And there are comments being left after the comments.
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Schneider: Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue for readers
John Schneider
Lansing State Journal


Wow! If you don't think immigration is a hot-button issue way up here in the Rust Belt, check out the reader comment posted on the State Journal Web site in response to Friday's column - in which I printed e-mails from people arguing that my use of the term "illegal aliens" in recent columns was racist, xenophobic, offensive and hurtful.

A small sample of the blow-back:

• From Curt Schmaltz of Okemos: "This is my first ever letter to you, but I could not read your Dec. 14 column and remain silent.

"I am personally offended by those that would seek to diminish the importance of citizenship by attempting to gloss over the incontrovertible fact that these people have broken our laws.

"As the first-generation son of a legal immigrant, I think that I can speak for many other sons and daughters of legal immigrants when I say that we simply cannot understand why someone would be content to remain in this country illegally unless they have a higher commitment to the country of their birth, or they disdain the country of their illegal residence.

"To call people 'racist' who oppose illegal immigration is insulting and a not-so-veiled attempt to end all discussion."

• From Ron Rademacher of Bellevue: "While I don't often agree with your paper, I agree with you on this. My grandparents were immigrants - legal ones, who helped build Michigan.

"We need new people coming in with energy and ideas, but we also need laws."

• From Catherine Kaikowska of the Michigan State University College of Law: "I do believe that 'illegal alien' is a legal term or designation, is it not?

"It's my sense, however, that this legal term has now become pejorative in the fallout from the emotional discussions surrounding immigration, the proposed Great Wall Of Mexico, etc. This is how our language changes, like it or not."

• From Rod Confer of Corunna: "They're illegal, and, yes, they are alien to this country; that makes them illegal aliens."

• From Kevin Driedger of Lansing: "The label 'illegal alien' is used to further alienate 'us' from 'them.' It is much easier to feel resentment and anger at 'illegal aliens' than 'undocumented residents.' "

• From Randy Cook of Fowlerville: "To use politically correct terms to somehow soften this illegal act is wrong. Besides the obvious security threat to our citizens, the flow of illegals is bankrupting our nation."

• From Dennis Stepanovich of Lansing: "I was especially amused by Gabriela Alcazar's diatribe that 'we are allowed to migrate to wherever the circumstance takes us.'

"I wonder how she would respond if anyone, legal or not, migrated permanently onto her property and into her house."

• From Jason Hagle of Lansing: "The fact that so many illegal aliens are already here, feeling comfortable and empowered enough to write letters to editors, march in parades, and call and complain to 'their' congressmen is just further proof that things are out of control."

• From Susan Peters, associate professor in MSU's College of Education: "If I submitted a scholarly work for publication using the term 'illegal alien,' I am doubtful that it would be accepted.

"In academia, 'illegal alien' is considered a pejorative term. It may be accepted in the U.S. media and common vernacular, but is that a standard we really want to uphold, all 'political correctness' aside?"

• From Robert Parish of DeWitt: "The bottom line: By concentrating on something as trivial as to what to call these people is looking straight past the actual problem."

www.lsj.com