More Singers Of "Immigrant Song"

Two more voices have been raised in favour of free immigration. These are important to take note of in view of the strict legislation Arizona has just passed. From the USSA, there is Steve Chapman, writing in Reason, that the Arizona idea sucks bad. Chapman concludes, most realistically:

If there is any lesson from recent experience, it's that foreigners are going to come here one way or another. The best option is to admit far more of them through wider legal channels. The alternative is to keep Arizona's southernmost ranches as the front line of a war the immigrants don't want and we can't win.

The article is short, and well worth a read.

The second singer of "Immigrant Song" (the original is by Led Zeppelin, and if you haven't heard it, you must) is our very own Shanu A of Liberty Institute. Shanu takes a principled libertarian stand. He supports free immigration and answers its critics on their principal objections: that it would increase crime; that it would lower wages (how nice!); that it would cause unemployment; that it would increase the burden on taxpayers and the Welfare State (why not abolish Welfare?). This is a great article from a young Indian libertarian, one that I heartily recommend.

I am reminded of the time I visited Kargil in 1985. I was taken up a mountain to a border outpost manned by Indian soldiers. They had their guns pointed at a similar Pakistani outpost just metres across a deep chasm. And the two sides were busy hurling choice Punjabi abuses at each other. Quite disgusted at all the foul language, I ventured out and looked down the chasm that separated India from Pakistan. A river flowed below. And villagers from both sides, with their goats and sheep, were happily going this way and that, crossing the border that tax-funded soldiers were defending with so much passion. Reminded me of that song:

All that you protect,
All that you defend,
Is just a borderline,
Another borderline.

If you have missed the thread of previous discussions on immigration, here are two recent posts: the first on Walter Williams vs Lew Rockwell on the subject; and the second on Kane, a US wrestler, and a principled libertarian, who also sings "Immigrant Song."

Good Morning, America! Anyone not read that yet? It is the greatest "Immigrant Song" ever, by the great Baba Pagal Nath Charsi. To read, click here.