Debate at McDonald's

We went out shopping tonight (awesome deals on kids clothes at The Children's Place and shoes at the Croc outlet) and ended up eating a quick meal at McDonald's. The lady across from the aisle from us was feeling particularly chatty and commented on my adorable children. I always welcome compliments on them (especially when they are behaving) and thought nothing of it. Then she proceeded to open the flood gates on a topic I haven't thought much of recently, but developed a different opinion on while I lived in San Jose: illegal immigration. She showed me a headline in the paper that stated that 25% of Milwaukees public school enrollment this year was Hispanic. I commented that it's not surprising, since they are now the largest minority group in America. Then she started in on how ALL of them are illegals, they are sucking dry the welfare money in America (particularly in Wisconsin), and all sorts of white-bred mis-informed comments on the illegals in this country.

I hate confrontation. I hate getting into debates on most topics, mainly b/c I do not feel myself an expert on anything in particular. I do not like spouting off uninformed opinions. I try to live by the phrase "Better to be a fool in silence than open your mouth and remove all doubt." But personally knowing several illegals, children of illegals, and friends of illegals, I couldn't sit by quietly. I mentioned how many of them are escaping poverty and injustice. She countered that they should just take extra time and do the paper work. Then she proceeded to give me a "history" lesson on how ALL of the people from Europe came here legally and with money and with sponsors. (Had I been quicker, I would have pointed out they lived in squallor, they were lied to and taken advantage of, not all of them were legal, etc...) I did ask her how many of the 6 1/2 million Jews slaughtered during the Holocaust would still be alive if we had lifted quotas and let them in. She said some did come because they had money. I replied by stating that was true and the rest died in gas chambers. She decided to set aside history and go back to illegals from Mexico. (History is one topic I feel a little more confident on)

I even tried bringing in the love of Christ when she mentioned that they would never reciprocate and give us what we give them. She kept giving me analogies and every one was true for my life in situations where I give love not expecting anything in return. Finally, I smiled at her and told her we were at an empass and simply would not agree. She asked if I knew illegals and I told her about meeting some while teaching. Then the conversation turned to California vs. Wisconsin and ended on a pleasant note (until the boys got bored and tried to run outside.)

Whew! I was shaking the entire time! Rob said he was very proud of me for standing my ground. I hadn't realized my opinions on illegal immigration had changed that much, but I guess they have. I don't like the drain on our national resources, but I have a hard time looking a sweet, brown-eyed child in the eye and telling her to go back to live in poverty and pick garbage from the heaps outside her home. I don't have all of the answers and I never will and nothing is going to change the world from a McDonald's debate. But it was interesting, I'll give it that.