Immigrant rights advocates have become an assortment of strange bedfellows. Politicians, police chiefs, businesses and unions, religious, community and civil-rights organizations, all these are finding themselves in the same side.
In this mixture of some good and some very strange company, revolutionaries need to figure out what should be our guiding light.
Nationally, powerful economic forces are moving, not only to dominate the government, but to actually become the government. They see the little democracy that remains in our country as an obstacle to their rule. They are determined to destroy it before deteriorating economic conditions kick people awake.
They need to divide and conquer.
Herein lies the importance of the immigrant issue for this ruling class.
Historically, it has been used to divide and conquer the working class, native-born against immigrant. They use the attack on the undocumented as a smoke screen to hide failing economic system, capitalism.
To be able to see through this smokescreen, workers need to see the commonality of their struggle. Our dreams and strivings are no different for any of us, no matter what color, or what nationality we may be.
Our struggle is one of love for our families. This love makes us search for a job across borders and inter-state. We live and work o provide our families with the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter, health care, and education.
It’s this love for our families that unites us, immigrant and native-born. Though we may be frightened and confused about our future, we must not let our rulers divide us. Our only viable path is to unite as workers — as one class — and fight for our basic needs, our dignity, and a better tomorrow.
