Readers not afraid to speak their minds

Pignanelli: LaVarr and I have been writing this column together for almost six months. While bestowing our subjective view of Utah politics, we have mocked important politicians and challenged respected institutions. Each column has generated some mild responses. But the volume, content and emotional reaction to the recent edition regarding illegal immigration was astonishing.

Almost half of the numerous e-mails were from outside Utah. An overwhelming majority (90 percent) disagreed with our position of allowing illegal immigrants temporary work permits for agricultural operations. They ranged across the spectrum of civilized decorum. The most courteous objection originated from a reader in California: "So much of your article is outside the realm of rational debate." The worst was a suggestion that LaVarr and I undertake an activity that is anatomically impossible for human beings.

In order to share these snippets of American prose, I have categorized them for our readers' convenience. (Remember, these are actual e-mails.)

Those from another planet provided insightful statements such as: "My teen was looking for a job but was barred from a neighborhood job because adult illegal aliens are working the job American citizen teens seek." Also, "Americans can and will do these jobs you claim they refuse to do & Americans consider jobs such as flipping burgers to be the providence of teenagers and college students . . . Last summer some 600,000 college students could not find jobs, because these illegal aliens you love so much had taken them." (Notice to McDonald's: Expect long lines of college students seeking minimum-wage jobs.)

The completely clueless offered: "Instead of relying on manual labor, maybe the farmers and growers should obtain or invent technology that allows them to harvest their food without employing so many people." (No suggestions proffered how the agricultural industry collects food in the meantime.) "So, you're a descendant of immigrants and they 'worked hard.' So what! It wasn't the racial diversity that built this country . . . but often it was actually often racism that contributed to the building of this country (i.e., slavery) unfortunately." (How is that for sensitivity?)