It would do us all good to stare plainly at what is. The whole business is quite a quandary. Do we want to believe there are no Americans willing to pick food, build houses, or cut grass? My experiences over the last few months in the building trade have allowed me to see many Mexicans working. Many bosses say the Mexicans work hard.

I’m not so sure I buy the statement that Mexicans are doing jobs Americans won’t do. I’ve heard it said that Mexicans are doing the jobs Americans aren’t willing to do for the price that’s being paid.

Many politicians are talking tough about enforcement, but none of them can seem to escape the fact that business requires cheap labor. Whether this is right or wrong on the part of business is sort of beside the point. It simply is what it is. Men will always employ other men as cheaply as can be gotten away with.

I’ve heard it said that the Mexicans are the modern slaves. We’re not hearing what these men and women are actually paid. I’m not saying they are paid well, for I doubt they are. And I have not heard of many “regular ol’ Americans” signing up to go pick cabbage or onions or anything else the immigrants are picking. It would be interesting to know what food would actually cost if the growers would pay wages high enough to entice “regular ol’ Americans” to work.

The news of different large companies laying off thousands of workers may change the landscape of what people are willing to do. Then what?

No one seems to be talking about the results of making 11 million illegals suddenly legal. How many will get through before we could build a great wall? One hears news of a sudden influx of newly arriving Mexicans willing to gamble on America’s generosity — or lack of backbone, depending on how you view it.

No one seems to be talking about who’s financing all the health care and other benefits for people who aren’t contributing to the system. It’s somewhat humorous to hear American lawmakers, some of whom aren’t keen on obeying the law themselves, making a case for the rights of illegal immigrants. Following some lawmakers’ logic, any given group of lawbreakers can change their status simply by marching and demanding that it be changed.

No one seems to be talking about the converging pressures of a steady stream of incoming illegal Mexicans and the many Americans who are opposed to them being here. It’s no secret that many of these Americans are armed to the teeth. Right or wrong, this is what is. Many of them tell me they are getting tired of working to support people who are breaking the law. Who speaks for them?

(Editor’s Note: Reach David Clark at dclark@outofthesky.com, or P.O. Box 148, Cochran, Ga. 31014.).