Let’s talk sense about immigration.

The Highline students, who marched to protest proposed draconian immigrant legislation, were not brainwashed into it by Socialists or some obscure radical group called A.N.S.W.E.R.

They were no more influenced than the young college students who marched against the Vietnam War in the 1960s were swayed by old guard octogenarian Communists.

Commies also didn’t take over the entertainment industry as charged by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. Courageous journalists like my fellow WSU alum, Edward R. Murrow, stood up to McCarthy ithen as depicted in the recent movie, Good Night, and Good Luck.

Seeing extreme left-wingers everywhere is the kind of notion you get when you get your news from Fox and right-wing talk shows. You wouldn’t want to get tainted by liberal bias from other news outlets.

(A majority of mainstream reporters may identify themselves as leaning toward being socially liberal, if not economically liberal, but their corporate bosses, who own the media, are mostly conservative.)

Instead of Socialist rhetoric, the Highline students were reacting to the attempted demonizing of some 12 million mostly hardworking people in the United States. Latino students were particularly galvanized by a mean-spirited war on their families.

The immigration debate is very personal to many Highline district students. Twenty percent are Hispanic, while another 21 percent are Asian or Pacific Islanders. Twelve percent are enrolled in English Language Learner (ELL) classes.

Within the district, students represent 81 nationalities and speak 70 different languages.

In the five-school Tukwila district, 30 different languages are spoken and 29 percent qualify for ELL.

The reason immigrant kids and their families are here is obvious. Unable to get by in Mexico or other countries, they were lured to the United States to fill backbreaking, low-paying jobs that others cannot do at the wages paid.

I suspect that, given the same circumstances, those so upset about illegal immigrants would have chosen the same path to feeding their families.

At the risk of being branded a Socialist, I'll point out that the job outlook for this country’s middle class workers is declining.

While American companies are importing immigrant workers for low-paying jobs, they are also exporting living-wage jobs to other countries.

We do need to do something about immigration (and jobs). But what we do must be humane, enforceable and realistic.

It might get the old right-wing juices flowing to advocate extreme legislation offered by the House Republicans. It declares illegal immigrants and their helpers felons, makes no provisions for illegals to become legal and calls for a wall along the Mexican border.

Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy offered a more sensible non-partisan approach in the Senate.

Their proposal would allow illegal immigrants in the U.S. five or more years to pay a $2,000 fine and back taxes, learn English, undergo a background check, and apply for green cards after six years and for citizenship after 11 years.

Those here from two to five years would report to one of 20 ports of entry and reapply as temporary workers to be eligible for green cards.

Those who have been in the U.S. a short time must leave, but could apply for entry papers.

Not perfect, but acceptable. The Senate bill stalled over disagreements about how many amendments could be offered.

But after seeing the mass demonstrations of concern, let’s hope our national lawmakers come up with a sensible solution after their spring break.

Eric Mathison can be reached at hteditor@robinsonnews.com or 206-388-1855.