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Early generations of immigrants came to this country when all it had to offer was freedom to dream and hope for the future. Through their struggle and toil we now live in a wealthy nation and have so much more than they ever did.
With this wealth, we have created a social structure that is appealing to a different type of immigrant. Many — not all — come here to benefit from our free social services and schooling, but they don’t love this country and don’t want to become citizens. They protest on our soil, flaunting the flag of their country and demand rights as if they were citizens of the United States.
Americans resent the users and takers, but welcome those who want to commit to, and become contributing members of, American society.
It’s all about the intent of those who come here.

Lisa Albro, Castle Rock

READER COMMENTS

Users and takers is a nice way to describe these dishonorable people who sneak into our country.
They are being pimped out by their dishonorable country Mexico! Not all illegals are Mexican but, the majority of illegals in the U.S. at this writing are here from Mexico.

The Democrat's will vote for "comprehensive reform" which is a poorly disguised amnesty. Democrats are illegal alien sympathizers.

Everyone check the voting records for the politicians who voted for amnesty('comprehensive reform, guest worker programs, etc.") and the ones who didn't vote for amnesty.

The presidential election is coming in 2008 vote OUT the candidates who voted for amnesty when their re-election comes around and vote AGAINST the presidential candidate who voted to give these sneak thieves an UNDESERVED "path to citizenship!!!"

The Democrats, Republicans, unscrupulous businesses, labor unions and the Catholic Church all want illegal aliens in the USA for various reasons. But the common factor is the average American gets screwed in the process by these entities.

I need to be educated. Republicans are granted corporate welfare; they need the illegal immigrant as the South needed the Blacks to harvest their crop. The Democrats are in the labor union; they don't want the illegal immigrant posturing as scabs. I can agree that the Catholic Church favors the illegal immigrant to fill its coffers along with drawing 70% of its money from the federal treasury to provide for the illegal immigrants.

Therefore, I would contend that Republicans and the Church embrace the illegal immigrant; however, it is not unions or democrats who embrace them. Help me on this one. Your friendly deicide.

Hurray, Ms. Albra acknowledges that immigrants are not all one in the same (a perspective that seems to be sorely lacking in these parts). Moreoever, she acknowledges that *gasp*, some might actually come here with good intentions.

I disagree with her on a couple of points, however: today's immigrants overwhelmingly come here for economic opportunity--basically the same reason immigrants of yesteryear came here. To suggest that people who travel hundreds or thousands of miles to a strange land to collect "social services" strains credulity--especially when social services do not put bread on the table. Let's be clear, undocumented immigrants are barred from collecting virtually any federal benefits.

She is correct that not all immigrants want to be citizens, but, that was also true for the immigrants of yesteryear, many who were loath to give up their old world traditions, and ties.

Let's also be clear, that the protesters (I, citizen, being one of many protesting), to the extent they "demand" anything are a demand that we acknowledge and respect all people. Not that anyone be given anything special. Just that we stop kowtowing to bigotry and making up scary boo boo stories.

One excellent account of immigrants of yesteryear I've read is:
"Westward the Immigrants: Italian Adventurers and Colonists in an Expanding America"--Andrew F. Rolle, (1999) Univ. Press of Colo.

One thing it talks about is the difference in the generational attitudes toward the new country. Older immigrants (not surprisingly) often resisted new ways. The younger immigrants naturally adapted, among other things, because the U.S. was the only life they knew. All of this, of course, is natural human behavior. Notwithstanding assertions to the contrary, today's immigrants are humans too, and maybe expected to have similar attitudes toward adjustment and change.

My grandparents came here without documentation searching for a better life from a ravaged and poverty stricken European country. They were admitted through Ellis Island and learned English when they got here.

Of course, now that they made it in, the natural temptation would be to join the throngs who want to close the gate on others trying to do the same thing. Why should I have to suffer mild inconvenience so others can enjoy the same quality of life my grandparents ensured I would have?

We all have ancestors who came to America for the same reasons. Now after pillaging the previous local population (Native Americans) we're suddenly very concerned about the rights of people who were here first.

So we tighten the grip on those who want to enter, but you're all kidding yourselves if you think it's for any reason other than good ol' fashioned greed. Tell yourselves what lies you must about the "rule of law," etc, but deep down, you all know it's only because you want to keep "yours" separate from "theirs."

Nativism (the idea that it was okay for my (grand)parents to come here but not yours), has run strong throughout American history.

The issue that is blatantly missing from the topic of illegal immigration is the fact that there is an industry built around it.

For the most part, he immigrants are nothing more than pawns being used by it.

There are companies in this country who pay unscrupulous business people in other countries to round up and deliver workers to them. They do this because they want cheap labor that they don't have to provide with any type of benefits and who will be too afraid of going to jail or being deported to report any of their unfair labor practices.

There are too many people who think that illegal immigration is just about some people running across our border to come here to get work. There is a huge industry involved in trafficking these immigrants. They lie to these poor people and promise them better lives and then effectively place them in indentured servitude once they've been relocated to the U.S.

We need to stop scapegoating the people that come here looking for a better life. It's real easy to point fingers and say that they don't want to become citizens and aren't learning the langugage, etc....but until you can walk a mile in their shoes and understand what many of them have gone through...being used, lied to, underpaid, and treated like animals by deceitful people...only then can you start making more sound judgements about this issue.

Until then you're just treating the sympton and not the cause.

Well I steal from the grocery store from time to time and sell a little pot on the side but hey, I'm just trying to make a better life for myself and my family. What's the big deal if I break a few laws along the way.

And if they arrest me I'm sure Newsweek will print a front page photo of CPS taking my children away which we all know is just a God awful thing to do to criminals so I'm sure to get off scott free, right?

BTW - If your not using it, can I borrow your identification for a few months?

Ahhhh,
Here you are Anderson....I see you really are still up to your old tricks...pointing fingers and telling your fellow Americans how uncharitable and racist they are being by asking (no, DEMANDING) that all immigrants be treated equally and humanely by expecting them to follow the laws of the country they are immigrating to.
Give it up, you are wrong. If you still don't get it, please print your address so we may direct all those lawbreakers to your house where they will find a kinder more understanding American to coddle them and feed them.
Peace,

Anyone who wants an interpreter provided for them should have to prove citizenship first.

J, here you are again taking pride in your ignorance and expecting the rest of us to follow--to the bottom, where is found your self-made hell. Pointing the finger at me (in lieu of the usual demons), setting up the usual strawmen (I am not a racist and don't you dare call me one!), with my name on it, just so you can knock them down. Woe be it that you contribute anything constructive.

Thomas - you're on to something there. The INDUSTRY built around the movement of the illegal aliens being trafficked into the U.S. for big business has many arms. It is a criminal enterprise unlike we have ever seen.

It includes trafficking of people for sex slavery, drug running, as well as honest workers just coming here for jobs. A huge nationwide criminal enterprise has grown in ID theft and document forgery that is international in scope.

The tentacles of these organizations are long and they are overwhelming some small communities near the borders. There are numerous instances of incursions by paramilitary groups over our border, all with the violent crime that comes along with it.

1) Shut down the CAUSE, the availability of jobs for those without legal status.
2) Secure the borders.
3) Look at and overhaul our system of legal immigration so that we can screen and admit those who legally followed the rules - without them having to wait for decades.
4) Stop chain migration and "anchor babies."
5) Have an honest discussion of the demographic impacts on this country of unchecked immigration and the environmental impacts, as well. Do we want 500 million people here by 2050?

If these things are not done, we will have an entire permanent underclass of people here, able and willing to be exploited.

Immigration Enforcement Reform. I'm all for that!

Read your own words and direct them right back at yourself. I am no more self-righteous or ignorant than you are. I just don't keep preaching to aggrevate people, like you do.

The Unions get their cut, otherwise they wouldn't have thrown a fit when the plant was raided. The Democrats see the illegals as the downtrodden and are entitled to all the social entitlements, (key word social, as in socialist). What did NAZI stand for? National Socialist Party, wasn't it?

By the way, if amnesty is granted, who then will do all those jobs that the illegals now supposedly do?

"Until then you're just treating the symptom and not the cause." - Thomas

The cause (diseased aspect of this argument) is MEXICO. The fact that Mexico is a corrupt, 3rd world, criminally run country not 2 steps removed from Saddam Hussein's Iraq is what the damn problem is. The only difference between Saddam's Iraq and Mexico is the lust for military power and glory - all other aspects are the same. Power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, vast petro wealth, and a population that has no opportunity or ability to change their circumstances.
Change the political, social, and economic dynamics of Mexico and maybe we would not have this problem of illegal aliens from Mexico. I have a feeling if this were happening 100 years ago, Teddy Roosevelt would tell the Mexican President to stop the invasion of America or there would be US tanks in Mexico City in 1 week and we would stop it for him.

Who will be our generations Teddy Roosevelt? Who will truthfully bring this nation back to the rule of law, not the rule of politics? Who will emphasize the importance of following the Constitution? Who will enforce the laws already on the books? Who will try to save the U.S. middle class, rather than try to turn them all into the next 'poverty class'? Who will bring home the vast majority of troops sitting in foreign lands? Who will vote to stop sending billions of dollars in foreign aid to countries who would prefer we are nuked and eliminated? Who will change the status quo? It wont be Hillary or Rudy or John or Mitt. It won't be Newt or Dennis either. The only candidates who have publicly stated that they would do any of the things I have mentioned, are Tom Tancredo & Ron Paul. Do your own research and decide for yourself. The 2008 presidential election is not that far away. Take action now or you will get the government you deserve.

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