Illegal immigrants 'are not free-loaders,' says Guatemalan bishop

Catholic News Service ^ | 04.13.05 | Agostino Bono

[Coleus]

Illegal immigrants 'are not free-loaders,' says Guatemalan bishop

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Illegal immigrants "are not free-loaders" but hard-working people who are seeking better lives for their families because social and economic improvements are not readily available to the Latin American poor, said a Guatemalan bishop.

"Some call them 'illegals.' But according to the market model, they are better described as entrepreneurs without assets, pursuing the American dream," said Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri of San Marcos, Guatemala.

"They work hard, often in several jobs, supporting a way of life that many take for granted," he said April 13 in written testimony delivered before the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Bishop Ramazzini testified at a hearing on the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA, between the United States and five Central American countries. Negotiators for the six countries have agreed on a text, but the accord still has to be ratified by the United States and several other countries.

Better salaries and better working conditions are the main reasons Latin Americans come to the United States, he said.

Working conditions in Central America will only get worse under the proposed free trade agreement, as this pact threatens "to lock in a much lower level of protection for workers and their families," he added.

"Poor working conditions make for bad economics. Without enforceable labor rights that are part of trade agreements with sanctions for noncompliance applied to them, we will not raise standards of labor and standards of living in my country," said the bishop.

"I know of repeated instances where workers were treated in a way that would be against basic labor law in the United States," he said.

"Industrial workers, equipped with the basic rights to have a say in the workplace, were key to the growth of a middle class in your nation," and formed "a key element in making the United States the economic powerhouse it is today," said Bishop Ramazzini.

"This is not happening in Central America and it will not happen as long as hundreds of thousands of workers are suppressed, not empowered, at the workplace," he said.

Guatemala is among the 10 worst Latin American countries regarding unequal income distribution and needs to develop a strong middle class for economic and political stability, he said.

In Guatemala, 56 percent of the population is poor and 16 percent is extremely poor, he said.

Policies governing trade need to be integrated with development programs if life for the poor is to improve, he said.

"Trade policies need to be complemented by institutional reforms and a broader development framework that affords each person their right to participate in a market that is fair and compassionate," he added.

Bishop Ramazzini also questioned whether Guatemalan farmers could compete with subsidized U.S. agricultural products if tariff barriers were dropped.

"Our farmers are hard-working" but they "cannot compete against the U.S. Treasury and the $170 billion subsidies granted in your farm bill of 2002," he said.

Almost 25 percent of Guatemala's gross national product comes from farming, he said.

The bishop also questioned the long-term benefit of CAFTA to poor countries, saying its approval could override more favorable terms being negotiated worldwide by the World Trade Organization.

"It is widely expected that low-income developing countries, such as Guatemala, will be afforded 'special and differential treatment' under World Trade Organization rules currently being negotiated," he said.

"CAFTA will likely trump such measures that are designed to allow developing countries the time and space to foster integral human development," he said.

Rather than concentrating on making it easier for goods to cross borders, trade pacts "must look at trade policies from the bottom up -- from their impact on the lives and dignity of poor families and vulnerable workers across the hemisphere," he said.

Bishop Ramazzini's testimony is the latest in a series of efforts by Latin American bishops to criticize aspects of free trade agreements being promoted by the United States.

Last June, Bishop Ramazzini was part of a delegation of Central American bishops visiting the United States to discuss their criticisms of CAFTA with church and government officials. Last July, the Central American and U.S. bishops issued a joint statement outlining objections.

In February, a delegation of bishops from the Andean countries in South America visited the United States to air similar criticisms.

Church officials have said that they are not opposed to the concept of free trade, but are objecting to specific treaties they have judged to be prejudicial to the Latin American poor.

[ClintonBeGone]

Hey! Here's our resident fiction writer. Keep practicing Matt. Some day you'll swim with the big fish.

[sdpatriot]

don't forget the "old fat ex-supply sgts" comment. the disdain for our Veterans.... and reverance for our past enemies - enemies who killed many a brave American - is crossing the line.

[Travis McGee]

Actually it's terrific when our resident Quisling's out themselves. It shows loyal Americans (who are dedicated to this web forum's mission statement) that we must be constantly on guard against undeclared foreign agents (false flag freepers) and other assorted home grown traitors.

U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 8 Clause 15:

"The Congress shall have Power to provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections

and repel Invasions;"

---

U.S. Constitution Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

---

Quisling: a synonym for "traitor", someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.

[sdpatriot]

then why don't you explain it to me? you have never answered a question yet directly.

was it the beads or brass medalions that was a good deal for the American Indians in this magical fairy land of "free trade"? or maybe it was the measle virus infested blankets? the old cull cows they could have pretend "hunts" with before it fell over dead? what was the great pay off for them? 'splain it to me.

[ClintonBeGone]

You are mistaken, friend. Post #26 was by B4Ranch.

I though fiction writers use editors AND a fact checkers.

[sdpatriot]

nothing is going to ever get me to go against the US Constitution - ever. or disrespect the men who died and bled and sacrificed and honored their Oaths for this Nation. ever. no President, no Party, no Money, no UN, and certainly no little freeper whiners.

ever.

too bad for the whiners.

hehe

[ClintonBeGone]

"then why don't you explain it to me?"

Will it really be a productive use of my time? You seemed to have made up your mind already.

[sdpatriot]

125 posted on 04/22/2005 4:43:41 PM PDT by ClintonBeGone (Malvone is a MMK)


Travis... did you see cbg's new tag line? some body's been reading your book!

very special... i hope you signed it. ; )

[Dane]

It is a despicable little hyena pack that always puts America last.

I'm sending your above quote to Webster's for the definitive definition, of the adage of "the pot calling the kettle black".

[sdpatriot]

if your going to go out on a limb and state something, the least you can do is back it up when asked.

i don't have my mind made up 100%. i'm very familiar with the plains and western Tribe's history though.. and don't see it. the only GOOD thing they got from Europeans/Settlers were horses - and they found them on their own. the modern conviences were all just that - modern.

what else was there?

[mommadooo3]

Travis, help me out here, in understanding what this so-called Bishop is saying.(I must be having a blonde moment)

Is he whining about his country and it's citizens having a piss-poor life because they don't have it as good as American citizens? And because they can't make it in THEIR country, that WE owe it to them to let them infiltrate us, and if WE balk against that, that we are somehow WRONG?

And is he saying that because THEY have POOR WORKING conditions in THEIR country, while WE don't, that is somehow OUR fault and WE should feel OBLIGATED to fix it for THEM? And since we HAVEN'T, we are OBLIGATED to let them infiltrate us?

[Marine Inspector]

Should we use the same sort of scurrilous words when viewing unionized governmental labor?

I wouldn't care, I'm not a big fan of unions.

[Marine Inspector]

Yes it is.

[Marine Inspector]

I was just trying to get an honest answer

I doubt you'll ever get an honest answer from that poster.

[sdpatriot]

it doesn't look like you are having a "blond moment" at all mommadooo3!


(unless we both are, because that's how i read it)

[mommadooo3]

PHEW!!

OK...if that's what the article is about, here's another question(s).....Then WHY is the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere entertaining this 'bishop's' whining? Did we inherit Guatamala somewhere along the line? Did we become 'responsible' for that country's 'goings-on' when we weren't looking? Did they annex themselves as our newest state?

Hell, most of the world bitches about America trying to 'force' Herself on foreign countries. And NOW, THIS country's bishop is bitchin' because we haven't...and he's trying to make us look REALLLLLY BAD.

[Dane]

I wouldn't care, I'm not a big fan of unions

As he does his best hillary impression.

[Czar]

Dane, Dane, Dane. Queen of the non-sequitur, and still unable to put together a coherent post. What are we to do with you?

Try to remember which pot/kettle you crawled out of, please. It's the one labeled "FOQNA". You know, Freepers of Questionable National Allegiance.

I don't mind you posting to me, but you need to work harder to put a rational thought together. It would probably be helpful if you could avoid babbling...

[Dane]

Try to remember which pot/kettle you crawled out of, please. It's the one labeled "FOQNA". You know, Freepers of Questionable National Allegiance

Go sieg heil yourself, czar.

[sdpatriot]

>>Did we inherit Guatamala somewhere along the line? Did we become 'responsible' for that country's 'goings-on' when we weren't looking? Did they annex themselves as our newest state?<<
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i think the answer is simply that the world has succumbed to socialism. including most of our own country and most definitely this "bishop".

there are even socialists here on FR. i don't know that they are even aware of it. but by their rhetoric - and this "bishops" and our "spread the wealth" politicians - they all are. know them by their fruit.

the commies never went away... they just got sneakier.. and "kinder"... "for the children", "for the victims", "for the poor" and on and on.... they never give up.

our beloved country is fast becoming but a shadow of it's self.