...More about that story.

The song that brought that story to mind was a song by Maná, Pobre Juan. It recounts the story just as I told it, but with more details about where it takes place. John and Mary are actually Juan and Maria. They live in a small village in Mexico. Juan dreams of providing well for his family. Not being rich, but a modest home, clothes to wear, and food on the table. He wants what all fathers want for their family.

The only way to provide this to his family is to come north to the US and work. He doesn't want to steal a job from an American citizen, but there are many jobs particularly in agriculture that Americans don't want and won't do. He knows that he can work those jobs and still make an hundred times more than the peasants wages he might get in Mexico.

That story is what happened to him. There is another part of that story. What about the employers hiring illegals over and over again attracting people to cross the border and subject themselves to the dangers that exist. What about the US? In 1942 the Bracero program was started to help with the manual labor shortage during WWII. The program didn't end until 1964. That was the US begging workers to flood over the borders and work. Did we really think that just "ending" a program would stop that flow? Employers in the US needed the cheap labor and for decades families in Mexico had supported their families by working in the US. It was all some of them knew how to do.

The immigration issue is complex. Anyone who thinks otherwise has not researched enough. I don't believe that people should just walk across and be citizens, but those drawing them in need to be dealt with too. With illegal drug use both the user and dealer are punished. I don't see too many employers treated the way that illegal immigrants are.

There are many sides to any issue. Immigration is no exception. I hope the tragic story of Juan and his journey helps to illustrate that this issue is about people. We are all people. Children of God.


Here is the text of the song, "Pobre Juan"

Juan se lanzo marchándose al norte iba en busca de una vida digna. Cruzando México por valles y por montes iba Juan lleno de fe.
La historia es que Juan se iba a casar con María embarazada. Pero él no tenía ni un centavo ni un clavo que darle.
Pero este Juan iba muy decidido y a la frontera el llegó con todo el filo. Se conectó con el mero mayor de los coyotes y la historia le conto. Mire usted que yo quiero cruzarme ya a San Diego o Chicago, dígame usted lo que hago qué precio le pago.
Juan ya nunca regresó, en la línea se quedó.
Pobre Juan.
O la migra lo mató, o el desierto lo enterró,
Pobre Juan.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Juan le ensenó al coyote una foto de María con la cual se casaría. Le prometió que el regresaría para formar todo un hogar.
Pero el coyote a Juan lo traicionó dejándolo al olvido, de tres balas se tronaron a Juan.
Pobre de Juan.
No regresó.
No, oh.
Juan ya nunca regresó, en la línea se quedó.
Pobre Juan.
O la migra lo mató, o el desierto lo enterró,
Pobre Juan.
Y María lo fue a buscar y ella nunca lo encontró.
Desapareció.
Oh...

Here is the song with an amateur video.