Liberals and conservatives on the python invasion

The other day Bob Finch told us about the alarming spread of the Burmese python in the Everglades and other areas of the United States, and the threat this poses to native species. As explained by Stephen T., the left-liberal and the neoconservative camps each have their characteristic response to this problem:

Leftist and left-liberal argument on Burmese pythons:

Burmese pythons are just doing the balancing of nature that American snakes won’t do. Without new pythons, our ecology will collapse. We are a nation of non-native snake species. The lively brood of Burmese pythons are so much cuter than our own baby American rattlesnakes. Burmese pythons in the grass make boring, white-bread backyards more vibrant and diverse. The southeastern United States was actually the prehistoric breeding ground of Burmese pythons and they are merely reclaiming their rightful ancient homeland.

Neoconservative argument on Burmese pythons:

1998: Stop worrying, the influx of Burmese pythons will never amount to anything.

2008: Give up, it’s futile to oppose Burmese pythons, they have already taken over.

- end of initial entry -

Stephen T. writes:

Thanks for posting. I just removed “illegal alien” and inserted “Burmese python” into some George Bush sound bites plus neo-con boilerplate and the rest took care of itself.

BTW, the reference to “cuter babies” actually comes from an argument I first encountered in an op-ed in the Houston paper years ago. The writer, an Anglo liberal, was enumerating the benefits of illegal immigration from Mexico. The last item on the list was, “Mexican children are so much cuter than ours.”

I’ve never forgotten the chill I felt when I read that—the implications and magnitude of such a remark are almost too sweeping to get a grip on all at once.

LA replies:

Thanks for passing that on. I will join that with McCain’s statement (which he made shortly after saying that what makes America superior to other countries is that it has no culture), praising the Mexicans for “bringing new blood.”

We are nothing but an abstract idea. They are diverse, enriching, vibrant, and cute. In fact, even their snakes are cuter than ours.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at June 01, 2008 11:56 PM | Send