I have stayed away recently from all things political because, well, we get enough of it during an election year where one side seems hellbent on clearing out a four-year supply of mud to hurl at the opposition but feathers are being ruffled in my old hometown.
I'm all for public displays of opinion because it's free speech. I thought little of it when I first saw this story about an airplane circling three southern Minnesota county fairs (Mower, Freeborn & Steele in Austin, Albert Lea and Owatonna respectively) towing banners with the position of stemming illegal immigrants in the region.
My mind, though, was changed when I searched for the head of the organization -- Paul Westrum. Apparently he's done more than ruffle feathers across southern Minnesota. Some of his approaches border (if not cross the line) on hate speech and opinions vary on the topic of immigration from Mexico.
I won't publicly state my stance on the issue of immigration reform because I'd like the general public opinion from outsiders as most of my readers are not from southern Minnesota. What is your take on these events? What are your stances? Don't hold back but please support your stance and keep it civil -- no personal attacks.
10 comments:
the latino kids proved his point when they seriously wounded that woman on the anti ilegal immigration float.
I live in South Texas and the illegal problem is mostly relegated to their strain on schools, hospitals and social services.
These people have broken the law and need to be deported.
One thing that angers me is to see people marching in my city who support illegals being given amnesty and want them to be given citizenship..but for some reason they all carry mexican flags
I'm not American.
I tend to have a soft spot, though, for anyone who is seeking a better life for themselves, their family. I know I was lucky to be born here, and if people are trying to make their own luck by moving here, even if illegally, I can't really fault them for it. We'd all wish the same for ourselves if in their place.
America was built on immigrants- legal ones who wanted to become Americans. They learned the language, customs, etc. Now you have people breaking the law by sneaking into this country, and greedy self serving people hiring them because they work cheap. They don't learn the lingo, expect us to learn theirs, and are a drain on our benevolence as a nation. Legal? Love you, welcome to America! Illegal? Go home, or get legal citizenship- and become a part of a great nation made up of poor immigrants who played by the rules...
I will refrain from sharing my thoughts becasue I am way too wishy washy. I flip back and forth depending on the latest news headlines.
What I will say is that I was glad to read that if moobs were working their way into your life, that you were smart enough to avoid pics!!
Hallie :)
I think all immigration should be 100% legal, pending criminal background check. I believe the government likes thing the way they are. As long as there are illegal workers in the fields, prices stay low. Ish. If they let everyone in that wanted to come work, they'd have to deal with all sorts of pesky unionizing and social reforms and such.
I'm still weighing this issue a bit in my head, but I tend to lean towards making the system easier for people to immigrate legally, so that if nothing else the problem is tempered a bit. I am, however, completely opposed to building more of a wall along the border. I think it creates an "us" and "them" situation, which I don't like. I think that, on a human level it's just a bad idea.
I see the problem in a broader sense, I think. Corporate and governmental greed and corruption has become the norm, straining our healthcare systems, our schools, and our social service organizations. When things are already bad, we tend to point the finger at what we think is the "simple" solution. Unfortunately, I see this issue as just one small part of a vast array of complex problems our country is facing, with no easy answers in sight.
Im a bit torn on the issue. I am originally from MN, and when I go home for a visit, I often both sides of the issue. The farmers say "at least the illegals work, its hard to find someone who can work these days for what you can afford to pay them".
And yet, its not helping our economy by employing people who will work for under what "normal" wages are.
Apparently, those involved in this plane banner issue arent a part of the MN NICE stereotype now are they?
Wanna talk about hate speech- how bout the folks who apparently have a self-loathing or dislike for WHITE people (that was someone else's words, not mine). If you read the comments on the Herald's page you will see there is only one person who actually attempted to back up what they were saying with facts and figures- the apparent racist on the board. Everyone else resorted to taunts and personal attacks- calling people "ignorant" and "hateful". Unfortunately these are the same people who right wing pundits and immigration reform supporters are protested by- thus proving those very pundits point about the immigration sympathetic populace.
The problem with illegal immigration when it is discussed is that the word "illegal" is often overlooked. While most of the citizens (legal ones) have ancestors from various areas of the globe it has been over 200 years since today's system was beginning to take shape. Many nations came about as one peoples conquering another- get the hell over it. I owe nothing to anyone else as a result of a tumultuous path this country has had. And I expect what is mine to not be taken from me.
The main problem with illegal immigration for me is simple- there are too many people who follow the rules to become an American for us to just let someone sneak in. As for the "jobs no white American wants" issue- guess who isn't paying taxes on the wages for those jobs. While they may be undesirable professions they are ones that do not deserve exemption from the rules we all follow such as paying taxes and contributing to the whole of society.
There is a romantic image of immigration that is ideal and still exists today but unfortunately that is not the case in some of the situations groups such as Westrum's focuses on. They may not be the most prestine group but they may have at least part of a point. There are those who need to realize this fact and frankly need to quit singing "kumbiya" with everybody to make themselves feel better.
Well said Adam, I dug this topic up because it seems that one man's crusade (Westrum) is done so in rather unsavory ways. My grandpa came here via legal processes and he did so because he wanted a better life. Once here, he pulled himself up by his bootstraps to earn a living, adapt to the culture of his chosen home and he paid taxes. I am all for cultural diversity but if you want to be accepted, play by the rules. That means becoming a citizen and entering the country in legal fashion. You don't have to lose your culture in the process. The culture of many nations lives on, hell, it thrives to this day and it is in no danger of going away. If someone life Westrum wants to be taken seriously, he needs to take a less divisive approach because sometimes people get attention for all the wrong reasons.
The adoption of English among immigrants, legal and illegal, is higher now than at any point in American history. Seriously. Sort of counter-intuitive, init?
Many churches of Sornie's home county held services in Norwegian up into the 1950s and in some cases the 1960s, more than three generations after the major influx of Norwegian immigrants. Same thing with German in many parts of Wisconsin.
The point is, people are learning English, but many xenophobic Americans still can't stand seeing signs in Spanish or having to press 1 for English. People like this have no knowledge of history and their linguistic fears are based on little for than nothing at all.
Si, si puede. You betcha!
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