It's anti-immigrant sentiments that are disfiguring America
Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 10:50 PM
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Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has let the genie out of the bottle.
The temptation must have been irresistible. Those poll number's in favor of the proposed Arizona immigration law must have looked pretty good to her.
In the short term it seems to have worked too. Brewer is riding a never-ending publicity campaign that will doubtless further her political career.
But at what cost to her party, and the nation? If we've learned anything in the last ten years we must realize that intimidating vulnerable minorities for political gain isn't the slam-dunk it used to be.
Arizona has a net loss of 98,900 jobs since Brewer took the reins as governor in January 2009. She has no credible plan for Arizona’s economic recovery. Instead of terrorizing the people who operate Arizona's service economy wouldn't she - and her state - be better off if she prioritized job creation?
Today we learned that in her neighboring state of Utah a bunch of bigoted yahoos circulated a list of 1,300 undocumented immigrants living in the state, a list that includes such personal information as addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and in six cases, the fact that they are pregnant and when they are due to deliver. All of the names were of Latino origin.
How long before the light of freedom in those states is provided by burning crosses?
'There might be nothing more American than getting ginned up over imagined enemies,' wrote Gawker today, 'creating lists of 'undesirables' and intimidating minorities. Say what you will about this country; we've always been pretty good at combining 'terrifying' with 'stupid.'
America is a nation of immigrants. It's actually anti-immigrant sentiments that are disfiguring America, not the immigrants themselves.
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hollabackgurl | Aug 02, 2010, 03:05 PM EDT
It's comments like the one below this one that show the racism lurking behind the anti-immigrant comments.
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catmann | Jul 31, 2010, 01:49 PM EDT
THE ARIZONA LAW IS JUST AN EXTENTION OF THE FEDERAL LAW THAT OBOZO AND HIS COMMUNIST THUGS DO NOT WANT INFORCE.
SEND THE EUROTRASH HOME TO.
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IrishAndProud | Jul 27, 2010, 11:55 PM EDT
And...if there's any racism toward anyone on this matter, it's from illegals toward Americans -- and not the reverse -- since it is illegals who demand that WE conform to THEIR culture, provide THEM with goodies, perks and welfare and who want to US to speak THEIR language...never mind that they've flat-out broken and entered into another country not their own.
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IrishAndProud | Jul 27, 2010, 11:36 PM EDT
Hollabackgurl, you're apparently historically ignorant on this matter, as well. There was -- and has never been -- an 'open door' policy into the United States. All immigrants (totally different from illegal aliens, mind you) who came through Ellis Island were screened in any number of ways, such as for certain diseases -- and those who didn't pass were sent right back home, again. No one has ever been able to just flood in -- and again, I mean LEGALLY -- from any direction. My own cousin married a European and they had to wait quite some time for the green card. But, it was done the legal way.
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Monsoonman | Jul 26, 2010, 06:01 PM EDT
Where is it written anywhere that America has to take in anyone? Who are foreigners to demand that we change our immigration laws to tailor their needs? You tailor our needs.
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hollabackgurl | Jul 26, 2010, 11:10 AM EDT
The immigrants to this country arrived when there was an open door policy in the 19 century. All that's changed. Nowadays the golden door is sealed shut and there's almost no way to come here. These days you have about as much chance of winning the Mega MIllions lotto than winning a green card. It's time for reform.
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GoldenClays | Jul 25, 2010, 08:37 PM EDT
This country was founded and built by immigrants from all over the world, but they entered legally. There is nothing at all wrong with immigration, but Illegal entry is what I have a problem with. I do not condone violence towards them, and I dislike all this anti-immigration banter. That is not what this country is about, but what it is lacking is that the federal government whose responsibility lies in protecting our borders, refuses to do anything about it. The reason fo this is clear. It's strictly political - It's not really a human rights issue. What the folks who are running the federal government want out of all this are votes - plain and simple. They act like they are standing with the Illegals, but in reality, they are using them as pawns in their quest for continued political power. It smells. The issue will never fully be addressed because both parties want the same thing. The issue is really about - POWER and their ability to hold on to it..!!
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redhand32 | Jul 25, 2010, 10:46 AM EDT
correction-typo 19th century not 18th
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redhand32 | Jul 25, 2010, 10:45 AM EDT
I live near Philadelphia, PA. It is shameful indeed if any Irish-Americans are part of the anti-immigrant hysteria destroying America, itself a land of immigrants.
In the 18th century "alien" newly arrived Irish immigrants were savaged by Nativists who waged unholy war against Irish, depicted as alcohol-soaked monkeys in the press. St. Augustine's RC Church was burnt to the ground in anti-immigrant rage. Legislation like Arizona's pushed by "No-Nothingism" (anti Catholic immigrant types) was rampant.
Woe to the Irish-American who embraces the current wave of immigrant hate. How quickly we forget !
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hollabackgurl | Jul 24, 2010, 10:26 PM EDT
The average age of Bill O'Reilly's audience is 71 years old. The guy is doing a show out of a senior citizen's center. And the trouble with the USA is that the top 10 percent of Americans now earn around 50 percent of our national income. That's socialism all right, but for the rich.
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Monsoonman | Jul 24, 2010, 08:36 PM EDT
The trouble with socialism is that they eventually run out of other peoples money.
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hollabackgurl | Jul 24, 2010, 07:42 PM EDT
Socialist Sweden has more millionaires per capita than the USA; they also have a better access to health care. The socialist French eat better and work far less and vacation longer than us; they're making out very well too.
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Monsoonman | Jul 21, 2010, 10:00 AM EDT
Dennis: The city of oakland is a socialst utopia gone viral at the expense of taxpayers, it has exhausted every program to suck money out of every branch of government and it is still bankrupt. The town needs to be taken over by a receiver, just like its school system had to be when jerry brown was mayor and run by a caretaker whose objective is to shepherd tax money. The parking meters and other excessive means of taxation would not be necessary if the city was run efficiently. Yes and fire the police/fire departments and start over with new. This way you will get rid of the corruption and incompetence that is inbred in the systems. Go all non union and let private security and fire fighting firms serve the city, then you'll find there will be plenty of personnel to keep the streets safe.
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DennisQ | Jul 20, 2010, 02:46 AM EDT
Once again, Monsoonman, a post of yours is in contention for Comment of the Day. Except for your diligence, we'd never have learned that the Bay Area experienced a thousand parking meter violations in a single weekend. But I'm frankly surprised you pay attention to figures like that, given that you missed the story of Oakland's police layoffs. Aren't you the guy who insisted that government workers can't get laid off? Maybe these events are related. Parking violations skyrocket when scofflaws know there's nothing to stop them.
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Monsoonman | Jul 19, 2010, 10:11 AM EDT
Dennis, I don't know personally about some of those crime stats that are being tossed about, I do know my uncle was an accountant for the mob and he could make up any figures the boss wanted him to. But if you ever come to the bay area for a golf experience, you and Sean are welcome to stroll through some of our friendly neighborhoods, then report back here what your experiences were. Over the weekend we had several murders by gunfire, countless robberies and burglaries and over 1,000 parking meter violations...I don't know what you call it in your book but in mine I call it C-R-I-M-E.
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DennisQ | Jul 18, 2010, 11:36 PM EDT
Anti-immigration people have a track record of falsifying crime figures. Some of the most immigrant-friendly cities in America have the lowest crime rates - San Francisco, New York and El Paso among them. It's completely untrue that Phoenix is experiencing a crime wave; in fact, serious crime in Phoenix has gone down. Do yourself a favor and check the facts before you post.
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DennisQ | Jul 18, 2010, 11:15 PM EDT
Monsoonman, the only thing that keeps me from nominating your post for Comment of the Day is that young people have no idea who comedian George Gobel was, even if they've heard of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. It's just not as easy to make a pun about Gobel-Goebbels as it is about yarmulke-Yamaha. George Gobel had his own show in the 1960's and was a frequent guest on the Tonight Show. Joseph Goebbels developed the Big Lie technique that you are referring to.
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Monsoonman | Jul 18, 2010, 01:27 PM EDT
Dennis, you are starting to sound like one of the creatures on Dr. Moreaus island with your mantra of hackneyed liberal talking points....and no, it's not going to work on american citizens anymore just because you repeat the lie over and over, ala George Goebbels. 75% of the American public supports Arizonas stand on illegals, no matter how you try to spin it, that's the facques jacques.
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AmAncINED | Jul 18, 2010, 12:13 PM EDT
Btw, Monsoonman, you have every right to "carp on the sidelines." And DennisQ, victimization is no fantasy. My beautiful cousin had just been admitted to Med School and was just 2 weeks away from being married.
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AmAncINED | Jul 18, 2010, 12:05 PM EDT
Every legal American tax-paying citizen has plenty of "skin in the game." Since a meat-packing plant opened outside of my hometown of 10,000 (don't live there anymore) and employed Hispanics to work there, the crime rate has more than tripled. Just ONE example: in less than 2 years, 10 people have been killed(including my cousin), and several critically injured, by unlicensed, uninsured, and undocumented Mexicans in cars that there were stolen and totaled. A large number of Mexicans who are NOT employed by the meat-packing plant have moved in on the coat-tails of family and friends who are. These illegal "loafers" have overwhelmed the police dept. and the court system. This is in Iowa, not Arizona. So, yeah, we're all affected by illegal immigration and have every right to demand that our borders be secured. One way or another, all Americans are picking up the tab for these illegals. Some American citizens have even paid with their lives.
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DennisQ | Jul 18, 2010, 02:04 AM EDT
Monsoonman, you're incorrect in your overall view of immigration and in your understanding of the constitution. First, the constitution - it does not distinguish between citizens and non-citizens except with regard to voting. All of the protections in the Bill of Rights apply to non-citizens as well. Secondly, your overall view of immigration is wrong-headed. Workers come here to sell their labor; not to sit around and loaf. You would do your cause a lot of good if you dealt with facts, not smears invented by hysterical right wingers. We need to regulate immigration, but present laws are so restrictive they are counterproductive. Even as a tax paying citizen, you don't have enough skin in the game to do anything but carp on the sidelines. Those are the political realities of immigration - deal with them, not with fantasies about your imagined victimization.
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Monsoonman | Jul 17, 2010, 01:40 PM EDT
I am an American taxpaying citizen, the one who does matter and does vote legally. I demand my borders be secure. We already did the one time amnesty long ago and that's it. No more taxpayer funded services for those here illegally, they can self deport. After that we can talk about temporary guest worker programs, etc. But in the meantime go back to your country of origin and apply for legal citizenship....and btw: No matter what your immigration attorney says, you have NO constitutional rights, you are here illegally.
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DennisQ | Jul 17, 2010, 08:38 AM EDT
The immigration game can be divided into two groups - the players and the non-players. The players are the workers who come here and the people who hire them. They are the ones with skin in the game. The non-players are the ones who natter about whether or not the law is being obeyed. A fair number of non-players have no similar concern about the law in other areas. For example, the ones who squawk about Mexicans crossing the border never squawked about Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq or his illegal use of torture. The non-players are basically people on the sidelines, and everyone knows it, especially the real players. Nothing is going to happen to change American immigration policy until with people with skin in the game decide to change it.
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ritmomente | Jul 16, 2010, 12:17 PM EDT
I am Republican. I want a lock-tight secure border. I also realize though that there are 12,000,000 people here and it would cost too much to deport each and every one of them. Fix the broken law so it can be enforced. If people don't come forward, pay a fine for overstaying and get in line for citizenship or a guest worker visa. True criminals will still try to escape over the border and can more easily be rounded up.
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DennisQ | Jul 16, 2010, 07:44 AM EDT
IAP, you sound overly confident about the political direction of this country. Republicans got a drubbing in the '06 and '08 elections, and don't have a record of achievement to present to the voters in '10. It's true that pollsters have been predicting a big showing for the GOP in November, but they're basing that on an unproven theory. Google "generic ballot" for more information on the concept - it's not as solid an idea as you seem to think it is. Is America becoming more parliamentarian? That's what the pollsters are telling us . . . but American history didn't start in 1945, when the earliest data for this theory was obtained.
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IrishAndProud | Jul 15, 2010, 03:09 PM EDT
AmAnc and Jow, you're wasting your time if your aim is to change the thinking of the far-left loon. Cahir and Dennis are anti-immigrant bigots, because they spit on the memory of the REAL Irish immigrants of old (and all other true, legit immigrants) by equating them with illegal aliens. They're not about 'logic' or compassion; they're strictly about leftist agitation and nothing more. Don't let it bother you -- they're just a tiny minority in this increasingly conservative, center-right nation. And...Cahir isn't even an American, himself. Just realize that folks like us have the upper hand, and it will be a political bloodbath come November for the elitist, leftist minority. They're screwed; don't let 'em bother you.
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AmAncINED | Jul 15, 2010, 09:41 AM EDT
Why can't you "know-it-alls" get it??? There's immigration and ILLEGAL immigration. They are 2 different things! Are you saying that other countries don't make that distinction? Illegal is defined as UNLAWFUL. The U.S expects people to enter this country LEGALLY and EARN citizenship. If ILLEGAL immigrants are ok with you, why don't you offer to personally support some of them? Bring them into your home. Teach them English. Educate them. Feed and clothe them. Move on down to Arizona near the border so you can welcome them as they sneak into the U.S. If you're not willing to do that - Shut Up and quit criticizing Arizona. Why don't you criticize Mexico for not improving their country so they can keep their citizens at home????
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DennisQ | Jul 15, 2010, 06:42 AM EDT
Republican strategists are sitting around conference tables trying to come up with issues they can sell to the voters. Somebody suggested joining nativism with fear of terrorism, and there were smiles all around. Of course! Why didn't we think of this sooner? Foreigners have come here for hundreds of years looking for work, and finding it. But now the Republicans are spreading the word that they undermine our way of life - as if accepting immigrants were not our way of life. Yes, it's racism, but Republicans have been peddling racism since Nixon's "Southern Strategy."
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JowMacafee | Jul 14, 2010, 11:31 PM EDT
What part of ILLEGAL immigrant do you not understand. I do not believe that anyone in the USA is opposed to LEGAL immigrants. My forebears were immigrants and all is well there. But when you have 3000 to 5000 people A DAY coming across your border, soaking up tax money for police (1/3 of crimes in border states is by ILLEGAL immigrants), welfare, medical support, perhaps you can see why many of us are opposed to ILLEGAL immigrants into the USA!
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