Free For All - The Free Liberal Blog: Chalk another one up for corporate America!

October 2008

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The Free Liberal has never been shy in criticizing corporate America, but between BB&T's willingness to take a strong stance against eminent domain and Andy Grove, the former Chairman of Intel speaking out against recent anti-immigrant legislation that recently passed the House of Representatives, I'd say these guys are on a roll.

I wish I could post the article, but the Wall Street Journal requires a subscription. I will give you a few highlights of Grove's piece from the January 26 edition:

Grove writes: "Let me illustrate. The bill contains a provision punishing anyone who 'assists, [or] encourages . . . a person who . . . lacks lawful authority to remain in the United States' to remain here. Punishment: three to 20 years in prison, the same punishment meted out to professional smugglers who profit from transporting illegal aliens across the border."

He then recounts how "As a Jewish child hiding from the Nazis in Hungary, he saw how the persecution of non-Jewish Hungarians who hid their Jewish friends or neighbors cast a wide blanket of fear over everyone. This fear led to mistrust, and mistrust led to hostility, until neighbors turned upon neighbors in order to protect themselves."

Grove caps his argument by putting the legislation in the context of today's America, saying "Consider the potential effect of this bill. Victims of the hurricane that devastated New Orleans more often than not did not have proof of their immigration status. Relief workers who helped them -- for example, by providing schooling to their children -- could have been charged under this bill with assisting undocumented aliens. Volunteers who save the lives of individuals who are left to die by smugglers -- by providing water or food, or by taking them to a hospital -- could face arrest and prosecution. An immigration worker who encourages a refugee from political persecution to seek asylum in the United States could be charged with a felony; so could a manager who forgets to check the papers of a job applicant."

It's pretty clear that anyone who is concerned about preserving individual liberty and the American way of life should be concerned about the ways in which supposed immigration control efforts will ultimately cost us all our personal freedoms. Three cheers for Andy Grove!!!