Well, this May Day has brought the great Mexican protest across America, as illegals petition for the right to be treated as... legals. I was very amused at lunch today, as I was glancing occasionally up at CNN while my friend, sitting across from me, chewed. My favorite headline was "Protests not expected to harm economy". Heh. But isn't that what they were striking for? Didn't they want to prove how very important they are to the economy, by suddenly ceasing to work and shop? I guess they're not as important as they thought they were.

Which gave me an idea. There are millions of Americans in the border states and all throughout the country who do not want amnesty for illegal immigrants. Many of them are second and third generation Americans themselves, and they appreciate how their forbears went through legal channels to make a life for the family in the land of promise. What if all these Americans decided that the best way to make their point about banning illegals was to take a day off work? Not shop. Not go to school. From Maine to California, and all the flyover states, too. What if Iowa shut down? And all the hard working Americans in Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Florida and all the other states just stayed home? No need for lavish headline grabbing marches - just stay home.

The silicon valley would be closed for the day. No one would be on hand to fix Google's server troubles. No one could bank. The markets would suffer, but what would it matter - there would be no traders or brokers in the office anyway. Would the price of oil go up or down internationally? Who would know? Since the newscasters would be at home watching reruns. No live American TV. No baseball, football or hockey - even if not all the players are citizens, there would be no one to unlock the arenas and stadiums, and no one to announce the games. No popcorn. No beer.

Grocery stores would be closed, but chances are you'd be able to get a bite to eat at the local 7-11, since it's mostly staffed by non-Americans. Unless you live in Wyoming. Then you'd have nothing. There would be no farming done that day. Very little shipping. The trains wouldn't run. There would be no domestic flights - the only airlines who would be able to operate would be Air Canada, British Airways, and other international carriers. Oh wait - no! There would be no air traffic controllers.

And the riots! With no police to stop the looting and destruction, no fire service to but out the looters' blazes, no National Guard to bring things under control. Babies would be born at home, since the hospitals would be closed. People would die without medical attention. Even if help were out there, do we know for sure that the phones would be working to call for assistance? There would be no bulletins warning of danger, since the radio stations would be mostly off the air.

But don't worry - the Mexicans will still be working. So the oranges will get picked that day.