A majority of Americans understand that a country that is unable to - or lacks the will to - control its borders can't be considered a sovereign nation. We strongly oppose illegal immigration because we can see that it is a destroyer of nations. However, there are too many who either do not understand this reality, or for their own selfish reasons support and defend illegal entry. National laws make unauthorized immigration unlawful, yet some continue flouting the law. One has to wonder what motivations do they have for violating the law?

Most citizens want to stop illegal immigrants from overrunning our southern border. However, about 80 percent of America's Hispanic citizens apparently favor unlimited illegal immigration. Do Hispanics/Latinos see some benefit to illegal immigration that rest of the nation does not? Do native American Hispanics benefit economically from increasing the number of undereducated and largely unskilled immigrants? Does access to public services improve, or are taxes lowered because of this influx?

Do Hispanic Americans think that the situation in Mexico (and points south) is so dire that it is America's duty to provide for the unfortunate masses who wish to leave their homes? Or does their position derive from something so simple - and usually so politically sensitive - as a preference for people similar to their own ethnic makeup? Would massive numbers of immigrants from Nigeria or Turkestan crossing the border be as welcomed? What would be their view if China decided to buy up border town properties to resettle some of its surplus population? Is it possible that Hispanic attitudes on this issue are based on racial factors, and not on what is the good for the country?

Large numbers of politicians of both parties apparently favor open Southern borders. Their positions appear to be due to one consideration: gaining or holding office by pleasing Latino voters on this issue. These politicians, instead of looking out for the nation, are playing racial politics. We have lost hope that most politicians will do the right thing, but do our Hispanic citizens not understand that their long-term interests - and as well as those of all other citizens - is being thwarted by this political pandering.

Leaders of major labor unions oppose control of the borders. Why they do so is a mystery. Surely unions don't want competition from legions of low paid workers? Unions - and their Democrat allies - have one admitted goal: They oppose closing the borders to "illegal" immigrants until they can be assured that there will be no importation of "legal" temporary contract agricultural workers. This makes no sense - to anyone in the real world - except union bosses. One wonders what are the individual members' attitudes about illegal immigration and how much of union opposition is actually related to the good of their members?

Some religious organizations also encourage open Mexican immigration. Their motivations appear to be partly humanitarianism and partly self interest. Their desire to help others is commendable and the wish to spread their faith is understandable, but the churches do not bear the long-term costs of their support of illegal immigration. Those costs are spread across the nation for everyone to pay. Burdening the nation to support religious activities is not the American way.

Some businesses are said to need low-wage illegal immigrant labor. It is true that lower employee costs do help to hold down prices for American consumers, but the benefit is offset by the flow of money from wages out to Mexico. An endless supply of cheap labor is not sustainable, and the ultimately tremendous economic and social costs of this labor is far exceeds its value in marginally lower consumer prices.

Those supporting open borders might have some justification for their attitudes and actions if they presented rational explanations of how the nation benefits. Instead they rely on emotion, self interest, greed for power; and they expect the rest of us to pay for their ambitions.

Rod Paramoure is a retired military officer, educator and historian living in east Cobb.