McCain wrong to make fiery accusations

Freedom New Mexico

J ohn McCain started the Arizona forest fires. OK, so we’re making this up. McCain the flamethrower probably did not start the fires. But this much is true. Freedom Newspapers had no less to go on when blaming McCain than McCain had in blaming immigrants.

McCain may not be well. Here’s what he said over the weekend:

“There is substantial evidence that some of these fires are caused by people who have crossed our border illegally. They have set fires because they signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law enforcement agents and agencies from them.”

McCain could not say which fires the immigrants ignited. That’s because it is all just a figment of his imagination. McCain’s spokesman said “a Forest Service official” told him illegals started the fires, but Forest Service spokesman Tom Berglund told ABC News that it is all nonsense.

“There’s no evidence that I’m aware, no evidence that’s been public, indicating such a thing,” Berglund said.

McCain is a war hero. He is not a Nazi. We repeat: John McCain is not a Nazi or anything in the universe of a Nazi.

Yet false and sweeping allegations of criminal activity on the part of a specified demographic remind us of the holocaust. The Nazi book “Der Giftpilz” (the poison mushroom) compares edible mushrooms to good people and deadly mushrooms to bad people. The bad people are Jews, who seek to harm the Germans. The book depicts Jews as child molesters and kidnappers.

The constant portrayal of Jews as felons made it easy for ordinary folks to gather up the Jews and gas them for the good of society.

The vast majority of illegal immigrants are not criminals, but are mistaken as such because of the term “illegal.” Being in this country “illegally” is a civil infraction and nothing approaching a crime. If we trespass on railroad tracks we commit a crime. To reside in the United States illegally is not a crime, which means the political hysteria about “illegals” has no significant basis in law.

So how can we demonize, for political gain, an unpopular demographic that isn’t guilty of much? Blame them for the worst disaster of the year, of course. And why not? Who can prove McCain wrong? It is possible illegals started the fires, just as McCain could have started them.

McCain, next time blame fat people. They are fair game. Just say “fat people started the fires. Those darn fat people. Send them away.”

Most illegal immigrants are Latin Americans who embrace the religious and traditional family values Republicans claim to support. They commit far fewer crimes per-capita than American citizens perpetrate. A successful long-term strategy for Republicans would involve working to validate the residencies of illegals, as Reagan attempted. A short-sighted and expedient strategy, which will doom the GOP, involves demonizing them as criminals.

Just apologize, McCain, and tell the public you were mistaken. Reclaim your integrity. The last thing we need is more hatred and fear of people who come here to work and create wealth.