Some conservative businesspeople are worried about immigration in theory, but that concern is often attenuated by the immigrants' cheap labor or retail spending. Other likely Republican voters, such as Pearson, see immigrants as nothing more than a burden. [...]

Pearson walked outside of the store to show how immigration had radically altered the flavor of Saluda, the county seat of about 3,000 people.

She pointed down Main Street to the Spanish-language sign for Joyeria Santos, which offered perfume, clothes and religious items for sale, and El Marinero, a little store. The storefront church she once attended is now called the Iglesia Apostolica de la Fe en Cristo Jesus.

Around the corner, the Taqueria y Panaderia Guanajuato faced off with Saluda's grand old columned courthouse, where, coincidentally, a granite marker commemorated native sons William Barrett Travis and James B. Bonham, who died defending the Alamo from the Mexican army.

—Immigration through [a few] S.C. voters' eyes, latimes.com

Wow. She can't attend church anymore because now the language of Satan has taken over. And it's so tense in Saluda, that even buildings are "facing off"! An—coincidentally—the writer of this latimes.com article wants you to see this immigration moment as analogous to an invasion by the Mexican Army. (And, clearly, all "Latinos" as part of this army. ¿Claro?)

Pearson said she was neither a racist nor a xenophobe. She is married to a black man, she said, and when the Air Force shipped him off to Turkey, she went with him and savored the adventure.

Hey, it's all the proof I need! After all, I touched a Swede the other day, and didn't even shudder! So I dare you to tell me I have an issue with those filthy Swedes. (I don't, really. I roomed with one in college! Come on. How many more credentials do I need to show to prove my proggressiveness? Sheesh.)

Also undecided is Pearson's boss, Marti Coleman Adams, the founder of a local anti-illegal-immigrant group, Save Our Saluda. Adams, 52, is a fiery advocate for immigration reform. Her gift store -- packed with tasteful home furnishings -- sports a large banner of an American eagle on the front door. A poster behind the counter reads, "This Is America -- Please Speak English."

—Immigration through [a few] S.C. voters' eyes, latimes.com

Yeah. Marti sounds "undecided" all right. Either way, this person of tastefulness is to be admired. (I hope she's sure that's not a Mexican eagle! They can be hard to tell apart.) And she did say "please" after all. Which is a Spanish word, so I can see that the sign will have a great effect.

Kick it, Ralphie.

The United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man swallows the arsenic, which brings him down in turn. Mexico will poison us.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson, prior to the American Invasion of México

I love this quote. And I love Mister Emerson for saying it. And I love Henry David Thoreau for refusing to pay his taxes and sitting in jail to protest the invasion of México. Because, you see, the invasion of México was another trumped up casus belli. Another war the USA launched to gather up some fuel or treasure that she spied. Like Iraq. Like the USA just tried to pull with Iran and those boats in the straits of Hormuz. Like the USA did with the Gulf of Tonkin. Like the USA always does. But we don't like those parts of history! And I think some think that if we don't mention them, they don't exist. We want to drag borders wherever we want and then expect everyone to be happy about it and stay where we point them and repeat the New History. The New Reality. But New Memorized Reality cannot stand in for the inexorability of Nature's consequence.

Is there cause and consequence in this world? Or, as some might believe—do problems just spring out of air? Some huge wave of ALIENZ just storming the gates suddenly? A latent Mexican army simmering in the hearts of all "Latinos"? Now, this immigration realization, it has nothing to do with the fact that we have been recruiting those south of la frontera to work in our most backbreaking and undesirable jobs for years and years and years, no. And the osmosis of the Spanish language across the continent has nothing to do with the fact that it was here before the English language ever existed on this land, and that anyway, languages don't respect fences or signs, right?

Descendents of and defenders of invaders and landgrabbers asking nicely that their language be used while complaining that they are being overrun by immigrants and enjoying the fruits of an economy that was in great part built by those same immigrants while they talk about kicking them out.

You want to laugh if you didn't fear it would have you crying in a minute.