Must have legal status (green card) to serve in the military. According to the WSJ, there are currently over 31,000 non-citizen foreign nationals serving in the US militay. Hispanics are the largest group. Here's a clip from April 4, 2003 WSJ:
You have managed to completely avoid the question. I am talking about the illegals working in restaurants, for gardeners and such. Not those in the military. You don't even want to answer the questions posed just attempt to bolster your arguement for rewarding illegals.
Keeping in mind that these soldiers are fighting for the United States in Iraq, I would imagine that the support would be even greater if the US/the North American continent were invaded. Thousands of Mexicans crossed the border & joined the US military after Pearl Harbor. I would think that if the US was invaded, then Mexico & Canada would certainly join the US to expel the invaders from the North American continent.
To answer your question--YES, absolutely YES.
I have highlighted the key point to your position. Times are different today. I don't see any evidence that these beloved illegals of yours would lift a finger to help defend America.
A large community of American & Canadian expatriates are currently living in Mexico, mostly retirees. I would fully expect that when those expatriates talk about my country, they are referring to their country of origin.
These retirees are not leaching off of Mexicans. They are living a life as a retired person not one of an illegal invader.
I lived most of my life in Oklahoma; that's where my cultural identity was formed. I've lived in Wisconsin for nearly 7 years, but I still think of myself as a southwesterner; I do not identify myself to me as a Wisconsinite.
That is not even part of the arguement. It has nothing to do with the issue at hand which is loyalty to a country that provides the freedom they are living under.
No one values living in America the same way you do. It's an individual thing. Example: Who has ever gone through school in the US w/o having written at least one essay about What America Means to Me? Read 20 of those essays, read 100 of those essays--they will all be different because we are individuals and we have individual beliefs & values.
What an inane response. You know perfectly well what I meant. If they are willing to break the law to get here and nothing is done to punish them then they begin to believe that breaking the law is the norm. These illegals have very little respect for the laws and they, by the fact that they are willing to break the law from day one, show me that they do not value the freedoms we have and thereby denegrate our society.
Do you still think that? After learning that thousands & thousands of Hispanics have served in the United States military? When Mexico has found many battles for their own independence? When untold numbers of Hispanics have died fighting for the United States/ fighting for Mexican independence? And, is not learning the significance of American holidays a very significant part of the studies to become a citizen?
Yes I do. Here, you reveal yourself for what you are. You are pro hispanic. Plain and simple. You never once talk about the Europeans, Asians, or Africans that come here illegaly. It is painfully obvious to me you are motivated by a misguided respect for criminals who are willing to subvert the very laws that grant you the freedom to live here. If you are so enamored of these hispanics then go live in Mexico where you can be surrounded by these wonderful people. As you advocate the destruction of our country I think you should leave.
Well, excuse me for not understanding your poorly worded & confusing question. First you said to disregard illegals & then you framed the question about illegals. So, are you asking if illegals would engage in hand to hand combat in the parking lot of Pizza Hut in order to repel the enemy force? Are you asking if a 67 year old grandfather gardener will chase after the bad guys w/ his pitchfork? Most assuredly you aren't talking about the many Hispanics who are in the military, many of whom are not citizens but who have demonstrated that they will indeed fight for this country.
I have highlighted the key point to your position. Times are different today. I don't see any evidence that these beloved illegals of yours would lift a finger to help defend America.
From the April 2003 WSJ, since you apparently didn't read it the first time I posted it: ...And while polls say 80% of Mexicans do not support this war, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has been swamped with hundreds of requests to enlist in the U.S. military... You refuse to see the evidence when it's put under your nose. And what a discount you ascribe to the men who crossed the border & joined the US military after Pearl Harbor was bombed. What a discount to their character. And an attitude that character is a one shot deal and not something a person strives to instill in their children and their children into their sons & daughters. To not suppose that these men were proud of their service & that their children & grand children are not proud of that service.
These retirees are not leaching off of Mexicans. They are living a life as a retired person not one of an illegal invader.
Off topic. Another version of ad hominem attack. You're angry that Mexicans send money they earn in this country to Mexico. Why aren't you angry that Americans are spending money they earned in this country in Mexico. You, sir, are inconsistent.
That is not even part of the arguement. It has nothing to do with the issue at hand which is loyalty to a country that provides the freedom they are living under.
You don't want illegals here & then you're angry because they don't identify themselves as Americans? You should be happy. If they don't feel American, that should be an indication that they want to return to Mexico. Again, you are being inconsistent.
These illegals have very little respect for the laws and they, by the fact that they are willing to break the law from day one, show me that they do not value the freedoms we have and thereby denegrate our society.
Back to the same old thing about us disagreeing on the degree of criminality. If a guy jumps a fence & steals a chicken to feed his starving children, he's guilty of breaking at least two laws. But he's not a criminal. Has not one thing to do with freedom values & is an indictment of society rather than a denigration of it.
You are pro hispanic. Plain and simple. You never once talk about the Europeans, Asians, or Africans that come here illegaly. It is painfully obvious to me you are motivated by a misguided respect for criminals who are willing to subvert the very laws that grant you the freedom to live here. If you are so enamored of these hispanics then go live in Mexico where you can be surrounded by these wonderful people. As you advocate the destruction of our country I think you should leave.
So what? I've presented some dimensions of the situation that appear to make you uncomfortable. Have I been inaccurate? If so, please elucidate. Refute what I have said with some facts. All you've presented are feelings, impressions; make your case on something other than emotions. Quit trying to change the subject by bringing Europeans, Africans & Asians into the discussion when you know darned well that 99% of the discussion has revolved around illegal immigration from Mexico. And, FYI, I don't give a flying fig about where you think I should live. I'm an American & I'll live where I freakin' well want to live. However, since you seem particularly perturbed about where you live, I'd suggest that you would probably be much, much happier living somewhere else.