Several people have emailed asking for an open thread discussion on immigration. The meeting Friday night written about here by Finnegan provides a great starting point.
So, what are your thoughts on the issue? Anyone posting something as fact is expected to back their claim with a reference or link. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
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15 comments:
I generally welcome immigrants, but don't want druggies, criminals, or deadbeats coming in to the US. Tough to sort them out, but I believe we can.
I'm a teacher who has Hispanic, Russian, Ukranian, and other recent immigrants in class. Some of my native born students are all wired up about English only. Well, let me tell you, the mom/dad and grandpa/grandma immigrants don't know English so well, but their kids do (often better than some of our native born good old boys). I suspect this has always been the case - 2nd generation picks up English quickly. The original middle aged immigrants don't - can't teach an old dog new tricks. The kids pick up language and culture QUICKLY.
On the topic of the recent Haitian boat people - let them stay!! Anyone who braves the ocean in a leaky boat will likely make a good worker and citizen.
We are a nation of immigrants. End of story.
Now let's get to work. We all love the work these folks do, and we especially like the taxes they pay. We love and are addicted to the cheap labor, but we detest the competition for health care and services. We love the fact that for the most part they are desperately trying to better themselves and work to raise their families in this great country of opportunity. We detest the fact that health care and services are given to these folks for free. This is the way it has been for each new influx of immigrants throughout our history.
We close our eyes to the companies who attract and hire illegals to work. Our capitalist system insures that cheap labor will be found to do the work that needs to be done. Let's open our eyes. Let's apply existing laws to companies first, before we start rounding up immigrants and deporting them. Be ready to pay a little more for all the products, but everyone will be better off.
Learn a second language! Be a global citizen. Learning languages encourages discipline, higher level thinking, cultural awareness, and respect. It helps us find friends, increases our ability to communicate as a society. Embrace the languages!
Don't get hung up on "illegal." Work to make immigration legal! Pay a decent wage. Give immigrants a path to citizenship. Provide health care and proper education. Encourage the best and brightest from all walks of life to fully participate in our society. We all do better when we all do better!
Having been a farm kid used to lugging feed buckets and hay bales, I felt I could carry my own suitcase when I lived in Honduras. Then a Honduran remarked, "You North Americans have so much, and you won't even let us earn any of it." For those who want to earn a place in our economy, should we be stingy or generous?
Making the entire community of undocumented immigrants exist in a shadow or underground group only increases the likelyhood of criminal activity.
When I go to Wal-Mart and there are all these people there who look like they're ready to hijack a plane or make a drug deal it gives me the creeps!
I don't understand what is so hard about them learning english. I learned it as a little kid!
ge But see, that was the language you learned! How would you do learning a different language now?
Look there here against the law. What don't people understand about that? Why cant we just gather up all foreign looking people and make them prove they have a right to be here?
O.k. How would you identify them as foreign looking?
When they look different from the people who are from around here!
Great comment Ed Hale. I'd like to put my hands on a study done recently in one of the million articles I've read that documents pretty accurately the amount of taxes being paid by illegals. The number I remember is nearly 8 BILLION dollars. Are we ready to raise our own taxes to make up for this shortfall?
Victor Ray, with all disrespect intended, you are a jerk!
So this is a country only for WHITE People?
I don't even want to be part of the same society of that which you claim membership.
You make me sick.
Well RockDem, if you were looking for the hot button issue for the Valley, I think you just found it.
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