Brian Feagans of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offers "Illegals change the homebuilding industry". It covers the story of a house framing contractor who was driven out of work by low bids from his competitors who use illegal labor, something he refuses to do.

It can most charitibly be described as a Soviet-style report covering his re-education and possible future rehabilitation.

The contractor loses work, has to sell his house, takes anti-depressants, stops taking the anti-depressants, until he eventually loses his business and has to find a job with someone else.

He also sends emails to elected representatives and other officials, all of whom pass the buck and refuse to enforce our immigration laws.

Twenty or thirty years ago, this would be a story of a great scandal: cheap, illegal labor flooding a market and driving Americans out of business. And, papers would look into the corrupt elected officials who support that. Shouldn't newspapers uncover corruption rather than end up supporting it? Why, they've even made movies - with a 2004 sequel - about those who fight against corruption.

Should the AJC decide to become a real newspaper rather than a propaganda rag, they could start with something that's contained in the article:

Dennis McConnell, who sits on the board of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, said immigrant workers, both legal and illegal, are instrumental to construction in the region. "There's only so many Bubbas coming off the farm," said McConnell, who also sits on the board of the National Association of Home Builders. "The traditional sources for cheap labor just aren't there." ...McConnell, who builds in intown neighborhoods such as Virginia-Highland, said he has no doubt that there are illegal immigrants on his work sites. "That's why we hire subcontractors," he said. "It's their liability, not ours."

Shouldn't that have been not just a red flag but a red cape to a real reporter working for a real newspaper? Instead of treating it like the corrupt, anti-American scandal that it is, the AJC treats it like something you'd read in Soviet propaganda where the Uzbek peasant finally sees the light and decides to become a true kommunisticheskii worker.

I suggest the contractor keeps doing what he's doing now. But, as for the rest of us, I suggest helping him out by fighting against those who support massive illegal immigration. See also the commentary on this article here (nofollowpolicy).

Please send a note to their ombudsman with your thoughts: insideajc *at* ajc.com