Vida, Libertad y la Busca de Felicidad

Recent casual browsing of the New York State DMV site struck a raw nerve. I used to believe that the US was the place of the utmost reverence for law. Frankly, the presence of rules and order was one of the salient points of the US. Apparently the lads from the opposite bank of Rio Grande have an alternative reading. Curiously enough, the government seems to be more interested in active law enforcement in remote oil-rich corners of this planet than in establishing basic order at home.

Well, la Reconquista or not, I can understand the government. It might be safer to let in millions of people speaking a European language and sharing the same religion than to allow a hundred or so godless H1B commies come in. But for Christ's sake - why did a government institution spend taxpayers' money on translation of an official site about strictly internal affairs into a foreign language? Not even in Texas but in a state located almost as far from the notorious border as Canada? Can one imagine more enraging evidence of a completely toothless policy against the illegal aliens?

I'll tell you what - I am not a native speaker of either language. And I spent only eighteen months learning Spanish. But I can read in Spanish (mostly because being fluent in English lets one do it pretty easily, courtesy of the Romans and the Normans) - including the 'Un mensaje importante' you can see at the mentioned site. Thus, do not tell me that a native speaker of either language has any problems learning the other language in less than a couple of years. I just do not buy it (not to mention the fact that of 6 people from my company with approved H1B petitions at least 3 speak a second language - German, French or Spanish).

So if the government is willing to accept millions of criminal morons incapable of mastering a language which is just a different flavor of their mother tongue why not to apply the same policy to me? After all I can sing The Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish as well. And do not tell me about stealing jobs from real Americans - the very same government warmly welcomed half of India into the very same software industry.

Rant over.