I thank each of you for responding to my article & expressing your opinions on immigration. However, some of you appear to have forgotten that EVERYONE has an opinion, and you cannot please everyone. I have received very positive comments from Catholics & those of other Faiths. We live in a free country, and each person is allowed to express his or her opinions as long as they don’t slander or personally attack others who do not share their beliefs.
Along with a number of Catholic bishops, I have expressed my concerns that bigotry is being practiced by some of those who are pushing for “enforcement” of our immigration laws. It is easy to be judgmental, but difficult to be a true Christian, and truly practice your faith. You must remember that we are a nation of immigrants, and not all came to this country legally. Even some of our ancestors may not have entered this country legally.
I have my beliefs and you have yours. I see a great deal of good in Mexican Americans, and the people of Mexico. Many Americans are very selfish & spoiled. Many Americans fail to see that breaking God’s Laws is far, far more grave than breaking a man-made law. If you lived in a country that offered few opportunities for you to support your family, you would also want to seek citizenship in the United States. Express your opinions, but do so in a dignified & fair manner. Thank you.
Vincent Bemowski
Clearly some who think we should enforce the laws of this country do so for bad reasons. So also some who think we should break the laws of this country do so for bad reasons. Ceteris paribus we should enforce the laws of this country.
My mother was an immigrant as was my paternal Grandfather. They were legal immigrants. My grandfather was harassed because he was German. My mother reported to the government every year as a legal “alien”.
There is no question that the People of Mexico are children of God. There is also little doubt that 12 million or more people from Mexico and other South American Countries have come to this country in defiance of our laws. Many, not all — maybe not even a majority — once here show further contempt for our country and go so far as to claim that parts of it are rightly theirs. That has nothing to do with their being children of God and with our duty to charity.
But, again, Aquinas places his discussion of Just War within his discussion of charity. Charity is more than giving into the demands or complying with the requests of others. Already the United States is the most giving country on earth. If you doubt me, get a copy of “who Really Cares”. You may be astonished.
In your last paragraph, you mention people seeking citizenship in the US. What you say is true. But how many of these illegal immigrants are interested in citizenship because they believe in the values of this country and wish to contribute to the US?
More importantly you talk about countries offering opportunities. Mexico offers no fewer opportunities than the US does. Mexicans have failed to CREATE opportunity for themselves. As long as the persistent notion is that opportunity is given, not made, Mexico will remain poor. If that attitude dominates in the US, we will become poor.
If we acquiesce to the demands of what I think is a bogus charity — something more akin to giving an alcoholic a handout in front of a liquor store than providing REAL help — we will end up unable to help others.
But please, before you say any more about selfish Americans, read “Who Really Cares”. The formerly liberal economist (I think, maybe sociologist) who wrote it said that while liberals TALK about giving, conservative Americans are in Practice and on a per capita and per income basis the most giving people on earth. You simply must read this before you throw around suggestions that those with conservative points of view are tainted with selfishness.
And Free Republic MAY be dignified when pigs fly, but certainly not before!
The world is made up of immigrants, but the ones in the past which came to America were often turned back for not passing medical exams or they went back because there was no free housing, medical, welfare and so forth.
The problem today is each illegal child is about $14,000 a year to educate.
There is NO WAY illegals employed here are paying anywhere near the taxes to pay for the services they use.
I sure don’t call the TB and other diseases any form of benefits.
Plus with Mexico next door, there is no real desire often to want to become Mexican.
Even though I was born here, I have a great inside into the sh!t happening in Mexico and the floodgates of illegals here by the millions.
We can only do so much.
Only handle so much.
I don’t know if you volunteer to take 50 illegals in your home in as a sign of support, but the budget estimates of the most recent immigration reform said it would still increase the flood of illegals here and cost us 2 trillion to pay for these people’s needs.
Thou shall not covet they neighbors goods!