James Drogan

This post is prompted by a front page article in the May 13 edition of the New York Times titled "Bush to Unveil Plan to Tighten Border Controls."

Two parts of the article struck me.

The first

"demands to stem the inflow of undocumented workers across the border with Mexico and the desire of American employers to have reliable access to a low-wage work force."

and

"The White House was awaiting word from the major networks as to whether they would all carry his address on Monday evening during their crucial sweeps rating period used to set advertising prices. NBC and Fox have agreed to take the address, as have the cable news networks; CBS and ABC are still considering whether they will upset their schedules to take the address."

I am reminded of the Emma Lazurus poem that 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."

In the first case it would seem the providing opportunity for people to improve the quality of their lives is no longer a core part of the American values.  We are forgetting that we, for the most part, are immigrants or descendents of immigrants.  We are forgetting that which has made us great.  We have embraced hubris and are becoming one, large, gated community.

Is this really the image we wish to project to the world?  Is this really the way to spread the democratic ideals we espouse?

In the second case we seem to be allowing the media to decide how and when the government will communicate with the governed.  This, particularly the reason given in the article, is simply outrageous.  I am for freedom of the media, but I also demand responsibility of the media.