I do not wish to get into a pissing match with you. I believe I been civil with you. I have called you no names, and I do not know why you take it upon yourself to defend other poster from what you imply are unfair allegations of racism. You're right I have implied some posters were racist for expressing racist opinions. I've never said you owed me anything, I've only asked if you had anything of substance to back up your opinion. You are under no obligation to prove your opinion is valid...look at novacation
Civility does not mean I need to agree with you or that I am forbidden from pointing out your misstatements. I do have an agenda ( or rather an opinion,) and I have never claimed otherwise. Are you saying you do not? You came to this table with an open mind? I don't believe that either.
Your sources are highly suspect. Talk about an agenda Negative Population Growth and Minnesotans For Sustainability. I barely skimmed these. The Zogby poll from Americans for Immigration Control was more credible but questions like "should the USA admit fewer immigrants each year?" are really poor and don't really gage voter/US citizen interest. I can ask "do you think there is too much sex on Television?" and 60% says yes! but they do not stop watching Jerry Springer or Sex in the City. Try to ban their favorite filthy show and you will really find out what a "big" issue is.
Much more interesting is the Worldviews survey...If you had actually read it you might have seen Question 310:What do you feel are the two or three biggest problems facing the country today? Immigration(Too many immigrants)is rated #13 just below poverty. Thank you for proving my point. Immigration is not an "big" issue. In 2002 6% picked immigration as one of the 2 or 3 biggest problems. In 1998 immigration was picked by 2%. Did we have a huge increase in immigration since 1998? No we did not. What we have had is a recession.
As I have stated before in difficult economic times the ugly head of racism raises it's head higher and illegal immigrants from Mexico make for an easy scapegoat much as the Jews did during the Depression in Germany. You may excuse or even jump on the band wagon it if you wish but I will not be a party to it.
From the above... "* When asked whether the government was doing enough to control the border and screen those allowed into the country, 76 percent said the government was not doing enough and only 19 percent said the government was doing enough. While self-identified conservatives were the most likely to think not enough was being done (83 percent), 74 percent of liberals and 75 percent of moderates also indicated that enforcement was insufficient. In addition, by a margin of more than two to one, blacks, whites, and Hispanics all thought government efforts at border control and vetting of immigrants were inadequate."
This poll was taken 2 weeks after 9-11 when 19 arabs(13 with valid visas) killed 3,000 Americans. 9-11 hardened the heart of America. Not one of the 9-11 terrorists was Mexican but if Zogby had asked me at the time I too would have said we have an immigration problem because of the 9-11 tragedy. Today I can look at 9-11 with some detachment and cold logic. I see 8 - 10 million illegals and 19 terrorist and the link between the 2 is weak indeed.
Your last link is very nice. It has a CBS, USA Today, and a Gallup poll linked. These are certainly mainstream sources and much more credible than the other links. I am too tired to go through all the information linked to that page. I will check them out tomorrow. I will again point out that a poll that says "Americans are more likely to favor decreased over increased immigration." Is not the same as caring about the issue. However the last link ( http://www.fairus.org/html/04120604.htm )does indeed have some meat to chew on. I have already thanked you for the links, I thank you again and I am now finished "discrediting" your sources