We should know better It's become fashionable to blame immigants for all our ills

Concord Monitor and L.A. Times ^ | June 05. 2005 | Cardinal Roger Mahony

[bayourod]

I t appears fashionable these days, and almost politically correct, to blame hard-working immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America, for the social and economic ills of and our nation. Anti-immigrant fervor on TV and radio talk shows, citizens attempting to enforce immigration laws and the enactment of restrictive laws, such as the Real ID Act, are evidence of this trend. Some of our elected officials are joining the parade, going so far as to call for the closing of our southern border.

This growing hysteria is nothing new: Similar scapegoating has occurred at other troubled times in our nation's history, most prominently against Asian and European immigrants during the late 19th century and during the two world wars of the 20th century. By and large the United States has been able to resist the temptation to close its doors to the world, but not without unjust victimization of "foreigners."

[AzaleaCity5691]

There was one big difference between earlier immirgants and the current immigrants.

Namely, the earlier immigrants came into this country legally. They did not sneak in, and try to stay long enough in the hopes that we'd grant them amnesty. And after working in this country for a while, they certainly did not go back home and take a social security check with him.

[mthom]

LA Times

[claudiustg]

Yes, shocking, some of us actually want to see the laws enforced.

[CindyDawg]

I have no problem with hard working "legal" immigrants. No problem at all.

[Paul Atreides]

It appears fashionable these days, and almost politically correct, to blame hard-working immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America, for the social and economic ills of and our nation.

What planet is he on?

[goodnesswins]

AND, they did everything they could to become American....(my great-grandmother only swore in German)....

[CO Gal]

Real ID Act??!??!!? What kind of hate-mongoring law is that?? Forcing people to show identification?? Outlandish! //s I don't have a problem with "hard-working immigrants" as I do with the law breaking, criminals that have become a parasite on this country. When the next 9/11 hits the California coastline, it will be interesting to see what kind of Cry Me a River song the LA Slimes will be singing.

[Paul Atreides]

citizens attempting to enforce immigration laws and the enactment of restrictive laws, such as the Real ID Act, are evidence of this trend. Some of our elected officials are joining the parade, going so far as to call for the closing of our southern border.

Someone needs to tell him that there is a war on.

[Calico Cat]

"Citizens attempting to enforce immigration laws"...

Good Lord! What next?! How dare citizens try to enforce the laws of their own country?

We all know where the Cardinal is coming from, though. Lots of Catholic Mexicans and Central Americans...future sources of dough!

[sweetliberty]

Where is the barf alert????

[EternalVigilance]

Do you agree or disagree with the article you posted?

[bayourod]

"LA Times"

Cardinal Roger Mahony is the archbishop of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles. I don't know whether this editorial even appeared in the L.A. Times.

[doug from upland]

The cardinal thinks illegal invaders are fine and priest molestors are fine. He is an embarrassment to our church.

[thoughtomator]

Joys. Pro-alien propaganda. I don't think I've ever seen that before from a left-wing newspaper!

[OKIEDOC]

Sorry Farther but your wrong on this one.

I have on occasion sat in the emergency room parking lot on the weekends and every other car letting out patients has a Mexican license plate.

Most of the cars are fairly new.

They come across the border knowing full well that the hospital has to treat them at no out of pocket cost.

Once they make it through the door the illegal gets the best treatment that money can buy and you the tax payer pays for it.

Even though treatment may be cheaper and just as good across the border at Central Medical they still require a payment.

[flashbunny]

there isn't one because he agrees with it.

[USMale]

Enough already of the blame game being aimed at the majority of Americans who are outraged over the illegal invasion of our country.

We have enough laws already on the books that have been more than generous in welcoming "legal" immigrants to our country.

What part of "Illegal" don't you understand?

Crime, disease and the bankruptcy of our nation is the result of those who are only interested in supplying cheap labor to big business, who have bought and paid our elected officials including President Bush.

Just the facts please...just the facts.

[tomakaze]

some common sense
A guy and his wife and kids wade accross the rio grande, he plops down stateside goes to work for 5 bucks an hour landscaping or something, hell lets be generous and say he's making 10.
Meanwhile, his wife has signed the family for every welfare giveaway possible, medical, foodstamps, you name it, and you can bet the gal at the welfare office who's signing her up is pointing her towards other stuff she never even imagined.
somebody else can crunch the numbers based on what ever welfare bennies are by whatever state they're in but the result is a net drain, not a "boost" to the economy.
 

[flashbunny]

He agrees with it, of course. He's one of the biggest pro-illegal alien apologists on the board.