Illegal Immigrant from Mexico Helps Crash Survivor
Illegal immigration continues to be a hot topic for politicians, as evidenced by the amount of time spent on it at this week's Republican debate. To some, it seems "illegal-alien bashing has become a national sport," as Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts puts it, and she and others are pointing to the story of illegal immigrant Manuel Jesus Cordova Soberanes as a counterpoint.
Cordova, a 26-year-old Mexican bricklayer, was "two days into his walk and about 50 miles from Tucson" on Thanksgiving when he came across a boy whose mother had been killed in a van crash, The Associated Press reports.
Cordova gave up his chance to "disappear" into the United States to help 9-year-old Christopher Buztheitner, who had walked away from the crash. Cordova got a fire started, found food in the van for the boy and waited while he slept. Fourteen hours later, a group of hunters found the pair and called for help.
"I am a father of four children. For that, I stayed," Cordova told AP. "I never could have left him. Never."
Cordova was taken into custody and deported. Roberts writes that Cordova is "probably nobody special." And that's the point.
I don't know if anything should be done for Cordova. He did what any human being should do. Maybe what we can do in appreciation is to reclaim the debate that has been taken over by the extremes, those who would have you believe that every person here illegally is out to rob us and cheat us and steal our country.
The Tucson Citizen reports that the response to the story from its online community has been mostly positive. But about a quarter of the readers weren't swayed by Cordova's "act of compassion." One wrote that the media are "heaping praise" on the story to further an immigrant-loving agenda.
11:57 AM ET | 11-30-2007 | permalink
Comments (Send a comment)
I'm going to assume a majority of the quarter of the readers that weren't swayed by Cordova's actions are southern religious conservatives, and it saddens me that they can't recognize a true "good samaritan" when they see one. Cordova SHOULD be praised for his actions, because everyone can look up to them and learn from them.
I wonder if there were Americans criticizing our government for an "immigrant-loving agenda" in 1886 when France gave us the statue of liberty. I think it was more celebrated. Well, I guess back then Americans were not too many generations away from their immigrant ancestors to forget an "immigrant loving-agenda" is what got them here.
Sent by Bryan | 1:00 PM ET | 11-30-2007
The immigration debate is such a non-issue.
This is an awesome story though. What have all of those old white-haired jerks running for the republican nomination done for anyone. And this (I would have to assume) desperate immigrant dude helps out the meek and helpless.
Now those are values.
Sent by Jody Sol | 1:17 PM ET | 11-30-2007
This is the kind of person I want in this country. Compassionate, mindful people. We can model the behavior we desire, and we can reward those who also model that behavior.
Give him a work visa, encourage him to immigrate. This man who took a child in, while crossing the desert wilderness. He sacrificed his own dream of entering this country, to do what is right.
Shouldn't we reciprocate?
Sent by Sundog | 1:22 PM ET | 11-30-2007
One day, many decades or even a century or more from now, this episode might still be remembered as a parable of what America and its people had become in the twilight of its power.
Sent by George deMan | 1:34 PM ET | 11-30-2007
We are losing our humanity. "We the people"to me means all the people of the World, not just persons who happen to have been born in the USA. Teach your children to look at everyone as a special part of our World. Anger only brings more violence. Peace
Sent by Carlos Sotolongo | 2:06 PM ET | 11-30-2007
A friend told me about a conversation he had with a woman who came of age in Nazi Germany. He asked her what it was like to grow up in that environment and what the general social atmosphere was, especially regarding the Jews. She told him that in modern America the best parallel to get an idea of the mood of the German people at that time, would be to consider the attitude of many Americans toward illegal immigrants from Mexico today. Apparently bashing Jews as a 'national sport' was a precursor to the concentration camps.
Sent by John R. Otten | 2:07 PM ET | 11-30-2007
Perhaps "Bryan" can share with us the reason it's proper to assume that Sr. Cordova's critics are "southern" and "religious."
It may be well to fight fire with fire - is it just as well to fight bigotry with bigotry?
Sent by Edwin | 2:19 PM ET | 11-30-2007
I agree with the person who said the immigration debate is such a "non-issue." It is--it's really about having babies, having families, not NEEDING to let people enter the country illegally. Then this one act of compassion could be seen for what it is, and a rule bent. I live in Mexico, by the way, and there are many people like Cordova here, because they still believe in God.
Sent by Janet Baker | 2:27 PM ET | 11-30-2007
This is a great act of humanity. A standpoint that we should take in making descisions that can impact generations to come. Good bless everyone, not just "America"!
Sent by MM | 3:02 PM ET | 11-30-2007
Those who forget the sins of the past are doomed to repeat them. I'm glad that my parents taught me to stand up for the basic human rights of all people, not just "people like us". It saddens me to hear language like "immigrant-loving". Substitute your demographic for immigrant and that hate has been spewed before.
With every word & deed we teach. What did you teach your child today? How will it change the course of history?
Sent by Nika | 3:45 PM ET | 11-30-2007
I am southern, religious and conservative. I can fairly be lumped into the group that Bryan refers to as "they" and would like to respond to his accusations. In my opinion acts of goodness and compassion should have no sway in the debate over illegal immigration. One man's individual heroism under exceptional circumstances cannot erase the need for our nation to control her borders.
Cordova is a good man who deserves praise and even special consideration but we shouldn't allow illegal immigrants into America just because they are good people, although that should be one of the standards for legal immigration. The argument is not about the moral fitness of the immigrants coming into our country.
Impolite and unsophisticated racism exists in the south and that is a shame, but it is not convincing evidence that we should open the borders and allow unchecked immigration.
Sent by Terry | 4:11 PM ET | 11-30-2007
God bless Mr. Cordova.
Shame on America!
What kind of country treats people in such a shameful way! He saved this little boy's life and yet he was not even given a thank you before he was deported like a criminal!
