Parallel Reactions

Marc Cooper, on the immigration debate:

As long as we are back on this subject...a few random thoughts about what it means to see thousands -- maybe a couple of million of illegals-- demonstrating in the streets. Keep in mind that, back in the late 50's and early 60's, when blacks marched and got clubbed and fire-hosed, they were also "illegals." Jim Crow legislation made it a criminal violation for a black to eat, sleep or work in certain places. A Negro sitting at a Woolworth counter, or sitting in the front of a bus, or drinking out of the wrong water fountain was, indeed, an illegal. Plenty were those who expressed sympathy with the plight of the "good" Negroes but who counseled that by getting uppity, that by marching, sitting-in, getting arrested, actually demanding (instead of politely requesting) their rights, they were only setting back their cause. Doesn't that sort of sound like the panty-twisters of today bent out of shape over some Mexican flags?