Nation wide Hispanic rallies today

[swphreak]

Killing isn't the answer unless they shoot at you, shipping them back is the only good solution

 

And then they walk back across the border. Repeat.

 

I really don't care if it's a bus load of orphans trying to cross the border, they're not getting in until they go through the legal routes. No one tries to sneak across, no one gets killed, the end.

 

I guess you can go ahead and call me a Nazi or something. Whatever makes you sleep better at night. I'm not a racist or anything, I work with several different people of ethnic backgrounds at work, and we're all a happy family.

[Samnmax221]

I'm sure theres a better way to stop a bus load of orphans from crossing the border then blowing them away.

[rccar328]

I don't think we should start shooting people who cross our border illegally...except for the drug runners who have been shooting at our border patrol & at the minutemen.

 

Now, as an avid listener to talk radio, I will acknowledge that there are some freaks out there who are being bigots...but from what I've heard, the majority of people (whether talk radio host or listeners, or otherwise) are not. Most of them just want our laws to be enforced...and there is nothing racist about that. It's not like we're advocating an anti-Hispanic version of the Chinese Exclusion Act or anything - we just want to keep people from entering the United States illegally.

 

I agree with everything you said about America's share in the blame...but taking action against businesses that hire illegal immigrants can't be the only step. We have to have comprehensive immigration reform that includes securing the border (step 1), imposing stiff penalties on businesses that hire illegal aliens (step 2), and putting measures in place to deport people who are in the US illegally (step 3). Now, I know that it isn't practical to deport 12 million illegal immigrants, but at the least, we should start deporting the illegal immigrants who have been incarcerated. Our law enforcement agencies need to be taking a tough stance toward illegal immigrants, no matter what race: if you commit a crime in the US and you aren't here legally, it's automatic deportation.

 

 

There are other aspects to the debate that get trickier, at least as far as perceived racism goes, namely the language debate. Personally, I believe that if you want to immigrate to the United States, you should learn English. Let's face it: a nation with a single language works more smoothly than a nation where everything has to be translated into this language and that language and the other language. On top of that, the fact that so many children are coming into our public school system with only a rudimentary knowledge of English is hurting our school systems (add to that the fact that the students' parents cannot help them with their schoolwork because the parents don't speak English, either, and we have a recipe for disaster).

 

 

Personally, I think that these racist overtones that you're speaking of don't exist to the extent that you think they do. As I keep saying, it's a legal issue, not a racial issue. But with these protestors marching under foreign flags, shoving the issue in our faces, they themselves are making it a racial issue. Whether people go into the debate with racial biases or not, the audacity of these protests and the anti-white racism on the part of many of the protestors, combined with the fact that the majority of the protestors are Hispanic, either amplifies already existing racial biases, or makes it easier for people with no racial bias to view the issue racially.

 

As far as the exclusion of ESL programs, that is a completely different debate - some experts say ESL programs are more effective, others say that immersion programs are more effective...and for ESL programs, there is debate over what kind of programs should be used.

 

But as for the fascism thing, I don't believe Americans fear brown-skinned people because they're different. I think Americans fear brown-skinned people who are entering our nation illegally by the millions because they pose a threat to the economic security of our nation. I think Americans fear having an open border because of all of the ways that can and is contributing to the downfall of our nation, whether it be terrorism, drug trafficking, or illegal immigrant workers. Enforcing our laws is not racist, and it is not fascist. Enforcing our border is not isolationist - the US can still have relations with and do business with Mexico...we just don't need millions of people coming across our border illegally.

 

As for your 'challenge,' you're right - illegal immigration is not a new issue. But the fact that our government didn't do anything about it 50 or 70 years ago, when they should have (the problem would have been much more manageable then), that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do anything about it today. However, my greatest fear on the issue is that the politicians will continue to capitulate, and nothing substantive will be done...and then we'll be having this debate again in a few years, and the problem will be even worse than it is today.

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

I don't see how race enters into the equation, unless you force it in. The bottom line is: these illegal immigrants are breaking the law by being here. Now, when someone breaks the law, they have to expect consequences, in this case, deportation, possible bodily harm during capture, and possible imprisonment. And them being immigrants doesn't excuse them from being shot for trespassing either, anyone, whether they be black, white, hispanic, or Asian, can be shot when they trespass on someone's property, whether it's owned by a private owner or by the U.S government. [/crayon]

[swphreak]

There are other aspects to the debate that get trickier, at least as far as perceived racism goes, namely the language debate. Personally, I believe that if you want to immigrate to the United States, you should learn English. Let's face it: a nation with a single language works more smoothly than a nation where everything has to be translated into this language and that language and the other language. On top of that, the fact that so many children are coming into our public school system with only a rudimentary knowledge of English is hurting our school systems (add to that the fact that the students' parents cannot help them with their schoolwork because the parents don't speak English, either, and we have a recipe for disaster).

 

On that note, I am reminded of a movie called The Second Civil War. It's a somewhat amusing movie involving a U.S. "overrun" with immigrants and stuff. I'd suggest Netflixing it if you're ever bored.

 

Sure, I don't think there'd be any need to shoot a busload of orphans trying to drive in illegally, but border patrol can always shoot the tires off and then turn them away. Then the next day, they try again. Repeat. Frankly, they just need to come up with more advanced fences or something, and stricter border enforcement. How about trenches? With sharp edges.

[Samuel Dravis]

Shooting them is not acceptable. They're not endangering anyone just by being here, just by crossing the border. I don't think it's justifiable to shoot anyone unless they create a direct and immediate threat to someone's life.

 

Obviously, a large amount of illegals who are here are at or around poverty level because they are largely an unskilled workforce and thus they will use safety net services much more than those with better jobs. Because their incomes are so low compared to the average citizen's, their ability to pay taxes to support their use of the system is diminished, if they pay taxes at all. The large families many immigrants from Central and South America have put a massive strain on the educational institutions of the states they take up residence in, which is bad. It's not as bad for Texas, because there is no state income tax here. Other states which depend on personal income tax would be in deep trouble though. See California.

 

I think that the illegals that are already here who have children should be allowed to stay if they want - it's wrong to break families up. I think that there should be *harsh* enforcement of the work laws so that it will not longer be possible for them to make money here, maybe even lifting the corporate veil once in a while to make sure that companies know the government means business. I think that after that happens, a wall would no longer be necessary - there'd be no economic incentive to come to America.

 

It's not a race issue, but I can see why some would think it is - the vast majority of those who immigrate illegally are from Central and South America, something like 85%+. Still, if legal immigrants or persons of Hispanic descent want to protest against racism, they should do that instead of defending people who are, in essence, stealing from them. A very odd thing to do...