries comming into the USA without permission. When a country stops controlling its ports and borders it stops being a country and becomes just a place on a map. "First, we should stop being so modest and admit that we have a totally awesome country that folks all around the world really want to live in." The people come here to work--nothing more nothing less. If you wish to see video myself and others have shot at immigration marches of those supporting amnesty burning the US flag, walking on it, spitting on it and proudly flying their home country flag I will send them. Let me know. The simple fact is they want this country turned into a boarding house and you either support them because you share these ideas or because you are just ignorant. Lady Liberty says "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" No where does it say come in without permission or overstay your visa after you have been given permission to come in! A door is a entry point. Think about it. A door a entry point! Another proposal of theirs is to prosecute employers of illegal immigrants. So after that evil, job-creating employer is put away, what do you suspect these newly unemployed illegals will do to feed themselves? If you answered “pillage and plunder,” move to the front of the class." Maybe you should try and read about what has happened in Arizona. Since Arizona has become tougher on illegals they have left on their own. This is common sense stuff. If they get work, get benefits they will stay. When life is made hard they leave on their own--PROVEN! (see article below) "So just how many more are they proposing to add? Even a modest 10 percent of the estimated illegals amounts to an additional 1.2-2 million. Then the other 90 percent of illegals, rather than fleeing for home, could stay without worry, since our prisons would be stuffed up to the roof and down to the sewers. Think “The Shawshank Redemption,” only grosser." Ever hear of another Arizona topic called Sheriff Joe? Tent City is a great idea along with chain gangs. There should never be a excuse why we can not enforce laws including immigration laws. "America was built on the backs of immigrants, and we continue to have one of the most welcoming immigration systems in the world. So long as America stands as a shining beacon of economic opportunity, immigrants will continue to come to our shores, legally or illegally." It seems you like to mix legal and illegal immigration. America was built on the backs of people who did not use this country as a motel like the illegal immigrants are today. Keep in mind that many legal immigrants were turned away at Ellis Island because they did not meet standards. I think this is what you and some like you fail to understand. The USA has something that every country has and that is sovereignty. It is not for outsiders to determine out immigration policy, or how many people we allow in and it certainly is not up to them to just "break in" when they disagree with it. In 1986 we had 2-3 million illegal immigrants that were given amnesty. Today we have 12-20 million. Recent polls take in Mexico (see below) show that if a path to citizenship (amnesty) is done more will come. These people have to go back. It is the only option to keep order and not the chaos we have. We still need to secure the borders for protection and if you can not understand that just ask family members of people who have been killed by people who should not have been here in the first place. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-22-immigration-leaving_N.htm link Illegal immigrants leaving Arizona PHOENIX (AP) — Illegal immigrants in Arizona, frustrated with a flagging economy and tough new legislation cracking down on their employers, are returning to their home countries or trying their luck in other states. For months, immigrants have taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the state's new employer-sanctions law, which takes effect Jan. 1 Zogby Poll October 2009 A new survey by Zogby International finds that people in Mexico think that granting legal status to illegal immigrants in the United States would encourage more illegal immigration to the United States. As the top immigrant-sending country for both legal and illegal immigrants, views on immigration in Mexico can provide insight into the likely impact of an amnesty, as well as other questions related to immigration. Among the findings: A clear majority of people in Mexico, 56 percent, thought giving legal status to illegal immigrants in the United States would make it more likely that people they know would go to the United States illegally. Just 17 percent thought it would make Mexicans less likely to go illegally. The rest were unsure or thought it would make no difference. Of Mexicans with a member of their immediate household in the United States, 65 percent said a legalization program would make people they know more likely to go to America illegally. Two-thirds of Mexicans know someone living in the United States; one-third said an immediate member of their household was living in the United States. Interest in going to the United States remains strong even in the current recession, with 36 percent of Mexicans (39 million people) saying they would move to the United States if they could. At present, 12 to 13 million Mexico-born people live in the United States. A new Pew Research Center poll also found that about one-third of Mexicans would go to the United States if they could. An overwhelming majority (69 percent) of people in Mexico thought that the primary loyalty of Mexican-Americans (Mexico- and U.S.-born) should be to Mexico. Just 20 percent said it should be to the United States. The rest were unsure. Also, 69 percent of people in Mexico felt that the Mexican government should represent the interests of Mexican-Americans (Mexico- and U.S.-born) in the United States. A plurality, 39 percent, of Mexicans thought that in the last year fewer people they know had gone to the United States as illegal immigrants compared to previous years. Only 27 percent thought more had gone. The rest thought it had stayed the same or were unsure. A plurality, 40 percent, also thought that in the last year more of the illegal immigrants they know had returned to Mexico compared to previous years. Only 25 percent thought the number returning had fallen. The rest thought it had stayed the same or were unsure. Both the bad economy and increased immigration enforcement were cited as reasons fewer people were going to America as illegal immigrants and more were coming back to Mexico.