“Illegals” or Pioneers?

In American Pioneers — or ‘Illegals’?, Washington Post, Sunday, April 16, 2006; at B07, Eduardo Penalver writes:

A number of the politicians calling for the criminalization of illegal immigrants may not be aware that they and a good many of their constituents could themselves be direct descendants of people who did some illegal migrating of their own many years ago. Much of the territory of the United States was settled by people — hundreds of thousands of them — who disregarded the law by squatting on public lands. Of course, they had a ready reason for doing so: Like today’s immigrants, they were seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Indeed, many of the current residents of the states between the Appalachian and Rocky mountains can trace their roots directly to these onetime criminals — whom we now call “pioneers.”

You get the gist!

KJ