Don't let nativism cloud the immigration debate

The Washington Examiner ^ | July 10, 2014 | Shikha Dalmia

[2ndDivisionVet]

Here’s a question for the proud Americans demanding that the unaccompanied foreign children showing up at our borders be deported: Suppose that one of these “illegal” minors was your neighbor, living with his aunt and uncle, going to school during the day, kicking ball with friends in the evening, trying hard to put the traumatic journey from his native, violence-ridden country to America behind him. Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?

If the answer is “no,” then it is time for you to throw out your “Return to Sender” signs. Why? Because asking your government to do what you can’t ain’t right!

America is blessed with a rich and stable neighbor on the north and oceans on the east and west. Hence, it is naturally insulated from the nasty side effects of civil wars, famines and other catastrophes outside its borders that other countries routinely confront. But unless it relocates to another planet, it can’t completely cut itself off from foreign upheavals, especially those it has a hand in causing.

Anti-immigration hardliners are blaming the surge of minors - 90,000 alone this year, a five-fold increase from 2011 -- on America's lenient deportation policies and the prospect of “amnesty.” The reality is more complicated.

The surge comes almost exclusively from three of the most dangerous countries in the hemisphere -- Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Why are they so dangerous? In part, because of America's illicit drug war.

This trillion-dollar war puts the onus on Latin American countries to stop drugs from flowing into the U.S. -- rather than on the U.S. to curb its own appetite. America has conditioned aid and market access on how hard these countries crack down on drug dealers...

[knarf]

OK shiksa, WHAT foreign upheavel have we had a hand in causing, and are these the people from that alleged upheaval ?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Neighbors run to report every other damn thing to the nanny state, WHY NOT THIS?

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Guilty. Deport (citizen or not)

[Gil4]

"Suppose that one of these “illegal” minors was your neighbor ... trying hard to put the traumatic journey from his native, violence-ridden country to America behind him. Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?"

I'm sure many of them are my neighbors. Who do I call that would actually do something? Government policy is to allow and assist la Reconquista and to label anyone opposed a racist.

[x1stcav]

She certainly looks like she’s prospered in a country she didn’t help create or fight for.

Damn! I can’ help it. It’s that old-fashioned nativism escaping again.

Look, b!tch! I don’t need your advice as to how this country needs to function.

Go away! Pest!

[c-b 1]

Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?

YES, I have been calling the Border Patrol to pick up illegals for over 25 years, I am not about to stop now.

[SoConPubbie]

And I say don’t let a false accusation and slander “cloud the debate”!

[Balding_Eagle]

Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?

Tacit admission they have no rational debating points.

[odawg]

Playing ball, going to school, infecting everyone with parasites, incurable diseases, etc.

[Dead Corpse]

“Reason” staff has been getting the red-a$$ over this stance on their Facebook page.

I know this because I’m one of those people calling them idiots for this stance.

[IronJack]

Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?

I'd not only turn him in, I'd turn in his aunt and uncle for aiding and abetting, then go and have a ham sandwich.

I have NO -- repeat -- NO -- moral obligation to the rest of the world. Just as they have no obligation to me.

[eyeamok]

This guy is an idiot,
If we did not have a WELFARE STATE they would not be here.
And they are all cowards running away instead of standing and fighting their own corrupt government. Have you ever sat back and looked at WE call the third world?? every last third world hellhole on earth is run by COMMUNIST DICTATORS, including Mexico.

[Travis McGee]

[Blood of Tyrants]

I ran out of compassion 15 million illegal aliens ago.

[GeronL]

bump

[CatherineofAragon]

I'd not only turn him in, I'd turn in his aunt and uncle for aiding and abetting, then go and have a ham sandwich. "

LOL

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Only sociopaths/psychopaths refuse to acknowledge the difference between legal and illegal immigration.

[Reddy]

You are right. The rule of law is blind and does not see color or race. The purpose of our immigration laws is to protect our country, not exclusion.

If you look up the definition of nativism, it can either mean “protecting the interests of native inhabitants” (what’s wrong with that??), or “an irrational prejudice against immigrants”. I think we all know which definition the author is using.

The author is attempting to make nativism the new “n” word.

Ugh.

[Reddy]

“Here’s a question for the proud Americans demanding that the unaccompanied foreign children showing up at our borders be deported: Suppose that one of these “illegal” minors was your neighbor, living with his aunt and uncle, going to school during the day, kicking ball with friends in the evening, trying hard to put the traumatic journey from his native, violence-ridden country to America behind him. Would you, with a clear conscience, pick up the phone and turn him in?”

Here’s the real question... there are almost a MILLION “illegal” minors on your doorstep, wanting to live with his (cough) aunt and uncle, using scarce school funding resources during the day, etc... How do you handle that?

It’s not ONE freaking kid, it’s a MILLION! How do we handle that when we are $17T in debt, our Vets aren’t getting the care they were promised, Medicare and SS are going bankrupt, etc.

Stop sticking your head in the sand and GROW UP!!!