Two very out of place words

The headline on this AP story says more than enough:

Mexico Demands U.S. Allow More Immigration

In fact, two words (accurate in light of the story details) tell you all you need to know.

First, "Demands". Mexico demands that the United States allow more immigration, establish a guest-worker program and legalize the illegals who are here already.

Demands? By what authority?

Second word: "More." Mexico wants more of its citizens to come north. Why?

One reason is explained in the article:

Mexicans working in the United States are a huge source of revenue for Mexico, sending home more than $16 billion in remittances in 2004, Mexico's second largest source of foreign currency after oil exports according to the country's central bank.

Fine, money. We can dig the reason, even if we still don't agree that it requires a demand.

Could there be another more treacherous reason?

Imagine how silly it would sound if Canada "demanded" that the U.S. allow more of its citizens to immigrate, and to legalize those who have come here illegally.

Substitute the name of any other country on the planet. Mostly it just doesn't work. Perhaps the only one that might raise eyebrows would be China, and then sabers might rattle.

Our conclusion? Most nations would never think about saying something so arrogant because it would sound silly. Only those nations who seriously disrespect the U.S. and its laws - and who have within their borders sufficient numbers of the discontented - pose a real threat with their words.

For the record we'll say it again. We like the Mexican people. In fact the Hispanics who have come to our part of the country are easy to like, work hard, and for the most part share a common religious faith with us. They declare a fondness for American laws and civil guarantees that too many native born take for granted. We haven't met many "reconquista" advocates among them, although we have been told that they are here but keep a low profile.

We like Mexican food and music, and there are ample opportunities to indulge in both. Thus we see no need for the American Southwest to return itself to Mexico, for Mexican law and civil guarantees are still far less developed than ours. No system is perfect, and ours abounds with problems and hypocrisies, but "we the people" still hold the ultimate power in deciding who's in power and who's out.

You wish to come to our country? Apply for immigration legally.

You wish to threaten our country with demands?

Prepare to get your behind kicked one more time.