Thread: Hard questions about the homeless, illegals

http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_621441 ... A4EF2.html

Herman dropped his sleeping bag on the floor. He smiled as he breathed in the refreshing air from the evaporative cooler. The spare bedroom in the vacant home was a godsend.

He'd been roaming in the hot desert for a long time. To finally be indoors was a real blessing. Alamogordo was wickedly hot in the summer. As Herman arranged his things and settled in, he prayed that tomorrow he'd get a job, even if it was hot, dirty, underpaid work. What Herman didn't know was that someone saw him and has called the police.

Juan dropped his backpack on the floor of the vacant home. The cool air was nice. He'd been traveling on foot for days in the hot New Mexico sun. Even traveling at night was a hot ordeal in the desert.

As he arranged his things, Juan considered where he'd go to look for a job. Even roofing work, though hot and dirty, would be better than what he'd ever had down south. What he didn't know was that someone had seen him enter the home and had called the police.

Both of these men have families. Both need employment. Each had worked other places for below minimum wage. Both men were dirty, smelly and faced challenges like a lack of education, difficulties with the English language and medical problems. One had TB, the other had war wounds.
One is an illegal alien. The other is a homeless war veteran. One will be arrested and, when taken to court, will receive a future court appearance date, usually about nine months away, and will be released to roam about the U.S. anywhere he pleases until his court date.

In some cities he will be protected because he is "illegal." The other will be arrested for invading a home, jailed, held without bond because he doesn't have money, will be before a judge within days (if not hours), convicted and imprisoned.

Both men need a place to sleep, cook, bathe, etc. Both have left families to "find a better life." One is a U.S. citizen who was wounded fighting on behalf of his nation. He has difficulties holding a job because of his medical problems. Most employers won't keep him around for very long. The other is an illegal alien who traveled up from Mexico. He has difficulties finding work which will pay more than he could ever get in his native country.

One man will receive sympathy from the police, politicians, judges, jailers, employers and citizens. The other man will be degraded with abusive police handling, denied "existence" by politicians, proclaimed a "problem" by judges, derided by jailers, paid less than illegal workers by employers (sometimes not paid at all) and regularly verbally abused and even spat upon, or have garbage thrown at them by citizens. Lawyers will jump at the chance to defend one, while finding that they are too busy to aid the other. Some churches will harbor the one and shun the other. Government agencies will refuse to assist one while going out of their way to help the other.

One is a homeless person, down on his luck, a U.S. citizen and a war veteran with a permanent, painful disability. The other is an illegal alien who has determined that it is easier to be illegal in the U.S. than to attempt to be a legal immigrant.

Which is which? Who is Herman? Who is Juan? Why are they looked upon so differently? Why are they treated (and mistreated) so differently? Why is it politically and socially "correct" to treat the illegal immigrant with sympathy, while treating the U.S. veteran with disdain?

Does this happen in Otero County? Yes. Constantly.

P.S. Which did you choose for which scenario? Was your choice based on race? Do you agree/disagree with each man's treatment? Why? Why not? Finally, what would you do in each situation? When will you do it?

This has nothing to do with race.

One man is in the country illegally. A lawbreaker. A sneak, carrying a serious disease that could eventually effect hundreds, perhaps thousands.

The other is an American citizen, seriously injured in a war he didn't ask for. Forsaken by the government "that used and then discarded him."

There is no choice here. We "OWE" this veteran EVERYTHING. We do "NOT OWE" an illegal alien ANYTHING.

And Bush would do the same to Iraqi war vets. Injured soldiers get terrible care and even get charged for the services they need. While he wants to give amnesty, Social Security, SSI and all kinds of other free benefits to illegals. Bush is a traitor to those who served our country and who he sent into battle and then he falls all over himself to give away the country our vets fought to protect to illegal foreigners who do nothing but break every law they come across and openly say how much they hate America. This is sickening.