Posted on 04/20/2006 7:16:53 PM PDT by Coleus
National Catholic Register (www.ncregister.com/)
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.I wonder if the Catholic Church would be so supportive of illegal immigrants if they were 98% Lutheran?"""
AMEN
Somehow I doubt they would be at the head of this defensive parade...
"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"
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.
Believe or not most people that came to this Country were that "lowest level". Not many millionaries and Princes immigrated here.""
All four of my grandparents were part of that influx of illigrants.
There is one MAJOR difference with this discussion::
My grandparents came hedre legally, filled out the correct paperwork, and assimilated the language and became productive citizens who NEVER caused any problems for the police. They created jobs- one was a banker- one was a cememt contractor- they didn't undercut existing jobs for American citizens.
BTW- My grandfather who was the banker NEVER foreclosed on a single loan during the Depression. He said "I know how to run a bank. I do not know how to farm. Farmers know how to farm." As far as I have been told, he just held the notes with no interesting compiling until the times turned around. I never met him, but I am proud of that sentiment.
"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?"
Get an honest Supreme Court that will rule SS and all federal social services unconstitutional.
Make giving any form of social services by any government agency, city to feds a felony.
Fine and imprison any employer hiring an illegal.
Problem solved except we will still be burdened with the Catholic Church.
the fifty million illegals, how many drive illegally, now what would be the price of fuel if they weren't driving in the us???
I thought that today when listening to a debate about the price of fuel. Every time the comment "demand ve availability" came into the sentences, I though about all the fuel these crimmigrants are consuming.
The new Liberation theology.
I never liked the first one and saw worldwide the effect of Marxist Priests firsthand with my own eyes up close and personal.
This is the VERY same mindset.
Damn shame.
Bet they love the Che posters
Immigrants who overstay their visa can become illegal overnight.
Give us a break from your hysterical inflamatory rhetoric.
You need to look up the work immigrant and get back to us.
If a person from ANY country is able to comprehend our language well enough to get a visa, then I can also deduct that they are smart enough to be able to read the date that the visa expires.
That expire date automatically makes them illegal. What part of this don't YOU understand?
If my car tags are EXPIRED---I am NO LONGER a registered vehicle.
If my drivers license is EXPIRED--I am no longer permitted to drive, no matter how skilled I am. I am subject to a ticket or arrest.
Tell us again why a "expire date" doesn't mean anything??????
Catholicism is truth. All else is derivative. So, all else is less than the truth; therefore, a lie.""
Did you forget your sarcasm tagline???
The people that held those signs (and that was a minority of protestors I am sure) despise America even as they live off its blessings.""
You certainly did not see the photos I saw, I guess.
I've known lots of illegal immigrants. NONE of them have commited the crimes you posted.""
Do an in-depth interview with the cops in a large city like Los Angeles. 25% or more of the crimes there are comitted by illegals, and it is spreading rapidly to the small towns. ICE will not come pick the illegals when they are done serving their time, so they get 3 hots and a cot until they get released back into the community to repeat their behavior.
I wonder if your average lib FreeperBot or RINO or Dem would be crying racist if we were being overrun by South Africans or Australians or Canucks in this magnitude.
It's the slightly different race of these illegals (most..who really knows) that makes them special
If they were WHITE....FReeperBots, Jesse, Dems, Rinos, Jorge, and all the LULAC-MECHA-LARAZA whiners in this country would be out front demanding deportation...camps....no-knock raids....hate crimes for harbouring them....you name it.
The ills of redressing past social injustice that I personally had diddly to do with is going to kill us as a nation. It's turning out worse than what we are redressing in the first place.
Can't conduct the WOT, Immigration Reform or even nominate a damned SCOTUS nominee without crying about their race, gender or sexual peccadillos.
I had a sweet but naive freeper just tell me I was uncompassionate and uncaring of my fellow man if I was against amnesty...more or less.
I have to be sweet too and give up my nations culture and sovereignty so I can be thought of as nice?
Like it's more important that the individual be deemed all soft and mushy than to prevail against this scourge?
Moonbat logic. It's not about us feeling good about ourselves ...it's about protecting our borders and securing our children's culture and freedom.
illigrants. s/b immigrants... Sorry I must be tired and I am not proofing very well.
hedre s/b here
cememt s/b cement
I am typing way too fast.
illigrants. s/b immigrants... Sorry I must be tired and I am not proofing very well.
hedre s/b here
cememt s/b cement
I am typing way too fast.
"Moonbat logic. It's not about us feeling good about ourselves ...it's about protecting our borders and securing our children's culture and freedom."
Agreed.
I wish the laws already in force
would be enforced.
What did I miss?
And for not considering hiring Muslims. (Smart move, btw). The misguided "compassion" of the present admin seems to be rubbing off on folks.
Can't conduct the WOT, Immigration Reform or even nominate a damned SCOTUS nominee without crying about their race, gender or sexual peccadillos.
Political correctness, overwhelming guilt, fear of offending, fear of being perceived as being offenseive, fear of being labeled a racist/xenophobe/homophobe/ethnocentrist/etc. ......it's all killing our nation. ....slowly. Way too many guilt-ridden, hyper-emotional, fearful types.
They view American patriotism/nationalism and cultural cohesion as dangerous, and borders/sovereignty as obsolete.
Check out this article by John Leo.
You need to take a gander at Nashville crime stats Jorge if you think illegal clusters don't bring crime with them
here's another nashville freeper or two, ask them if the mass of illegals here have not created a huge crime wave...nashville has had huge spikes in murder and auto theft precisely where they cluster.....mostly young men....which is to be expected
I have part time domestic help....legal and latino.....she is terrified of them and warns us of the criminal element amongst them
and she chooses to live out in booney gringo country land to get her kids away from the new barrio
That is precisely it.
and yes, borders have another meaning to them
Totally correct. The crime in Nashville from the State Fair Grounds south to Harding place along Nolensville road is growing.
After having lived in a place with lots of illegals and one with almost none, I can say that I'd rather live in a place with them than without them.
I don't know...would I give up my tranquil yet growing town where speeding is usually the harshest crime committed or go back to the Nolensville Rd. (Nashville) apartment house where grating music is played loudly 24/7, graffiti hits every flat surface and my car (when it found a space) was defaced regularly?
And if I counted the murder down the hall, the anchor kid being killed and ditched in the nearby park or the pregnant woman who was hit by a van only to have the guys come back and put a few slugs into her lest they "get in trouble"?
NO.
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