Saturday, May 20, 2006

Plato's All-American, Mexican-Free Republic

Having been deprived of DSL for a week, I was shocked to discover that during my absence from the internets apparently 12 million illegal Mexican immigrants had snuck into the country to do the kind of work I (as an American) don’t want to do.
This is no time play the blame game; though if it were, the giant green foam hand of guilt should surely be pointed at my DSL non-provider. After all, how can I as a concerned US citizen monitor the Mexican border using Google Earth without an internet connection?! But never mind that.

I’m looking at the border right now with Google Earth and I’m not seeing any activity, but that’s probably because Mexicans prefer to travel at night (like Orcs). Besides, remotely surveilling the border is one of those jobs that I as an American just don’t want to do ( not because I'm in anyway unpatriotic, it's just that it's under funded and frankly, it's hard work!)

It just so happens that there are lots of jobs Americans don’t want to do and there are plenty of Americans who don’t want to do them; like for example Porter Goss, Michael Brown, Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff (yeah I know he hasn’t officially quit but mentally he’s golfing in the Bahamas) and George Bush (if you were him right now, wouldn’t you rather be fishing?). So I think the solution to the “Jabanero Peril” is pretty clear.
As protecting our border seems to be a job hardly any Americans want to do, and as Mexicans like doing the jobs we Americans don’t, it stands to reason that the Mexicans should protect our border! Simple!

Ah, but were we living in Plato’s Republic instead of the American Republic then I (being Plato of course) would expect one of my erudite and gluttonous guests to offer up some contrarian argument, thusly:

Skeptiades: “But my dear Plato, the excellence of these honey-dipped badger nostrils notwithstanding, surely the Mexican guards you propose would not be guards at all but doormen, actually inviting their fellow countrymen in, most likely in exchange for nothing more than a limp chimi-changa? And by the way, do you intend to eat that last bat testicle?"

Plato (being me, of course!) : “A fine point, Skeptiades, which I shall address with such superior logic as to induce flatulence in your corpulent frame. Be so good as to follow my argument carefully, though at a safe distance--and you are welcome to the bat testicle, I'm quite filled-up with them….but allow me to continue upon my discourse: After a period of time of turning away their Mexican brethren, the border guards will begin to resent their jobs.
At that point they may then be regarded as being more American than Mexican because now they will have found the job that they do not want to do and will begin to look for another job that Americans still don’t want to do--such as serving multiple back to back tours of duty in the Middle East. The formerly refused Mexicans will then take over guarding the border in a logical cycle”

Skeptiades: “But—“

Plato (me) : “Shut up! I’m not done yet! In the meantime, tax incentives will be passed to encourage American businesses to move more and more jobs to Mexico and (elsewhere) where wages are lower and health and safety are not an issue. Americans won’t want to do those jobs either, making them naturally attractive to Mexicans. Illegal immigration will then trickle to a halt as all the jobs American s don't want to do will now be in Mexico! Problem solved!

Skeptiades:“Very clever, my dear Plato, you seem to have solved the Mexican problem... but not the overall immigration problem, nor that of national border security! What of the border to the north? What of Canada?”

Plato: “Again, my dear but increasingly annoying Skeptiades, the answer is as simple as you are. With the Mexican issue solved, Americans will be free to build a giant wall on the Canadian border.”

Skeptiades:“Ah hah! I have you, Plato! By your logic the Americans would have the Canadians secure the border, and fight our wars; yet they are not Mexicans, they have no wish to do the work Americans will not do, nor even to cross the border! Thus your logic does not apply to all threatening neighbours! Whilst I wait for you to squirm your way out of my challenge, would someone pass me a buttered gerbil?

Plato: “Buttered gerbil?! Surely Skeptiades you don’t plan on putting that vermin in your mouth?”

Skeptiades:“Not my mouth, no...I have... errm....other plans for it. But I think you are avoiding my superior challenge, Plato. Complete your thesis or admit your argument leads to a dark, dead end!”

Plato: “I think it is your buttered gerbil and not my argument that will find itself in a dark dead end, my sybaritic colleague, for you fail to understand the fullness of my logic and the nature of Mexicans!
Though even the gods such as Bill O’Reilly, John Cavuto and Sean Hannity see no distinction between Mexicans, Canadians, Terrorists and Liberal Democrats (not to mention Saddamists, Hitlerites, Stalinists and Herbalists) such differences do exist and in that I believe both you and I agree…”

Skeptiades:“Finally! A point of equality between us, Plato! But differences remain that I deem you and your reason will find insurmountable...I await your sysiphean task with glee. But please, do not let the stifled squeals of a buttered gerbil distract you from your most fascinating treatise..do continue..."

Plato (don't forget, it's really me all-along, though frankly I have no idea who this asshole Skeptiades is, he sounds like a gay ACLU intern! I really ought to call security, but they’re all Mexicans and don’t speak a word of Greek, or English for that matter):
“With the Mexican border secured as I previously described those Mexicans formerly assigned to border patrol and now in the U.S. Army may then be redeployed to build a massive wall at the Canadian border which again is the type of job that Americans simply will not do, Americans preferring marketing and consulting and such.
Now, at the border one need only point out to the Mexicans which is North and which is South, and being used to traveling North in search of jobs the Mexicans will then build the wall from the North side, thus sealing themselves off from the South.
In this way the wall will be built and the Mexicans will be left in Canada. And thus with both borders secured, America will be restored to its original and more perfect population of white-skinned non-immigrant citizenry, leaving them to concentrate on protecting the West coast from Asians and the East from Europeans, until the entire country is securely contained within mighty walls of freedom! What say you now, Skeptiades?”

Skeptiades:“I confess I am discomfited and defeated, Plato. Not just by your superior arguments, but also by this seemingly insufficiently-buttered gerbil!”

Plato: “In that case Skeptiades, I suggest you seek out a Mexican to help you, for surely you are offering up a job than no American wants to do.”

And thus was yet another meal, another evening of weighty discourse and another buttered gerbil passed, to the great content of all.

7 comments:

5th Estate said...

For anyone who hasn't read Plato's Republic, you really won't quite "get" as a parody and a commentary of reason and assumptions but regardless it's very illumanating on the basics of governance and of resoned discourse. Though it has its flaws, its a lot clearer and arguably more sensible than the Bible as a handbook for civilization.

eyedoc333 said...

What's this about buttered gerbils?!

My pet gerbils Curry, Pepper and Dill (the spice boys) take umbrage.

5th Estate said...

And so they should, eyedoc. Gerbils have long been discriminated against, not to mention exploited in unsavory ways. Not unlike scientists and Democrats I might add. Though at least scientists and Democrats aren't prone to chewing the hind legs off their own kind ( well, except for the DNC).

Fran / Blue Gal said...

But what about voles? Don't they have a better understanding of platonic discourse?

(excellent post, btw)

5th Estate said...

But what about voles? Don't they have a better understanding of platonic discourse?
Indeed they do , bluegal. When faced with a philosphical issue there is no better companion than a vole---give the hyperactive creature a sunflower seed and it will nod agreement to whatever you say. And voles know how to burrow, whereas as gerbils just act all gerbilly and stuff.

Carl said...

Jabanero Peril...LOL!

Brit, this was one of your finest bits of work since your last bit of work!

Carl said...

eyedoc333 said...
What's this about buttered gerbils?!


Oh, I'll *bet* your gerbils are buttered!

I mean, giblets...