The American Spectator

Eric Berlin does a really good job parsing out legitimate dismay over recent immigration protests from xenophobic fears, as a reaction to this much-ballyhooed post over at Daily Kos from earlier today. It should be read in its full conext, but here’s a taste:

…I find sealing off the border, or deporting or jailing 11 million illegal immigrants, to be completely irrational ideas. I’m more of an open borders person. That said, it is neither crazy nor racist for Republicans to react as they have been to this weekend’s protest. (Although I don’t doubt that some of the loonier ideologues on talk radio have taken their vitriol to racist levels.) I was put off by those signs, and I largely support the protestors. Or thought I did, until I saw those signs. To pretend this is only about the flying of the Mexican flag is disingenuous.

Meanwhile, over at the Reason blog, the inestimable Julian Sanchez offers an alternate approach to thinking about flag flying under siege. The debate in the comments rages on.

Divergent views, to be sure. Both bits, however, are worth reading and careful consideration, especially since it looks as if this firestorm is going to rage for awhile longer yet.