SAVE THE WHITEFISH!

There is a great article about the Asian carp- currently public enemy number one in the Great Lakes of America (and Canada).

The Asian carp, it seems, was introduced in the "Deep South" back in the 70's.

They were "imported" to fish farms, as well as sewage lagoons.

Extrapolating, then, the Asian carp was brought to make money, and to literally "eat shit."

Since the early 1970's, the carp "escaped" into the Mississippi River, and is now, "infesting" northern waterway, devouring the plankton upon which cherished native species rely, species which include "whitefish."

Check it here.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100719/ap_on_bi_ge/us_asian_carp_great_lakes_5

What is most interesting about this is the rhetoric is identical to that used by Arizona Minutemen in their battle against "Illegal immigrants."

"Asian carp will kill jobs and ruin our way of life," states Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.

In his petition to the US District Courts in northern Illiniois, Cox is essentially asking for "locks, gates, and other infrastructure" to be closed,  after the carp was discovered north of  an "electric barrier" designed to "block the voracious fish's path."

Anyone want to play "Parallels in American History?" (Sounds like a fun new board game to me!)

My turn!

Off the top of my head, they include both the bracero programs for migrant labor, and the plantation based economy of the "deep south", where blacks and latinos were brought into the US to work fields, clean houses, etc. the "dirty jobs."

Most obvious, since we're talking about "asians" is the Chinese "cooley" system, when labor from China was brought to the US to build the railways, wash clothes and pick weeds.

Then, there's "chitlins"- basically, the pigs intestines which were fed to slaves, very close to eating shit.

Fast forwarding to the present,  there's the electric fence, which echo the "border" fences being erected to keep out terrorists, drug dealers and of course, the evil illegal immigrants.

There's also the Arizona law- how could I leave that out? which would allow law enforcement and a network of patriotic vigiliantes (aka- the minutemen) to act as a "gate, lock, or other infrastructure" to keep out the "invaders."

Other parallels?

That this fish has in its core a desire to succeed, proliferate, and conquer that seems to embody the American Dream at its best. A fish that, by the way, jumps out of the water to "attack" boats and fisherman. Kinda badass, really to think about these escaped shit eaters kicking everyone's ass!

As a half-Asian/ half-white man, I feel both a sense of pride, and a Nativist rage! How compelling.

SAVE THE WHITEFISH!!!

A quick glance at the comments in the Yahoo section shows that while there are some intersting ideas, like harvesting the fish and selling it "back" to "Asia" (a big continent, by the way, extending from Turkey to Japan), where it is apparently eaten, there are human bottom dwellers as well.

Here's a sample:

Joseph
"It's called "infiltration". The only thing is it's at every level in this country. All the way from diseases, to animals, to aliens slithering in, to politics, to whatever else you can think of."
 
William S
"The Feds won't keep out mexicans or fish. Just what the hell are they good at? Taxing me to death and spending money even my great grandchildren will never be able to repay!!!!!! Thanks Barry.
 
KC "This species of fish routinely major in electrical engineering, that is how they are getting by the electric fences."
 
the anti-liberal "Obama will give them amnesty, health care, and the right to vote. He will also start a civil rights protest if the fishermen step any closer to them."