Last week, at the request of radio host Bryan Suits, I posted a plea to help an Iraqi translator gain a work Visa to come to America.  I had no idea that a simple request for help, a situation where I gain nothing, would generate a cynical post deriding my values and motivations.

The blog, EFFin’ Unsound, is basically a liberal blog designed to watch and report on Sound Politics and Evergreen Freedom Foundation.  The author also notes that many smaller blogs are also unsound, so that must mean me.

I feel honored to join such distinguished company.

You can read Mr Ballard's (not his real name) dissection of my post here.  I will post his comments and respond here.

Many local  rightie bloggers are upset about what’s happening to Iraqi translator/ friend of a semi-well known radio host, Alaa. And I sympathize.

Your compassion is underwhelming.

But the problem isn’t that we’re not letting this particular immigrant in, it’s that we aren’t letting enough people in who want to come in.

Perhaps it is.  First of all, so what?  Does that change the reality of this story?  Does that make Ala'a case less deserving?  I was telling one story for specific effect to try and make one injustice right.  I cannot change the entire system, but maybe I can generate enough support to help one person.  I was also pointing out the inherent unfairness of the system, so I am not sure what else you expect.

It’s tougher to insult people when you’ve heard their story. But if you think that there are only 500 similar stories in all of Iraq, I’m sorry to disappoint you.

Insult?  First, I have no flipping clue what you are talking about.  Second, of course there are more similar story.  Probably tens of thousands.  If one of their supporter's asks, I will profile their story too if it is just as worthy.  Again, what is the point?

I think you imagine something different than what’s actually going on at the border. A waltz is so formal. Everyone knows they dance the mariachi across the border.

He is obviously not a student of hyperbole.  I was pointing out the inherent unfairness, where on the southern border, people do not feel compelled to use the system, because they can game it rather easily.  Then they come here and demand rights.  In contrast, Ala'a stays home and asks...and asks...and asks...

Fortunately for him, one of those troops happened to have his own radio show. Otherwise nobody would know who he is.

Oh, I doubt it.  Yes, the fact that Bryan Suits radio host is also Lt Suits makes a difference, but I have full confidence that if Bryan Suits radio host was really Bryan Suits grocery clerk, he would feel no less compelled to seek out support for his friend.

Unfortunately for him, that same radio host and others like him had spent many years attacking anyone who wanted to come into this country. So President Bush made it more difficult to get into this country.

Oh, please.  That is absurd.  This is not Bush's fault, it is the Army's fault.  If anything Bush is guilty of allowing the southern border to remain so porous that crossing it is a joke, and thus exaggerating the disparity between coming in illegally across Mexico and trying to follow the rules from Iraq.

And I defy you to show one place in this blog where I am unfair in regards to illegal immigration.  I don't attack anyone who wants in, i denounce those who do so illegally.  Period.

Now they aren’t even dancing? Next thing you know, they’ll just be in a TV studio or something.

Rolling my eyes...

Then he asks you to write a letter. Not to let more people enjoy, “the freedoms you take for granted.” Because that would be total bullshit. Just that this one person who he’s heard of should enjoy those freedoms. Freedom isn’t for everyone.

I was asking to help one person, a specific case.  I am all for people writing their elected officials to change the system, something I am sure Mr Ballard (not his real name) is familiar with, having written so many letters of his own.

Again, this was a blog to help one person.  I kept it focused to that one person.  I was being specific to his situation.  That is not an indication that others are not as worthy.  Their stories have not been told.

Why don't you find a worthy candidate and sponsor him or her?  Why not jump on the bandwagon, instead of trying to spoke the wheels of mine?

If he had read my blog, he would see the countless time I have called for realistic immigration reform, and that is not bullshit.  I am all for a revamped system that allows deserving people a chance to make their dreams happen.

But I will also never quit in my demands that those people abide by the system and come here legally, and I will never accept calls by and for those here legally , demanding rights they are not entitled to.

If that makes me unsound, I am happy to be noted as so.

I left him this comment:

I’m honored to rate a category of my own.

I isolate the case of Ala’a because it illustrates an inequity in the system.

As far as the post, sorry that some of the hyperbole was over your head.

Of course I know there are many cases like his, but I was only asked to post about one. And if Bryan had not been a radio host, he would still have done what he is doing, using any means he has. He cares.

As far as immigration, I advocate a system that allows people to come here legally. How is that bad? How is our country served by an unrestricted flow of illegals?

Ala’a has a skill needed, and yes, I think he should be a preferred immigrant, how is that bad? Instead he has to contend with 50 visas a year that are shared between people in Iraq ands Afghanistan. If my spotlighting him helps that, I am proud to help, even if I earn your sarcasm.

I would want the same for anyone who wants to come here legally. And that is not bullshit, despite your scorn.

He responded with:

I’m not sure what category you’re talking about.

That was  joke, i noted the post was filed in Carl...my name is Karl.  Get it?

The system is unequal because we chose to make it unequal. We should be letting in anyone who wants to come in and isn’t here to do us harm.

Sure.  So what?  The system cannot bear a constant influx of people, so some curbs are going to have to exist.  I agree that it needs to be fixed. 

I just wanted to link to some mariachi.

Sure, as far as Suits goes. But if he hadn’t been a radio host, most of the people writing about the story wouldn’t be.

Perhaps.  So what?  He is and they are, deal with it.  I have no apologies because I responded to a request for help.

Well, you didn’t say anything beyond this one person. But you’re advocating for one person to be able to come here instead of as many people as want to.

I have called for immigration reform before.  This blog was to help one person, to make an example with one unjust story, and to maybe do something good.  I can 't fix the world, but maybe I can help one guy.

He shouldn’t be preferred. Instead of some guys with websites, or on the radio, or in bureaucracies deciding who comes, how about the market? If there are pharmacy jobs he should fill them. If there are jobs as landscapers or picking fruit, or whatever else, the market should fill them.

Again, so what?  He is in a place where he is unfairly handicapped by the Military that he has risked his life to help.  My call is out of a sense of justice as a vet and a sense of humanity.  That he has a valuable skill as opposed to the unskilled workers who game the system just speaks to the unfair irony.

Clearly this isn’t the case as you are just for him getting someone else’s spot. Because that someone didn’t have the right friends. Someone stupid enough to help out a unit that didn’t have a radio host.

No I am giving him a sporting chance because he deserves it.  You can look upon him with disdain, but I respect the sacrifice he made to help the troops, and I feel responsible for the fact it cost him a fair chance to come here.

This is my way of paying that back.  Maybe you feel my sense of justice and altruism is unfair and unjustified.  I don't, and since it's my blog, and my voice, then that is what is reflected.

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