110 people found living in a 1500 sq ft house in Houston area (buy, school)

[xsatyr]

Originally Posted by usc619

This thread is one of the unfortunate realities of Houston. We can always act as this never happens and hope the problem will correct it self lol. Human trafficking is big business in Houston.

I am referring to the comments.

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by Augiec

Have empathy for people who break our laws and cost us millions or more in a period of low economic growth? We have a $16 trillion debt that both parties gave us, we don't need to add to it out of a sense of empathy for people who couldn't empathize for those who were willing to go through the proper channels.

The thing is that we have lots of resources and we have made laws to ensure that those resources stay with us in a disproportionate way. Of course, the Mexican government is probably even more corrupt than the US government, and it is most certainly not as simple the equitable redistribution of resources, but that should be the aim. The fact remains that the people who come across the border are statistically less likely to commit major felonies than our own citizens are--by a huge margin. The fact remains that they are by and large very hard workers. And the fact remains that when you have an unequal distribution of resources, you cannot expect things to be otherwise. Our laws are not some inviolable iteration of a higher, godlike truth, either. Our laws were created to serve the interest of those in power. Unless you never speed, never jaywalk and never have two beers and drive, get over yourself.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by jerbear30

The thing is that we have lots of resources and we have made laws to ensure that those resources stay with us in a disproportionate way. Of course, the Mexican government is probably even more corrupt than the US government, and it is most certainly not as simple the equitable redistribution of resources, but that should be the aim. The fact remains that the people who come across the border are statistically less likely to commit major felonies than our own citizens are--by a huge margin. The fact remains that they are by and large very hard workers. And the fact remains that when you have an unequal distribution of resources, you cannot expect things to be otherwise. Our laws are not some inviolable iteration of a higher, godlike truth, either. Our laws were created to serve the interest of those in power. Unless you never speed, never jaywalk and never have two beers and drive, get over yourself.

The Mexican government is one of the most corrupt, hypocritical entities around. Ever looked at their immigration laws? They are really strict, yet they expect us to to absorb all their poor that they have no use for. It's hypocrisy to the max.

It doesn't matter whether or not illegal aliens are less likely to commit felonies--and that they are hard workers. It doesn't justify breaking and entering, period. The US is far too soft on them as it is, and our government has refused for years to properly enforce even the existing laws, let alone enact any major reforms.

Either do it the right way, along the proper channels--or get OUT. We are NOT responsible for the rest of the world's poor.

The fact that so many people are living under one roof like pigs is disgusting--and yes, those who help them get here are even more disgusting. It's absolutely cruel, but....even so, it is not our responsibility.

[hendersj31]

I realize there are proper ways to become citizens and that illegal entry is wrong along with all the woes that follow. But some of use are forgetting what is written at the base of the statue of liberty.

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Either do it the right way, along the proper channels--or get OUT. We are NOT responsible for the rest of the world's poor.

[eric3781]

Originally Posted by hendersj31

I realize there are proper ways to become citizens and that illegal entry is wrong along with all the woes that follow. But some of use are forgetting what is written at the base of the statue of liberty.

There should be a semicolon after that statement written on the Statue of Liberty, followed by "...as long as you are willing to come through the front door legally, learn English, and assimilate into the American culture, pledging your allegiance to the U.S.A."

This was pretty much understood and a given in the Ellis Island era, but now we are expected to cater to "diversity" and are no longer required to demand assimilation and loyalty to this country.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by xsatyr

I am referring to the comments.

Yeah - not sure why it exploded into a political argument.

My reasons for starting it were:

1. It's in Houston

2. 110 people in 1500 sq feet is difficult to imagine - especially with only 1 bathroom

3. The degree of horribleness (probably not a word) that human traffickers reach

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

Yeah - not sure why it exploded into a political argument....

[Mandres]

The reality is that it's an unsolvable problem. The people in charge of this state and this country are beholden to business groups who profit from the slave labor, so the laws will never change/never be enforced. That's the reality. The citizens don't really want it to change either. Principles have a way of eroding when it starts hitting folks in the wallet. Just look at Wal-Mart's dominance. When times get tough price is all that matters. We'll continue exploiting the imbalance in living standards until either those standards reach equilibrium or until violence breaks out. That's how history resolves these situations.

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

The Mexican government is one of the most corrupt, hypocritical entities around. Ever looked at their immigration laws? They are really strict, yet they expect us to to absorb all their poor that they have no use for. It's hypocrisy to the max.

It doesn't matter whether or not illegal aliens are less likely to commit felonies--and that they are hard workers. It doesn't justify breaking and entering, period. The US is far too soft on them as it is, and our government has refused for years to properly enforce even the existing laws, let alone enact any major reforms.

Either do it the right way, along the proper channels--or get OUT. We are NOT responsible for the rest of the world's poor.

The fact that so many people are living under one roof like pigs is disgusting--and yes, those who help them get here are even more disgusting. It's absolutely cruel, but....even so, it is not our responsibility.

I think I did make clear that the Mexican government is corrupt. I agree with you on this point, and on its hypocrisy.

To the extent that we have more money than most of the rest of the world, we are indeed responsible for most of the world's poor. It's cause and effect. I'm not saying we need to take direct responsibility for them, but rather that we are clearly in part the cause of their poverty. You'd have to ignore math to claim otherwise. In fact, we profit directly off the cheap labor in Mexico. It's how come I can afford a Telecaster guitar, since the Made in America Telecasters are too much money. It's how come I can afford shoes, clothes, cars and other things. We exploit other countries for their cheap labor so that we can have things. If the US was in a vacuum and still was profitable, then you could make the argument that it was all about our ingenuity and our liberty and all that stuff but since we're not, you have classify that as fiction. Those people living in that house are simply the fulfillment of the very logic that our society runs by. They are not exceptional--they are evidence of the rule.

[Kiovo]

The people south of us come over for one thing. Money. They will risk their lives to come to the US and make more money than they could back home. What happens to that money? It gets sent back to their home country for their family that is still there. Money that doesn't get taxed. Money that is being laundered out of the country. They continue to break many laws after they come over since there are things one cannot do when you have no paperwork. And what happens when the going gets tough or they get in trouble with the law? They run back home and hide and their government will protect them.

But I can't blame them for wanting to make money. I can't blame them for taking advantage of this country. I blame the US government for their willingful blindness to it all. Ironic how the DOJ can fine corporations and banks for willingful blindness when they engage in the same practices.