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If I Make Your Bed, Can I Stay in Your Country?

By Gustavo Arellano

March 12, 2008

Extra Info

Watch the weekly Ask a Mexican video here.

Dear Mexican,

Mexicans are angry that the United States might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these Mexicans. Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hardworking and honest—except for when I broke into your house." According to the Mexicans:

•You are required to let me stay in your house!

•You are required to add me to your family's insurance plan!

•You are required to educate my kids!

•You are required to provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hardworking and honest, except for that breaking-in part)!

•If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there!

•Oh, yeah, and I DEMAND that you to learn MY LANGUAGE!!! So you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Señor Mexican: I respect your opinion on most things—unless you're screwing it up with all of your angry racism. Well, cabrón: you got the frijoles, ¿o qué?Denver Dimwit

Dear Gabacho,

"Angry" racism? My racism is rather jovial, Dimwit. And not only do I have the frijoles to answer your question, I have a whole olla. If I earned a peso for every time one of your amigos forwarded me the above riddle, I could finally sneak in my last 86 cousins. Everyone can see that the scenario you presented is ridiculous because its main suppositions are all wrong:

•Mexicans will never do a job without prompting or prior negotiating, so your theoretical Bueno Samaritan arranged your house with your implicit approval.

•Nowhere in your narrative did I see evidence of you rejecting the labor the Mexican offered. Did you undo your beds and gunk up the dishes in protest? On that note, I've yet to hear about gabachos forsaking the cheap produce, the late-night janitorial services, and the many other pleasantries of American life brought forth by the sweat and strain of illegal labor.

•Mexican illegals are more than willing to pay for the services you cited, but your Republican amigos won't allow them to pay all the taxes citizens do—until then, have you unmade your bed yet?

•And who says you have to learn Spanish? According to you, those protesting Mexicans made their demands in English.

A plea to all Know Nothings: Spare us Aztlanistas your mixed metaphors, mangled clichés, Homeric similes, and all the other folksy bullshit ustedes use to boil down a complex issue into forwarded e-mail claptrap—and stick to stats.

garellano@seattleweekly.com

Comments (4)

Reader Comments

1. Comment by cj — March 12, 2008 @ 10:19AM
Hey in your march 12th column you said "but your Republican amigos won't allow them to pay all the taxes citizens do" I have to say that all the illegals at the car dealership a friend of mine has, give fake ssn's and when tax time comes they get a letter stating the individual ID is not legal and to apply for a tax id, no questions asked...because they want the money and dont really care about citizenship. Maybe its just California but seems ridiculous to ask tax payers to leave...right? Once again I will repeat until I croak...When the only rule in Corporate America is "How Greedy Can I Be" then everything else including citizenship is irrelevant. We are in a war with zealots who hate us because of our Greed!
2. Comment by Margie — March 12, 2008 @ 4:34PM
Thats is something I been saying long time ago
if I brake in to mmy neighbor's house and I do the cleaning and cooking, and he come home for sure is gone call the police for trasspasing o no.
If you don't believe me just, a friend of mine was invited to a party, unfortunally he enter to the wronge to house, guess what he was in court for at least 6 months and the judge decide that he deserve
to stay 30 days in jail or 6 month of cmmunity work
jejejejeje.
Mexican come here and we must surrender to their request. jejejejejej
3. Comment by Franl — March 13, 2008 @ 1:54PM
That Vato dimwit....... is stoooooopid!

Why do people always go to the brown ones as the scapegoat. You people (white whiner)are all the same complaining how we do this and we do that and don't pay this or don't pay that.

Ever complain to the owner of that house on the hill that go out of their way to find us? Or protest the big business owner that hires the illegals and place them in jail? No... you don't. If I was that coconut fucking traitor AG, I 'd take bushes cock out of my mouth long enough to throw all those rich white business owners in prison for not obeying the immigration laws in the first place.


Viva La

Sapa!

Ole~
4. Comment by Stefanie — March 13, 2008 @ 10:39PM
Garellano, you are brilliant. What kind of water do you drink? I must have some.

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