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Wow this thread exploded. Not going to respond to every individual post I wanted to, but will respond to a few key things:
1. I lived in Arizona. Tucson, actually. I know about illegal immigrants and people's perceptions of it. These observations I've had do not just come from Nebraska, but from Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and everywhere I've been in between.
2. I'm going to clarify... I MEANT to say anti-illegal immigrant in the initial post, but there is a caveat. Some people... Including some who responded to this thread... Think they are anti-illegal or would like to think that when they are actually anti-immigrant as a whole. It's not difficult to read someone's post and see where their attitudes exceed that of someone who is just anti-illegal.
3. The Hispanics/Mestizos who inhabited areas in the west once ceded to the US are not "long dead".... They had children, you know.
4. There are a lot of people complaining about language. You do realize that we don't have an official language in this country, right? Therefore, you can't complain about it. There is a reason why we don't have an official language and it's simple... We are a nation of immigrants, period. If we were to have an official language, we would have to have multiple... English, Spanish, French, and various Native American languages. This is because our country is a conglomeration of native lands and former colonies of Britain, Spain, and France. People in our country have never stopped speaking Spanish, French, or Native languages as their first choice too, so arguing that it historically doesn't matter is nonsense.
Also, Re: jobs, it is still true to say that many jobs the illegals ARE taking are jobs Americans don't want. This country has continued to move away from manual labor as a whole, and they are filling a vacuum. With THAT said, the blame is not necessarily on them. The blame lies mostly on the Americans who are hiring them and giving them the opportunity as a cheap, illegal means of employment.
Why do most people who are fervently anti-immigrant assume that everyone who is Hispanic-looking or has a Spanish last name is an illegal immigrant?
Don't try to deny that it doesn't happen, because it is everywhere. People will see a Hispanic person or a Spanish last name and complain about illegals. What makes you think they aren't American citizens?
In fact, did some of you know that a large portion of the Hispanic people in this country were already in our country when we expanded to the Pacific Ocean? All of that used to be a part of Mexico, you know.
Sorry, it is just getting frustrating with all of this nonsense. I have many Hispanic friends who get chastised for being "illegals" when they are legal citizens...most of whom were actually born here. Enough is enough. Complain about the illegal immigration, because yes, they are breaking the law...but do not automatically cast anyone who looks or sounds Hispanic as being illegal, because you are probably wrong.
That's a completely dumb question.
Who ever thought Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead was an illegal alien? No one.
But what's even stupider is how the pro-illegal side acts like Cesar Chavez was an illegal alien or wanted them all coming here - and the pro-illegal side does just that.
2. I'm going to clarify... I MEANT to say anti-illegal immigrant in the initial post, but there is a caveat. Some people... Including some who responded to this thread... Think they are anti-illegal or would like to think that when they are actually anti-immigrant as a whole. It's not difficult to read someone's post and see where their attitudes exceed that of someone who is just anti-illegal.
Likewise, it's not difficult to pick out the pro-illegals who sympathize exclusively because of the race and socioeconomic status of those in the country illegally.
To me, being a race sympathizer is no different nor better than being a racist.
Wow this thread exploded. Not going to respond to every individual post I wanted to, but will respond to a few key things:
1. I lived in Arizona. Tucson, actually. I know about illegal immigrants and people's perceptions of it. These observations I've had do not just come from Nebraska, but from Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and everywhere I've been in between.
2. I'm going to clarify... I MEANT to say anti-illegal immigrant in the initial post, but there is a caveat. Some people... Including some who responded to this thread... Think they are anti-illegal or would like to think that when they are actually anti-immigrant as a whole. It's not difficult to read someone's post and see where their attitudes exceed that of someone who is just anti-illegal.
3. The Hispanics/Mestizos who inhabited areas in the west once ceded to the US are not "long dead".... They had children, you know.
4. There are a lot of people complaining about language. You do realize that we don't have an official language in this country, right? Therefore, you can't complain about it. There is a reason why we don't have an official language and it's simple... We are a nation of immigrants, period. If we were to have an official language, we would have to have multiple... English, Spanish, French, and various Native American languages. This is because our country is a conglomeration of native lands and former colonies of Britain, Spain, and France. People in our country have never stopped speaking Spanish, French, or Native languages as their first choice too, so arguing that it historically doesn't matter is nonsense.
I don't think you know much. As for the people who lived here before this part of the country joined with the USA, those people are citizens and virtually all of their descendents speak at least some English - some speak only English (are you aware of that???). You might find some 90 year SW hispanic from one of those families that can't speak English but even that would be rare.
Are you aware the the citizenship test pretends to guarantee that the new citizen can speak at least a couple phrases in English? So foreign born citizens should be able to speak a little of our common language.
No one really cares whatever other languages someone might want to speak, they can speak pig-latin for all anyone cares. But -- English whether you like it or not is the common language of the USA.
Likewise, it's not difficult to pick out the pro-illegals who sympathize exclusively because of the race and socioeconomic status of those in the country illegally.
To me, being a race sympathizer is no different nor better than being a racist.
True. Very true. How many of these MECHA bleeding hearts got out and protested when Haitian boat people arrived in Miami and were rounded up and sent back home?
None a single one. That's because the MECHA, La Raza crowd has a very racist agenda of it's own.
Quite frankly I haven't seen a single post on this message board since I've been coming here that was ANTI IMMIGRANT.
The OPERATIVE WORD is ILLEGAL ALIEN.
I have never seen anyone argue about SPANISH LAST NAMES when this subject is debated here.
What I have seen time after time are people with the same opinion as you have who accuse EVERYONE who is against ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION (which is against United States law but isn't well enforced) for being AGAINST IMMIGRANTS.
FOREIGNER WITHOUT PAPERS + WORK IN USA + LIVE IN USA = ILLEGAL ALIEN
There are illegals here. IMMIGRANTS come here LEGALLY. They have their paperwork in order BEFORE they come.
What part of ILLEGAL don't you understand?
Most illegals are from Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries because those countries have corrupt governments and **** poor economy's. and most of all, they are on our border.
If Poland were in the same geographic location, with the same economic and corruption issues, we would be looking at people with Polish surnames and Polish accents with the same scrutiny.
Most illegals are from Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries because those countries have corrupt governments and **** poor economy's. and most of all, they are on our border.
If Poland were in the same geographic location, with the same economic and corruption issues, we would be looking at people with Polish surnames and Polish accents with the same scrutiny.
Illegal means illegal.
I don't have a problem if MECHA wants to keep it fair and they start finding and reporting on illegals from all other countries and get them deported. They can put themselves to good use that way.
Wow this thread exploded. Not going to respond to every individual post I wanted to, but will respond to a few key things:
1. I lived in Arizona. Tucson, actually. I know about illegal immigrants and people's perceptions of it. These observations I've had do not just come from Nebraska, but from Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and everywhere I've been in between.
I lived in Tucson as well............and, the large illegal alien population there does drag down wages for at least blue collar Americans----------of which I am one. Needless to say: I make much more $$$ here in the Phx area doing the same thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by psulions2007
2. I'm going to clarify... I MEANT to say anti-illegal immigrant in the initial post, but there is a caveat. Some people... Including some who responded to this thread... Think they are anti-illegal or would like to think that when they are actually anti-immigrant as a whole. It's not difficult to read someone's post and see where their attitudes exceed that of someone who is just anti-illegal.
3. The Hispanics/Mestizos who inhabited areas in the west once ceded to the US are not "long dead".... They had children, you know.
And their descendants (assuming that all intervening generations lived in the USA) are Americans and should be speaking fluent English. If not; the onus of failure is on them---------not the USA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by psulions2007
4. There are a lot of people complaining about language. You do realize that we don't have an official language in this country, right? Therefore, you can't complain about it. There is a reason why we don't have an official language and it's simple... We are a nation of immigrants, period. If we were to have an official language, we would have to have multiple... English, Spanish, French, and various Native American languages. This is because our country is a conglomeration of native lands and former colonies of Britain, Spain, and France. People in our country have never stopped speaking Spanish, French, or Native languages as their first choice too, so arguing that it historically doesn't matter is nonsense.
And that nonsense needs to be corrected----------read that English needs to be our official language, period. Besides: outside of Latin America/Spain; Spanish is of little importance whereas English is the lingua franca of the world. As for French; very few folks speak that here anymore.
Wow this thread exploded. Not going to respond to every individual post I wanted to, but will respond to a few key things:
1. I lived in Arizona. Tucson, actually. I know about illegal immigrants and people's perceptions of it. These observations I've had do not just come from Nebraska, but from Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and everywhere I've been in between.
2. I'm going to clarify... I MEANT to say anti-illegal immigrant in the initial post, but there is a caveat. Some people... Including some who responded to this thread... Think they are anti-illegal or would like to think that when they are actually anti-immigrant as a whole. It's not difficult to read someone's post and see where their attitudes exceed that of someone who is just anti-illegal.
3. The Hispanics/Mestizos who inhabited areas in the west once ceded to the US are not "long dead".... They had children, you know.
4. There are a lot of people complaining about language. You do realize that we don't have an official language in this country, right? Therefore, you can't complain about it. There is a reason why we don't have an official language and it's simple... We are a nation of immigrants, period. If we were to have an official language, we would have to have multiple... English, Spanish, French, and various Native American languages. This is because our country is a conglomeration of native lands and former colonies of Britain, Spain, and France. People in our country have never stopped speaking Spanish, French, or Native languages as their first choice too, so arguing that it historically doesn't matter is nonsense.
Please point to those posts where any of us here have shown any anti-"immigrant" stance. As for the lands that were ceded to the U.S. they were bought and paid for so what have the descendants of those who once owned them have to do with today? If you owned a home somewhere and sold it long ago would you kids have the right to move back into to it because you once owned it? Many countries have people in them from all over the world that speak different languages also and yet they have an official language. Sounds like you have an axe to grind with the majority who are white and English speaking in this country. English is also the langauge of our black citizens.
Most of us have said that part of assimilation means learning and using our language out in mainstream while it is ok to retain one's native language at home, How does that make one anti-immigrant? Even if English were made our official language (and it should be) nothing would change except we wouldn't have the expense of printing all kinds of documents in foreign languages any more. We once were a nation of immigrants. We are now a nation of Americans by several generations. Yes, we still take in immigrants but so do other countries. Yet, they aren't called a nation of immigrants. No, we have our own identity now and most of us are citizens. We are not immigrants.
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