Skip to comments.
Thank an immigrant
Catholic Online ^
| 04.20.06
Posted on 04/20/2006 7:16:53 PM PDT by Coleus
National Catholic Register (www.ncregister.com/)
It was hard for a Catholic to pick sides.
The giant immigration marches in April were almost surreal. The attitude of the protest organizers often made them seem inauthentic – but the critics didn’t seem to have their facts straight, either.
First, consider the protesters.
Groups, like A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism), swelled the ranks of marchers in major cities. But, like other activist organizations at the marches, A.N.S.W.E.R. isn’t an immigration group. It’s a communist group that actually opposes Cuban immigrants. But they were there in force – as they are at pro-abortion marches, anti-war marches and anti-globalism marches – selling Che Guevera T-shirts and building their mailing lists.
Signs that said “Bush Step Down” and “Bush is the real terrorist” were common at the rallies. But that doesn’t seem wise. Did the marchers not know that Bush is the one who first proposed the national “guest worker” program for illegal immigrants that they were marching for? Did they remember how his decision to do so imperiled his re-election by angering his conservative supporters?
If the march organizers really put immigration policy as their highest priority, you would think they would court the sympathetic president as a key ally – not antagonize and alienate him. That they didn’t do so raises sharp questions about their credibility and their true agenda. But the critics of the march were just as bad.
Talk radio chattered endlessly about the drain heavy immigration put on America’s resources, but without much understanding of what is at stake. Conservatives were furious at a Republican-supported bill that they say “caved” by agreeing to make illegal immigration a misdemeanor rather than a felony. But they didn’t seem to realize that illegal immigration has always been a misdemeanor – and that to make it a felony would increase the drain on America’s resources 100-fold.
If illegal immigration remains a misdemeanor, then cases can be dealt with efficiently and quickly. If security is your fear, this would be the solution. If talk radio show hosts had their way and it became a felony, then each accused illegal case would be entitled as a felon to a jury trial and a court-appointed lawyer and subject to a much longer process. It was also instructive to listen to the attempts radio shows made to play “Gotcha” with the protesters. Reporters who interviewed actual protesters found surprising stories that didn’t quite support the “immigrant threat” storyline. One Mexican immigrant told Sean Hannity’s program that he had been in the country illegally for 12 years, working hard, paying taxes and raising a family. Another reporter met a doctor who was waiting on tables and learning English. Another was a dishwasher with a master’s degree.
These stories of hard-working immigrants suggest that immigration is a net gain, not a drain, for America. The assumption seems to be that immigrants will come to America, stay on the low end of the economic spectrum, then call over for the sick and weak of their families and put them on welfare. Certainly, plenty will do exactly that. But by and large, today’s immigrants seem to be following in the footsteps of immigrants before them – they are people bold and imaginative enough to leave the comfort of their homelands to stake their futures on their ability to work hard enough to build a better life elsewhere. This entrepreneurial immigrant spirit is precisely what we call “the American spirit.”
As for draining America’s resources: Americans should be more fearful of a future without heavy immigration than one with it. Over the last several decades, American family sizes have decreased nearly as much as European family sizes. Without immigrants, the United States would be below replacement-level population growth. We would be losing more Americans each year than we gain. The crisis that threatens Social Security’s future would be upon us today. Without immigrants, we wouldn’t have enough workers paying into the system to support retirees. If you draw Social Security income, you should thank an immigrant. So, what’s the answer?
We like the Knights of Columbus’ resolution, which can be found on their Web site, www.KofC.org . It calls for Congress to gain control over the process of immigration in a way that will encourage, not discourage, immigration.
It is, at last, a position Catholics can applaud.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Mexico
KEYWORDS: aliens; answer; cheguevera; fifthcolumn; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; immigration; immigrationlist; kofc; romenotamerica; thankyou; unamerican
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100, 101-120, 121-140, 141-156 next last
To: JDB520
"Well. OK. Then lets yank the Catholic churches tax exempt status."
That choice is not mine. Or yours. I find it interesting that you single out the Catholic churches for loss of tax free status. Why not Baptists? Or Methodists?
Rest assured that if it were my choice, there would be no need to "yank" our tax-free status. Because we'd be ditching that tax-free status tomorrow, if not sooner. I think that Catholic churches end up pulling *far* too many punches in order to keep a tax-free status that's of dubious usefulness in achieving our mission.
101
posted on
04/22/2006 6:30:57 PM PDT
by
RKBA Democrat
(Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
To: JDB520
"No just follow(ing) the laws of the land would be all right."
And what specific laws are being broken by the Catholic churches?
102
posted on
04/22/2006 6:34:09 PM PDT
by
RKBA Democrat
(Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
To: sinkspur
I've seen this said before. I don't see how it can be an argument.
I imagine illegals would get legal counsel at their deportation hearing. Their defense would be, it's all a mistake? The question is simple: is the person in the country legally? If he is he can prove it. If he can't prove it, he's not.
The Congress and/or the legislatures are charged with making procedural rules. Legislative changes to the rules of criminal procedure for such cases could be made just like all other changes to them have been made.
One of the changes made could be simply that the defendant is tried by a legislative tribunal, much like a traffic court, with a trial de novo application to a court of record tailored to those presumed to be in the country illegally and therefore not having full access to the same protection as a citizen.
In other words, there would have to be some sort of prima facie evidence introduced to indicate a legal status. If so, then the possibility of a jury trial. If not, bye, bye. Yes, I don't see any reason this all can be done under the constitutions, the 14th amendment notwistanding. I think the option of a trial de novo would overcome objections about that amendment.
The original question applies here that has applied all along. Do our elected officials have the will to do it.
103
posted on
04/22/2006 7:02:36 PM PDT
by
William Terrell
(Individuals can exist without government but government can't exist without individuals.)
To: RKBA Democrat
Harboring illegal aliens.
104
posted on
04/22/2006 8:08:17 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: RKBA Democrat
Oh, I say yank them all. Then you can have big illegal alien marches all you want. And continue to undermine the rule of law.
105
posted on
04/22/2006 8:09:48 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: RKBA Democrat
Does it make you feel smart to add quotation marks, and fix my grammar? Obviously you are smarter than everyone else here.
106
posted on
04/22/2006 8:20:07 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: RKBA Democrat
I seem to recall something written about commandments and stealing. But if you are happy with not returning that which was stolen I don't mind. I just didn't know that the commandments had a different meaning for conservatives. But you seem to be the one who has a personal agenda, I was just talking about historical fact.
107
posted on
04/22/2006 8:34:46 PM PDT
by
org.whodat
(Never let the facts get in the way of a good assumption.)
To: JDB520
"Harboring illegal aliens."
Huh? You've got to be kidding. I don't know where you've been getting your news, but I'm not aware of a Catholic church that is physically harboring anyone.
108
posted on
04/24/2006 5:59:53 PM PDT
by
RKBA Democrat
(Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
To: Coleus
These stories of hard-working immigrants suggest that immigration is a net gain, not a drain, for America.A net gain? What a ludicrous statement. These few cherry-picked anecdotal examples "suggest" no such broad conclusion.
109
posted on
04/24/2006 6:04:29 PM PDT
by
JCEccles
(Darwinism is the kazoo in the grand orchestra of science)
To: JDB520
"Does it make you feel smart to add quotation marks, and fix my grammar? Obviously you are smarter than everyone else here."
Not really. I just think it's a cheap shot to point out errors in grammar or spelling that would tend to make a poster appear ignorant. I think it's better to simply correct spelling and grammatical errors without comment and move on. Which is exactly what I did with your quote.
It's unfortunate you've chosen to take offense at my correcting your grammar and spelling in your quote, as none whatsoever was intended.
In any case, I don't see that it's a worthwhile venture to continue to debate you on this thread. Your posts have a vicious, self-righteous tone that I find tiresome to deal with.
God Bless
110
posted on
04/24/2006 6:24:55 PM PDT
by
RKBA Democrat
(Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
To: RKBA Democrat
"A person (including a group of persons, business, organization or local government) commits a federal felony when he:
assists an alien whom he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him to obtain employment,
encourages that alien to remain in the U.S., by referring him to an employer, by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or
knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1441331/posts
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,187209,00.html
>>>>>>>>O'REILLY: So what if you found somebody — I could name the churches on Long Island if you wanted me.
KING: So could I. One of them is in your old neighborhood.
O'REILLY: You bet it is. And I know. And so are you going to tell me these people will still get a pass if this goes into law?
KING: As a practical matter, yes, Bill. They're not the ones who are being targeted. We're targeting the alien smuggling gangs. And you know, these priests and nuns know it. I don't think it's right for them to be encouraging illegal immigration, but<<<<<
111
posted on
04/25/2006 5:26:39 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: RKBA Democrat
"Huh? You've got to be kidding. I don't know where you've been getting your news, but I'm not aware of a Catholic church that is physically harboring anyone."
Are you serious? You have got to be kidding me. Have you got your head buried in the sand?
"The Los Angeles Archdiocese, like other religious organizations across the country, runs a vast network of social service programs offering food and emergency shelter, child care, aid to immigrants and refugees, counseling services, and computer and job training."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/opinion/03fri1.html?ex=1299042000&en=4a4ce46ec2e0337d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
112
posted on
04/25/2006 5:52:54 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: joesnuffy
Illegal alien invaders are NOT immigrants."
Let's seee...
There are various estimates of the number of illegals here, from 11 million to 40 million.
This is an anecdotal story of 3 THREE of them.
Not a very good ratio.
I would like to know how someone who is here illegally is "paying his taxes" when he doesn't have a correct social security card. PLEASE explain. Use small words. I only went to a one room grade school....
To: RKBA Democrat
Amazingly I have found another example:
http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2005/12/31/news/lake_life/feat04.txt
"EAGLE PASS, Texas - For illegal immigrants weary from a long desert journey, the Rev. Jim Loiacono is there with food, shelter and sometimes a trip to Western Union."
Where have you been getting your news?
“We have a long history of churches being sanctuaries because they perceive these people as being just children of God,”
And you say you are not aware of the catholic church Harboring anyone? HA HA HA HA HA. You are lying to yourself.
114
posted on
04/25/2006 5:58:17 PM PDT
by
JDB520
Comment #115 Removed by Moderator
To: Redleg1963
No, if they own property, they are paying property taxes.
They bitch (in spanish about that) but they pay!"''Gee- I had to prove I had a real job so that I could pay the mortgare on my property.
To do that, I had to have a job.
To get that job, I had to prove I was a person with a valid social security number. I also had to have work experience, etc.
How does an illegal intruder crimmigrant jump to the head of this line?
If they come into USA with enough money to pay cash for a house, they don't have any reason to be here "for a better job".....
Too many contradictions in this set of sentences.
To: sockmonkey
He is now a School Counselor in the Bay Area in California. ""
What school can he work in? How does he get teaching credentials???
Is this another of the Catholic church and it's flim-flam policies?
Pedphiles, and noe illegal crimmigrants.
I sure am glad I am not a Catholic. Would be unable to defend them for their behavior.
To: MHGinTN
trying to escape a feudal state run by a lying ruler named Vincente.""
He's just the latest in a long line of the same, IMO.
To: RKBA Democrat
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4837956
An Immigrant Way Station on the Border
by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro
All Things Considered, September 8, 2005 · The agency in charge of protecting U.S. borders has said that in the past 11 months, a record 415 people have died attempting to cross the border illegally from Mexico. At least 37 of those have died this year near the Mexican town of Nuevo Laredo across from Laredo, Texas.
"But despite the dangers, would-be immigrants from Central America and Mexico keep trying. For some, the last stop on the way is a hostel that houses up to 100 people a night, run by the Catholic Church in Nuevo Laredo.
The hostel is commonly used as a spot to rest before making the final leg of the treacherous journey north over the Rio Grande River."
119
posted on
04/25/2006 6:07:20 PM PDT
by
JDB520
To: catholicfreeper
You are very late to this table.
If you lived in So Cal like I did and saw the complete breakdown of many areas with the masses of illegals, you could whistle a different tune.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100, 101-120, 121-140, 141-156 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson