A warning to immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims.

As the son of Muslim immigrants (now naturalized and proud American citizens), permit Us to say a few words to immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims.

We have noticed a recent trend in the rhetoric of those who are right of center. This trend can be problematic for immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims. This trend is an increasing willingness to defend The United States and excoriate those who undermine their integrity, sovereignty, values, ways, and people. Immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims do this by asserting that they ought to be accorded special privileges, by their refusal to accept and adopt Americans values, and that laws be set aside for their sake.

Immigrants, specifically, do this by refusing to embrace The United States. Americans see this as unacceptable. Immigrants are essentially guests in The United States and immigrants benefit from their economy, laws, and values. When immigrants then assert their identification with the state or region from which they came at the expense of gratitude and American identification and values, Americans become quite irate. And justfully so: if immigrants do not like the values and ways of The United States, and if they will insist on denigrating them, the immigrants should go back to where they came from if they dislike The United States so much. It makes no sense to continue living here.

Illegal aliens, specifically, do this by demanding that laws be waived for their sake. This, in itself, is not so problematic for Americans. Illegal aliens are unlike immigrants in that illegal aliens came here illegally (that is, not through the procedures and laws established by The Government) and stay here illegally. In the eyes of Americans, the fact that they remain here and are not deported by The Government itself should be cause for unbounded gratitude to The United States. That illegal aliens undermine the values and ways of the land, let alone insist on staying despite the illegality thereof, is unacceptable to Americans. That some would go so far as to refuse to recognize the integrity, sovereignty, and legitimacy of The United States is entirely and absolutely unacceptable to Americans. This makes Americans quite irate. This is bad because the more Americans become fed up with illegal aliens, the more likely they will press The Government to enforce its laws (a novel concept!) and deport illegal aliens.

Muslims, specifically, do this by denigrating the values and ways of The United States, in some cases by refusing to identify with The United States (Americans in name only, with their primary allegiance to Islam and Muslims), and by demanding that Muslim sensitivities be honored. It is quite hypocritical, to begin with, to attack The United States (figuratively and literally) and then demand that their inhabitants refrain from offending the Muslims. It is also hypocritical because the very forms of offense they object to, Muslims here and abroad churn out against others, including The United States and their inhabitants. Americans are not wont to accept such double standards. Americans ridicule everyone and every thing. Muslims and Islam will not be excluded. This includes not only individual Americans but also greater and more evident aspects of American culture, such as the media and institutions of education. How other religions are treated, Islam is to be treated. Muslims should not expect special treatment; demanding it would be utterly ridiculous and will only serve to harden American attitudes against Muslims.

There are times when We fear a bit for immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims. These groups tend to think they can push the envelope with impunity. But Americans are not prone to sit and watch, as perhaps Europeans are. Americans can be quite action-oriented, particularly when issues touching patriotism and American integrity are involved. If these groups continue to secure their unacceptable agendas, the backlash of the American people could severely set back their causes. Americans have only so much patience. And the nature of American government is such that should the people want action taken against these groups, to put them in their place, the government would, most likely, do so. Indeed, it may even feel constrained to resign to the people's demands.

This is simply a friendly warning to immigrants, illegal aliens, and Muslims. In the day when you face the backlash of American opinion and policies, do not say you were not warned.

inna naHnu-l-a'lam.