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Sept 26 2009: work in progress

This article provides links to anti-H1B blogs and articles containing comments and opinions about the program. Some are sensible, well-researched and well-written. Others can only be described as angry, if not outright nasty. A few are way over the top - some of the rhetoric borders on irrational. I've tried to screen out the worst offenders without missing significant segments of opinion in the H1B debate.

Most of them commit what I regard as the cardinal sin of the anti-H1B movement by dragging touchy and emotional anti-immigration issues into the debate. Personally, I do not agree with many of their opinions ( particularly about immigration reform ) and even when I agree with the opinion, I often object to the way it is said.

Nonetheless, I believe it is important to understand the anti-H1B movement as it is and these American voices seem to express how things stand as of September 2009.

Last Call

The "sign out" posting from the now-inactive IT Professionals Association of America.

Over the past three years the ITPAA struggled to boost its membership. It has pursued every avenue at its disposal to reach long term financial security. However it never came close to achieving it.

Calls for volunteers were never heeded. Interns never called back. Funding drives were ignored. While kudos, prayers and “attaboys” poured in, memberships never did. Over time I learned an important fact:

Happy thoughts – prayers, compliments, whatever – will not change anything. Only hard work and money will. Unfortunately, the ITPAA never had enough of either from anyone besides me and a very select few: John Pardon, “Anti-Outsourcing”, “Frankie”, and our kind hosts at Digital Labs, LLC.

As a believer in a free economy, I slowly realized that there was no market for what I was selling. If people really were energized by their situation, they would have offered more than “happy thoughts” to fight the ITAA – with 60+ paid employees and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding. When a group of H-1b’s organized to lobby Congress on their behalf, they raised $200,000 in one month. In 36 months we have raised less than $3,000.

I have sunk over $10,000 of my own money plus thousands of hours of time into an enterprise that has failed in the marketplace of ideas. I did my best and learned much, but our mission needs more than happy thoughts to continue. So it is over.

How many emails and phone calls to Congress, how many vehement postings, how many voting ballots does it take to match the power of one dollar ? The power of money is power indeed - power that the entire world strives mightily to confer upon its possessor.

Crosstalk

This is the message body of the free fax service provided by the conservative Numbers USA group, which is often recommended to opponents of the H1B program by the "anti-immigration regulars". What does this message have to do with the H1B program, or with immigration reform for that matter ?

Dear [This fax will go to Rep. Nancy Pelosi]

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents do a fantastic job enforcing our nation's laws. How can you call them "un-American?"

I have learned to put up with your pro-illegal alien [ conservative code-word, people from another planet ], anti-American worker rhetoric. However, your recent comments at the "immigration listening session" are truly appalling.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents put their lives on the line on a daily basis to enforce our laws and protect the security and livelihoods of Americans. How can you call their actions "un-American?" You should not be criticizing them, you should be thanking them!

Sincerely, [Your name will appear here]

Have they ever heard the expression "e pluribus unum", that is "from many one" ?. If unity is strength, then what is the petty snipping so typical of our political system. Considering our fundamental disunity and preference for rhetoric over action, it's a wonder that things aren't worse in this country.