Pilgrims

Rage against illegal immigrants was once only an applause line in the Republican field manual, but in the time since I moved to Australia it's become a metastasizing tumor:

• On ABC (American) News an insipid Republican presidential candidate (Mitt Romney) just proudly contrasted himself with an opponent by boasting that he, in fact, voted AGAINST tuition breaks for children of illegal immigrants while his opponent voted FOR such sinister legislation.
  
• The other day I saw a pudgy white guy driving a Ford pickup with a "Where's the fence?" bumper stiicker on its cab window.
  
• Saddest of all, the two lovely mothers pictured above with their kids became increasingly uncomfortable posing for this photo taken along an autumn-painted river walkway in downtown Maryville. Amanda and I were deep in conversation when the oldest boy said hello to us -- that's all I needed to want a photo. Almost immediately the mother on the right asked why. It wasn't until she asked a second time that I connected her concern with anti-illegal fervor. Of course her hesitation was justified ... and so goddamned sad.