Fair Metaphor Or Offensive? Senator Compares Illegal Immigrants To Oil Spill

by Jon Bershad | 4:01 pm, May 28th, 2010

» 15 comments

Illegal immigration is bad and people who come into the country illegally are criminals. Alright, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we can discuss whether or not it’s fair to compare human beings (criminals though they may be) to a toxic sludge that is killing thousands of plants and animals, ruining entire ecosystems, and destroying the livelihoods and altogether way of life of tons of people? That’s what Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) did yesterday when discussing his proposed amendment to build a 700-mile fence along the US border.

While the amendment was eventually rejected,here is Sen. DeMint’s full argument:

“If any member of the Senate stood up today and said that we should not seal the oil leak in the Gulf until we have a comprehensive plan to clean it up, we would all say that that is absurd. Certainly we need to seal that leak as quickly as possible to minimize the cleanup later. But that is exactly the kind of logic that the President and my Democratic colleagues are using when it comes to immigration. They are insisting that we will not secure our borders until Republicans agree to a comprehensive plan with some form of amnesty and road to citizenship for those who have come here illegally.”

I can see the argument for and against this phrasing, so what do you all think? Below is video of the quote as well as a poll. As always, put your answers that are more colorful than a simple “yes” or “no” in the comments section.

BP Oil Spill, Gulf Oil Spill, Immigration Reform, Jim DeMint, oil spill

AmericanCowboy

——x——x——-x——-x——x——–x——-x——-x———-x

2009 Border Patrol Apprehensions
Country of Interest
Afghanistan 4
Pakistan 41
Iran 15
Egypt 14
Nigeria 29
North Korea 10
Yemen 13
Somalia 19
Saudi Arabia 1

Source: Dept of Homeland Security
http://PoliticalGlutton.com PoliticalGlutton

Geeeze. So childish. I guess he is pandering to his base.
writer

The only way to nip this in the bud is to outlaw metaphors.
libra blue

Not only was DeMit’s comment fair, but it was necessary and appropriate.
http://PoliticalGlutton.com PoliticalGlutton

LOL @ writer .. I like it!
libra blue

Correction: DeMint’s
Moderate

Either way ‘Plug the damn hole”.
JohnSimpson

Totally agree. Don’t make the good the enemy of the perfect.
taxed

Completely fair, and accurate!
jrcmi

Didn’t the Bushies build a border fence in Texas – except for the portion that would’ve run through a golf course owned by one of his fatcat pals. Maybe they needed illegal caddies? FORE-gotten!

A twenty-foot-foot high fence works fine . . . until someone brings a twenty-ONE-foot ladder.

The best way to end illegal immigration is to give outsiders less reason to come here in the first place. Radio’s Thom Hartmann notes that we’d have fewer illegal aliens if we had fewer illegal EMPLOYERS – people willing to break the law and hire illegals, knowing they’ll accept substandard wages and working conditions.. We take little or no punitive action against these employers.
Powerslave

I can see what he’s trying to say. It probably wasn’t the best choice of words but libs would take issue with any negative mention of illegal aliens. That being said, it sure seems tame compared to likening Gov. Brewer and Arizonans to Hitler and the Nazis. Or comparing the Arizona immigration law to the Holocaust. Or Dick Durbin comparing the US Army to the wehrmacht. The libs sure love the Nazis, don’t they?
Bunny

Putting aside the merits of his proposal, I think his comparison is a fair one and isn’t meant to lessen the value of human lives. His overall point is the logic used in handling both situations — that he feels it’s imperative to work on the existing issues immediately rather than allowing them to worsen while everyone talks it out or dukes it out to formulate the best long-term plan.
MrGlennBovineKoldys

I love it when the wingnutz try to outdo each other in their fake outrage and sternness.

10 years ago, when Chimperor Bush was in the campaign, he tried to address this problem and did nothing.

In 2005 and 2006, he once again tried to tackle the problem and it was the neanderthal gnopigs who once again went against any and all proposals presented, even those from within the gnopigs.

So, gNOpigs. You had 8 YEARS to CLOSE the border and build your idiotic fence. Where is it?
How come your bigoted, racist, ignorant gnopiggies are still squealing all day and all night long?
RichS

Very easy to stop this problem, fine employers for hiring illegals and require proof at every legal encounter with the government. We are already to provide the police with license, registration and proof of insurance when we are stopped for violating a traffic law. Enforce the requirement that social security numbers be provided whenever someone applies for a government benefit. When someone illegal is found send them to where they are legal. What is inhumane about this? If someone breaks into your house, are you required to feed and clothe them?
Nachi

Another illicit Repug hick. What else would you expect? Atrocities of the mind, all.