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liz_ullrich's comments:
on Immigration Law
Just as the fear of Irish & Polish immigrants plagued us in the 1800s and now does not exist, this current cultural fear of Latinos will pass as well. You don't see any cultural expectations in this country that we speak Polish, German, or Italian simply because there was a huge wave of these immigrants in the 1800s (in proportion, a larger wave than what we are seeing right now from Latin America), do you? You don't see Irish flags hung alongside American flags in people's yards, do you? No. What you find are Americans who are a third-German, or a quarter-Italian, who are proud of their heritage, but can't speak a lick of their ancestral tongue and are full-bodied, proud Americans. The acculturation process is underway among the Latino groups, and in thirty to forty years, the "fear factor" of the "overbearing presence" of their culture in our country will be non-existent because they will act like (and be accepted like) full-bodied, proud Americans. This acculturation process takes time and the more that Americans fight it, the longer it will take. It is hard for me to see, as a proud, white, female American (whose great-grandfather came from Germany in the early 1900s), why Oregonians, Arizonians, or other Americans are so hard on immigrants who come here to work hard and are not eligible for govt handouts. Isn't this what we ask our American children to do? Work hard, pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, and you will be successful? When we punish the people who do this, it only increases the sense of entitlement our children have, instead of reinforcing the message that the only way you get ahead in life is through hard work, discipline, and self-reliance.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on Immigration Law
I also believe there are cultural factors at play here in the immigration debate, just as there has always been since the founding of our country. Illegal immigrants look different, sound different, eat different, take care of their homes different, etc. There is a fear factor that exists in many Americans' minds. They believe there are "too many" illegal immigrants, and their "overbearing" presence will cause ripple effects in American culture, wherein we might be forced to become bilingual (gasp!) and learn more about Latino heritage and hang two flags in our yards, one American and one Mexican. Americans, just like most people in this world, do not like change. But change is inevitable and good for us as a country. The more we resist it, the more our economy will stagnate because the best ideas and people are not being rewarded due to the way they look. Our economy will flourish the best when everyone has a chance to compete and put forth their work and ideas. Let the best work and/or idea win. If we start putting qualifiers on whose work or whose ideas we will consider, our economy will suffer as a result. This is the logic of capitalism... I thought we were a capitalist country.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on Immigration Law
I also believe there are cultural factors at play here in the immigration debate, just as there has always been since the founding of our country. Illegal immigrants look different, sound different, eat different, take care of their homes different, etc. There is a fear factor that exists in many Americans' minds. They believe there are "too many" illegal immigrants, and their "overbearing" presence will cause ripple effects in American culture, wherein we might be forced to become bilingual (gasp!) and learn more about Latino heritage and hang two flags in our yards, one American and one Mexican. Americans, just like most people in this world, do not like change. But change is inevitable and good for us as a country. The more we resist it, the more our economy will stagnate because the best ideas and people are not being rewarded due to the way they look. Our economy will flourish the best when everyone has a chance to compete and put forth their work and ideas. Let the best work and/or idea win. If we start putting qualifiers on whose work or whose ideas we will consider, our economy will suffer as a result. This is the logic of capitalism... I thought we were a capitalist country.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on Immigration Law
I understand the problem of American unemployment and needs of laid-off American workers, but getting rid of all the illegal immigrants will not solve the problem of American unemployment. For decades, Latino immigrants have been the scapegoat for American unemployment, especially in times of recession (remember "Operation Wetback" in the 1950s???). But they are usually blamed out of anger at the state of the economy, not fact and reason. Immigrants contribute to the health and vitality of the economy by paying taxes, buying consumer goods, and keeping the overhead costs of business low, which allows the business to keep the quality of their goods high, while keeping the prices low, and increase their investment in their product and the local economy (especially in a recession, it is important businesses have every ability to do this... it helps the consumers and community members stay afloat during tough times). If you got rid of all the immigrants, the cost of doing business would go up, the revenue coming into state and federal coffers would go down (reducing govt service budgets, which would increase lay-offs in govt job areas like roads, highway, police, healthcare, etc.), and consumption of goods would go down (not only because there are less immigrants buying goods, but because there are less Americans buying goods because the cost of those goods and services are going up). All Americans would be hurt by getting rid of illegal immigrants, from the grocery store to the government. The absolute WRONG thing to do for our economy, especially in a recession, is get rid of the high quality, cheap workforce.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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on Immigration Law
I do not find anything wrong with rewarding hard workers who do a good job. Yes, there are some Americans who could benefit from these jobs that immigrants do, but they would cost more and their work would many times not be as hard or good as the immigrant workers. What is wrong with rewarding the best worker with a job and pay? And everyone benefits from their work: the business owner (who is American), the consumer (who is American), and the workers.
Most of these immigrants came from dirt poor poverty and violent-prone areas in Mexico. They came seeking work, without entitlement. They get work based on how hard they work and how good their work is... not out of a sense of entitlement because of where they were born. It is the American Dream: come with only the clothes on your back and take advantage of the opportunities to work freely and without prejudice. If you do so, you will make it. What is the problem????
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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