Linda Chavez Falls Into The Trap

One of my favorite conservative activists is Linda Chavez. Yes, she did not become of member of the Bush 43 cabinet because of her own problems with a maid of hers that she did not pay Social Security taxes and all of that, but everyone is entitled to mistakes and even being misguided. So, when she wrote a recent column for National Review http://nationalreview.com, that essentially painted most opponents of the "comprehensive immigration reform" bill-scam as racists and anti-Mexican, the ears perked up. I feared she fell into the trap of Sens. John "F--- You" McCain and Lindsay Graham who decided rather than to listen to the opposition to the bill, they would embark on a scorched-earthed policy of demonising the opponents instead of taking them head on.
Alas, after reading the original column, my fears were correct. It is actually alright to support the bill-scam. I have expressed through many postings why I am opposed and that it is not good to be in the Pat Buchanan camp that looks at this issue through very racist terms. I support legal immigration, from all parts of the world for it does more to invigorate the American experience, if done correctly, than not.
So, Mrs. Chavez wrote a follow up that clarified some of her original points but to some it was half-hearted. I for one will forgive her because I am with Ward Connerly, who is the leading champion of a colorblind, non-race conscience American society. Mr. Connerly, in a rebuttal on the National Review website says it best. Conservatives like to cannibalize their own. Touche!
I will say this. Some people opposed to this bill-scam are racist. They not only do not like Mexicans, but you can fill in the blank of what group and they will be against those people. They are not the majority.
Where I think Mrs. Chavez went off the cliff is by not taking those opposed to the bill-scam head on. One of the few supporters of the bill is radio talker Michael Medved http://michaelmedved.com. He takes on those opposed every day on his radio program. I could not disagree with him more on this issue, but I look at Mr. Medved as I do Mrs. Chavez, as allies, not enemies. If Mrs. Chavez was taking on the opponents point by point, she would have had a much stronger case to promote the bill-scam.
But, Mrs. Chavez did not, and that led to more of the cannibalizing that Mr. Connerly pointed to.
Now, the bill-scam is on life support going down for the third time. I think that is good. We can now seriously address the national security concerns and have a staggered approach to potentially allowing those who have been here a long time the path to citizenship. In a much earlier post, I suggested that those who have been here five years or less get the bus back to the border and can never become citizens. Ever. Those that have been here longer can maybe have a path to citizenship. I for one do not support the guest worker element as is. It must be for only two years and no more. Then, either want to become a citizen or go home.
This bill-scam was done in a bad way and defended in even a worse manner by people who know better.
But, as Mrs. Chavez fell into the bad defender part, she has tried to expand on her approach which I still may disagree with, but she is talking about the real concerns, not demonising those opposed. I will cannibalize Mrs. Chavez. I thank her for her clarification and hope that we would be more together than not.