Thread: N.C.: Public not buying immigration lines

Charles Davenport: Public not buying immigration lines
Sunday, July 12, 2009
By Charles Davenport Jr.
8 comment(s)
Late last month there appeared in these pages a series of immigration-related news articles, all of which broadcast the perspective of those who favor amnesty and the extension of full benefits to illegal immigrants. The frequency of such reports, and the consistency of their congenial tone toward the cause of left-wing activists, creates an illusion contrary to public sentiment. News reports on immigration notwithstanding, the public favors increased border patrol, reduced immigration, and a return to the assimilation ethic.

There is, however, one benefit provided by immigration coverage: an opportunity, if not an obligation, to counter the arguments of liberal agitators. We will examine three articles, in chronological order, the first of which ("Let illegal immigrants enroll, community college leaders say") was published on June 20.

According to Stuart Fountain of the state Board of Community Colleges, everyone, including illegal immigrants, should be able to attend state institutions of higher learning. "Without this option," Fountain claims, "we are creating a second-class citizenry, a group of people who have no option but to go ahead and join a gang."

Fountain's dire pronouncement about illegal aliens having only two options -- go to college, or join a gang -- is patently false fear-mongering. Many of us have been led to believe that only the political right is prone to "simplistic" reasoning; that only the right is incapable of deciphering the "nuance" of public policy issues. Fountain demonstrates otherwise.

Fountain's fellow board member, Joanne Steiner, offers a vacuous argument of her own, a statement designed to distinguish her position from that of the benighted, knuckle-dragging masses. Unlike the rest of us, Steiner proclaims, "I am opposed to creating a subculture of people who have no hope." This, too, is a flimsy assertion. An inability to attend college is not the equivalent of hopelessness. In the Third World nations immigrants abandon, hopelessness is the prevailing condition, rather than the rare exception.

Four days later, on June 24, appeared an article ("Protest tries to keep Dream alive") about a gathering of protesters outside Sen. Kay Hagan's Greensboro office. The activists were perturbed that Hagan has not voiced support for the "Dream Act," a piece of legislation that would give children of illegal aliens "a chance at citizenship and education." Nayely Perez Huerta, who reportedly "works for a Latino advocacy group," laments that, "Every year, brilliant minds and futures are wasted at dry cleaners, restaurants and construction sites."

Brilliant minds are usually not found in such occupations. High school dropouts, however, often end up in jobs that, supposedly, "Americans won't do." (In reality, Americans won't do them for minimum wage.) According to the Center for Immigration Studies, about 57 percent of illegals are from Mexico, and they are, for the most part, uneducated. Two-thirds of Mexican immigrants have not finished high school, and they are six times more likely than natives to lack a high school education. Are these the "brilliant minds" to which Huerta refers?

Finally, an article on immigration reform ("Fairness sought in debate over immigration") was published on June 26. The previous day, in Greensboro, there was a gathering of "people of various faiths who are committed to social justice."

Uh-oh. "Social justice" is always a red flag. As illustrated by the activists quoted in the article, its devotees champion radical causes. Here is the Rev. Maria Palmer, a former member of the state education board, speaking in favor of amnesty: "This is about who we are as a nation. We have a choice: We can stand up for our shared American ideals or do nothing but succumb to our worst instincts."

The Rev. Palmer seems to have overlooked one of our shared ideals: respect for the law. Illegal immigrants have demonstrated their feelings on the matter. Unfortunately, Mexican immigrants are not overly concerned about shared ideals.

They are resistant to assimilation, and the rate at which they obtain citizenship is among the lowest of all immigrant groups. Presumably, "our worst instincts" include enforcing the law and encouraging assimilation.

In the same article, the Rev. Hugo Medallin uses the term "catastrophic" to describe "conditions and abuses against undocumented workers."

But surely, even for "undocumented workers," life in the United States is a vast improvement over life in Mexico. It is doubtful that Mexicans would continue sneaking into the United States by the millions to participate in a "catastrophe."

Authentic social justice, the majority believes, would consist of controlling our southern border, enforcing current immigration law, reducing the number of newcomers (legal and illegal), and reviving the assimilation ethic.


www.news-record.com

Good rebuke!

American people with open eyes can see the truth. There are major problems with the Dream Act and any type of immigration reform that grants legal status to illegal aliens.
Many of the children from Mexico enter our schools without knowing how to read or write Spanish. Their parents can not help with homework. Teachers have to change teaching methods and be mostly bilingual to try to bring these kids up to grade level. (if possible)
Imagine a 14 year old coming into the school system for the first time. How can any teacher or school district bring an illiterate, non English speaking person up to graduation standards by the time this child is 18?
Millions of our tax dollars pay for bilingual teachers, free breakfast and lunch programs, immunization clinics, school supplies, and food aid for these non English speaking families. We may never know how many of these kids are signed up for every freebie you can apply for, because we are not allowed to ask about legal status.
Many older Americans remember a time when it was an embarrassment to accept financial help. Or to admit we were having a hard time feeding our families. We were and still are proud people who believe in hard work and determination.
Mexican immigrants, in particular, have an entitlement mentality. They like the idea of others paying to feed and clothe their kids. They have no problem using false documents to get what they feel they deserve, or to lying on applications for aid. Whatever their reasoning, they think Amercan taxpayers "owe" something to them and their children.
And it is never enough. Mexican women cross the Border to give birth, because our government allows it. The child is rewarded with citizenship and his mother will apply for all the benefits she can get. Not that she really needs it, but because she can. She will list herself as a single mom on applications, and as the only working member of the household of several kids. No one really checks to be sure that working men do not also live at the home. What are the penalties for lying on an application for food stamps or free school lunch? No one knows because we don't have enforcement of such things. The American mentality says that people will not ask for help unless they truly need it. The illegal immigrant mentality says that you take advantage and abuse every program available.
So lets let these kids go to the college of their choice. Lets pay for a higher education so they can become lawyers, politicians, and educated advocates for more of "their" people. The goal is not to help American culture survive, it is to overcome moral principles.
The principles that say if you do not work, neither shall you eat. Or the principle that you should provide for yourself and your family without begging from others. The idea that lying to provide a better life for yourself is not honorable.
America, we are being overtaken by a greedy bunch of free loaders and it may be too late to stop it. Texas is looking more like Mexico every day.

You are so right about the single mom status. I do Medicaid audits, and we use 3 years for the sample. They have 3 babies in 3 years, yet the father is listed as unknown. Unknown? How can you have 3 babies in 3 years and not know who the father is? How stupid are we to tolerate this?

They also reap many rewards thanks to the US taxpayer in the form of unearned tax credits because of the frequent cash payments.