Opinion

'Tea Party' is right about immigration

In his column chastising the "Tea Party" for its stances on immigration and birthright citizenship, DeWayne Wickham writes as if the Tea Partiers are the only ones in the country who espouse these views. As it happens, 60% of the people in the country support the legislative action taken by Arizona in its tough approach to illegal immigration, according to a recent poll (" 'Tea Party' is today's 'Know Nothing' movement," The Forum, Tuesday).

READ OPINION: 'Tea Party' is today's 'Know Nothing' movement

Wickham refers to the Arizona law as "an intolerance of Hispanics." This is the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that validates the extremism played by the likes of Tea Partiers. How many times does it have to be said, "What part of illegal don't people understand?" Further, I am certain there is support for amending the Constitution to extend natural citizenship only for babies born to a couple with one legal citizen. This is the law in almost all other developed countries of the world.

Wickham needs to realize that these issues do not stem from ethnic prejudice. They stem from the common sense of providing taxpayer-funded services to the legal and rightful citizens of our country. It's unfortunate that these issues have been trumped up as a political ploy to garner the Hispanic vote.

Patricia Green; Columbia, Mo

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