I pledge allegience to the dollar
Of the corporate entities of America
And to the kickbacks which they provide
One society in debt up to its ears
With credit terms available to everyone...


What's wrong with this picture?

 

I think one of the changes in the recent proposed legislation was to make illegal immigration a felony - to me that implied it wasn't a felony now. But I could be wrong...

I have a friend who lived in Lowell MA since birth (and is in his 60's now), and who spoke nothing but French until he left high school. That was in the 50's. Immigrants - individuals as well as whole communities - who don't immediately learn English is not a new phenomena - that's been around a long, long time. For instance, there were entire regiments in the Civil War that spoke only German. Speaking English is not what makes folks Americans, it's something deeper than that.

As I said, I think we all agree that illegal is illegal. But the language someone speaks is a different subject. Too many posts run both of those subjects together - then the authors wonder why people start dropping the X-bomb and the R-bomb.

Sneaking across the border without proper authorization or papers is illegal, and expecting people to live by our laws is a reasonable thing. Speaking a language other than English is not illegal; having a problem with people who simply don't speak English is a different issue, IMHO. Argue them both if you like, but please put them in separate paragraphs...

 

yea, i don't care what language poeple speak, i think its irrevalant of the problem, heck, my wife runs around speaking russian all the time, it doesn't bother me or anyone else. but....my wife came into the country legally, and let me say, it wasn't the easiest or cheapest thing in the world to do, but we did it because that is the LAW!!!!!

 

Boy, you're not kidding. What ever happened to reasonable expectations? When did we as a nation become so damned greedy?

Did anyone see the article in the NYT about the rebuilding of the oil pipeline in Al Fatah Iraq? Talk about a long sad story about people who cared for nothing other than to walk away with as much money as possible! Where is their honesty? Where is their sense of responsibility? Where is their pride?

 

1) Get rid of Birth Right Citizenship! This is a giant incentive for them to cross the border.

2) Eliminate free Public Ed for illegals! This is another incentive to cross the border.

3) No incarceration! The last thing we want to do is push our already over crowded corrections system over the limit.

4) Fix the Welfare system! Mexicans are working a lot of lower level jobs because any real citizen can do as well if not better sitting on their duff collecting a check. I like many others worked these jobs to but I did work next to what I later learned were illegals.

5) Lastly, if the illigals are going to stay, and we know they are, could they stop waiving those damn Mexican flags??? They fled that country so they could do better. Sure would be nice to see more American flags flying. It also wouldn’t hurt to learn some more English.

 

You're sure you want to do this? I don't know you're personal history, but chances are pretty good that you are a US citizen for no other reason than that you were born here!

 

This whole thing about being born here... Since our current administration thinks life begins at conception, I say that if you're not conceived here, you're not a citizen here. That should stop the huge number of pregnant women that slip across the border in the third trimester.

 

Wink wink back at ya, lol. I think you know what I mean. I could see if atleast one of the parents were a citizen but the way it is right now is horrible.

 

Yes, I know what you mean. It is a little bit of a strange system when looked at in the context of the 21st century - certainly a throw back from the days when there was a lot less documentation and regulation - kind of cool in a way though way back then - if you made it here, at least your kids were all set.

But now the thing that comes to mind is a touchdown. As long as the ball/baby breaks the plane of the goal line/US border - it a touchdown! You're a citizen! Just don't get too excited and spike the baby!

 

Actually, it's jobs Americans won't do for the same wages that the illegals WILL.

Just one example...
Currently, there are approximatly 1000 apple picking jobs available in my State. The job pays $9.03/hr. Includes free accomodations, and free transport to and from the orchards. Out of those 1000 positions available, less than 1% are typically filled with 'legal' Americans. Now, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that these same jobs would be filled quite easily by 'legals', if the hourly rate was increased to $15.00 an hour, and included benefits and paid vacation. Would you agree?

So, the $10,000 dollar question now becomes (and a possible solution):
Are we as consumers, willing to pay $2.00 for an apple to remedy this?

 

Right. There was a time when this was not true. What a difference a generation or two can make.
Absolutely, you are safe on that limb.

I doubt it. Moaning about the problem is always preferable to paying for the solution.

 

Dang! They're picking apples........ $15 with benefits is extremely over paying for that kind of work. $9 is plenty for a mindless job like that. Over paying people isn't the answer, that will just screw everyone else. I say if America is too lazy to pick apples for that offer then let the illegals do it.

 

I have no problem with what language is native to the person in question. My point is that they should at least make an attempt to learn the language of the country that they live in (legally, of course). I don't expect to go to Japan and have them all learn English to communicate with me. However, it seems that the only language other than English that is being pushed is Spanish. I have to draw the conclusion that it is due in no small part to the illegal immigration issue.

 

Here's where the regional stuff comes into play. $9/hr in Wisconsin isn't bad money for an entry-level job- we're paying lot kids $12/hr to start washing cars. About half those jobs are filled by (legal) immigrants. Workers at entry-level wages are next to impossible to find out here, legal ones anyway.

Of course, cost of living has something to do with this too.

 

While Spanish does seem to be the language of many illegals, I think I'd have to disgree with you there. I think that even if you shipped out all the illegal immigrants you'd still find that there were a lot of people who were speaking Spanish as their primary language - there are many, many legal citizens who speak Spanish, and the number is increasing. It's not just a SW/illegals thing - we have (legal) Argentines working the lifts at local ski areas here - they speak lots of Spanish.

I would maintain that the languages immigrants (legal and illegal) chose to speak, and illegal immigration need to be addressed as two separate issues. One is a legal issue, the other is a cultural issue - despite your best efforts, if you mix the two you will inevitably give the impression that you feel some cultural choices are "illegal". This isn't France - we don't police the language - let's keep it that way!