Chuckie Watch 2: Chuckie vs. California

CHARLIE DANIELS, Nashville's self-appointed guardian of Patriotic Correctness, has a book of his rants that's been published by the staunchly rightwing Regnery Publishing. It's called Ain't No Rag, the title being a reference to "raghead," which in Chuckie's crowd means A-rab.

But there are many samples of his Christian thoughts available at his Soapbox on his Web site. His entry for 9/8/03, "Things," is even less worth mentioning than most. It sounds like he's working on his own version of "My Favorite Things." Needs a lot of work, Chuckie.

But in an earlier rant, Chuckie explains what the problem with California is. A big part of it is all them there immigrants, he tells us:

Could California be a microcosm of what this whole country is going to become if we don't stem the tide of illegal immigrants and get some people in congress who realize that it's not their money they're spending[?]

Apparently the Republican majorities in both houses of Congress aren't good enough for Chuckie. Although I'm sure his immigrant-bashing is done in the spirit of Christian love.

What Chuckie doesn't say is what everyone in California has known for so long we hardly think about it. California agribusiness is dependent on illegal immigrant labor. Specifically illegal immigrant labor. So are significant parts of the textile, construction, canning and personal services businesses.

Most of those big growers who create the massive market for illegal immigration and the scandalous smuggling business that is an inevitable part of it are good Republicans, mostly Christian (although one may wonder about the depth of their religious convictions). And their faithful Republican politicians will go to the wall to block any actions that threaten to interfere with their market for illegal and underpaid labor.

Sure, some of them will back an immigrant-bashing measure like the notorious Proposition 187 several years ago. As long as, like that measure, it imposes hardships on individual immigrants and doesn't threaten their labor pool.

So if Chuckie wants to stop all this here illegal immigration, he needs to talk to his Christian Republican brothers and sisters among the big growers of California.

- Bruce Miller

Tags: charlie daniels, chuckie, immigration

Hearing: Arlo Guthrie, "Do Re Mi" (Woody Guthrie)