I'm not sure this is a picture of the author, but it may be.
Posted on 08/26/2015 6:08:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
There are few uglier phrases in the modern conservative lexicon than "anchor baby," not least because of the literal imagery the term brings to mind of a human infant, wrapped in chains and flung overboard to secure a vessel in place.
But even as a figure of speech, it's a despicable concept. It refers to the notion that undocumented immigrants exploit the quintessentially American policy of birthright citizenship, which confers the status of citizen to anyone born on U.S. territory, by sneaking across the border to give birth to their children.
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush recently stumbled into the center of a firestorm after first railing against the anchor baby phenomenon, and then clarifying himself by saying that he actually wasn't referring to undocumented Latin Americans, but rather to Asians who come to the United States as "birth tourists." In doing so, he laid bare the hard, unpleasant and racist truth behind the term.
The basis for conservatives' rage about anchor babies is the claim that they serve as protection against deportation if their parents' undocumented status is discovered and give them an advantage when seeking permanent residency or citizenship in the future.
Nothing, of course, could be farther from the case.
Thousands of deportees will attest to the fact that having a child, even an infant, who is an American citizen won't stop you from being returned to your country of origin. And any assistance a U.S.-born child might provide in acquiring legal status wouldn't come into play until that baby is of legal age herself, which means the "anchor" has a tether that, at a minimum, stretches across the span of two decades -- hardly the kind of instant safe harbor anti-immigration advocates are implying.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Jeff Yang is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal Online and contributes frequently to radio shows, including Public Radio International's "The Takeaway" and WNYC's "The Brian Lehrer Show." He is the co-author of "I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action" and editor of the graphic novel anthologies "Secret Identities" and "Shattered." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author
I'm not sure this is a picture of the author, but it may be.
Isn't this what they do?
The author complains about the term "anchor baby".
The basis for conservatives' rage about anchor babies...
And then he uses the term himself.
Once again the anti-free speech left wants to call the conservative position too offensive to voice. That way they don’t have to bother their dictator selves with coming up an argument in a real debate. They can just whine “offensive” and then they are the only person left talking.
George Orwell (aka Eric Blaire) had it right. We’ve slipped into the era of ‘Newspeak’.
Ying Yang’s little boy writes like he may be retarded. Not very smart.
Da TRUTH???
We just KAIN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!
“Anchor Babies” wasn’t an offensive term till a few weeks ago when it became a Democratic talking point
Hey Jeff, stop Yangging my chain.
Anchor babies is a legitimate term so get over it. And you write for the WSJ Online? My opinion of WSJ has just gone down a lot.
Next you will be writing that saying “Anchors aweigh” is a racist term meaning to throw anchor babies in the Atlantic Ocean.
Or “Hoist the anchor” will mean to lynch an Anchor Baby.
Your ignorance is guaranteed to provide us with a head-tilting amusement as in “Is this guy for real or am I reading Fiction”?
Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. Nobody says that anymore.
It isn't a figure of speech or a concept. It's exactly what is happening, as the hotels full of pregnant Chinese women will attest.
How is birthright citizenship 'quintessentially American' when it is the product of an offhand note by a judge?
Yang’s argument is that Asian anchor babies ( a term he dislikes ) are NOT a net drag on the American economy.
A lot are jet-setting mothers who give birth here so that their baby can be American, bring their U.S. citizen babies back home to Asia, while leaving a significant amount of money behind.
And the U.S. citizen scions of wealthy Asian families would not only be more likely to return to America for education later in life, but to work here, invest here and inject human and financial capital into our society, while serving as a vital bridge between cultures in a world where such connections are the key to global soft power.
And *THAT* to him is “conservative”.
Anchor babies aren’t the issue. The real issue is the border with Mexico. Anchor babies is a distractor.
The author makes the following observation ( his own ) — The majority white demographic in the USA is SLOWLY but SURELY decreasing due to low birthrate.
Because every Hispanic, Asian and African baby born in the United States accelerates the demographic pivot, already inevitable, that turns white Americans into a minority in this country.
As the Republican establishment knows, the looming arrival of that moment spells long term disaster for the party’s electoral prospects if it refuses to embrace and adapt to it.
I.E., you will never hear of babies butchered for parts; instead, fetal tissue.
Can anyone find his article bitching about "teabagger?"
Why yes, Mr. Yang.
The very idea that unprincipled aliens who’d heard about all the free s**t Uncle Sucker is handing out, would not only crash the border to get onto the gravy train, but would shell out one or more offspring in order to get, along with faux citizenship for the ninas and ninos, a permanent latch onto the gubmint teat? Why that’s absurd.
Yes, I know. You MUST write this drivel in order to retain your gig with Murdoch. But isn’t there some point where your self-respect outweighs your willingness to do this? Or not!
Oh yeah? Try saying the "N Word" and see how long your career lasts.
Author is a complete doofus.
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