Thread: Stop anti-immigrant violence

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opin ... grant.html

GUEST COLUMN

Stop anti-immigrant violence

By TISHA R. TALLMAN
Published on: 10/11/05
Our current broken immigration system has fueled, among other things, violence against contributing members of our community.

I am referring to the recent murders, beatings and rape of Latino agricultural farm workers in South Georgia. Has our society gotten to the point that labels such as "illegal" connote "otherness" to such a degree that our immigrant brothers and sisters are beaten to death as a matter of course?

We must all work together to ensure that these attacks are the last.

I can't help but think that our current unworkable immigration system and Congress' inability to fix it has fueled violence against our immigrant brothers and sisters. Nightly news shows promote immigrant bashing, fueling resentment largely based on myth. Hateful legislation does nothing more than prevent working Georgians the opportunity to carry out their basic daily needs.

Millions of immigrants have come to the United States to be with family and find work opportunities. They have fueled economies, including Georgia's agricultural sector, benefiting all Americans. Yet, our system has not allowed them to integrate into our economy and society as whole.

The 10 million to 12 million undocumented immigrant workers in the United States are mostly employed in low-wage jobs. The U.S. immigration system classifies low-wage jobs in the "other worker" category, with only 5,000 visas granted per year worldwide.

It becomes a mathematical impossibility for our immigrant brothers and sisters to do something about their status. But this is not the focus of our public debate.

Instead, we ignore the dysfunctional immigration system and go after the individual immigrants who are trying to provide for their families. We are quick to point out scarce resources, job loss and depressed wages, without digging deeper. Now, the blood is on all our hands.

It is time to educate ourselves and become aware of the larger context, one in which we all play a part. We must demand change and that the violence stop.


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Funny how she loses it after the first two paragraphs.

Stop violence period. I am more than certain that the tally is not in the illegal immigrants favor. They commit plenty "o crime.

This says nothing with regard to property crime, and the blatant, laying stinking in the open, FELONY of trangressing immigration law, just by being here.

These people really have no sense of legal logic. It is however the best they can do. glenn

I too can not condone violance but to put all immigrants into the same catagory as those here illegally is absurd. This group is not innocent. They are here illegally and know that they were breaking the law when they came here. They complain that they don't have the documents to open bank accounts BUT for some reason forget that the reason they don't have the documents is because they didn't come here legally. I don't feel sorry for them as far as living in fear (which I don't see all that many doing). That's something they should have thought about before they broke the law coming here illeglly. No they don't deserve to be beaten and murdered, but they damn sure DON"T deserve to stay here or given special privileges. By the way if the reason they came here is because they are soooo poor then where did they get the $1,000-$5,000 to pay some one to get them here ilegally? From what I heard that kind of money goes a long wey in Mexico.

Hateful legislation does nothing more than prevent working Georgians the opportunity to carry out their basic daily needs.

No. A broken pimp of a President, fat cat business owners, modern day carpetbaggers, and "working Georgians" (notice it's not undocumented workers any longer) are the reason why American citizens living in Georgia can't find jobs.

Nobody sane wishes for violence. However, we now have more than 10 million illegal aliens willing to violate US federal law and whose survival depends on their ability to evade enforcement. If you believe for a minute that at least 10 percent won't commit violence to prevent deportation, you're clearly naive. That's a ragtag rebellion of more than a million. I'd opine we need to get it on now before it grows and before my daughters have to fight the battle for me.

Any bets on how soon the AJC will run the "Stop Anti-American violence" editorial? Talking about all the Americans killed by illegal aliens? Which I think totals much more than the other way around, even if you include the illegals that die crossing the desert I think Brenda Walker might have the talley on her website.

Maybe you Georgians should ask them when this will run.

My heart is bleeding with sympathy.

Welcome boxersbear!

Sounds like propaganda coming from the mexican flag running Mayor if you ask me. I bet some funds from the ACLU are making its way around the table.

Nightly news shows promote immigrant bashing, fueling resentment largely based on myth.

Myth? I think she is clearly confused as to what is "Myth".

Hateful legislation does nothing more than prevent working Georgians the opportunity to carry out their basic daily needs.

So the illegal aliens are being portrayed the same as American citizens?

They have fueled economies, including Georgia's agricultural sector, benefiting all Americans.

Yeah, talk about Myth's, gag.

Yet, our system has not allowed them to integrate into our economy and society as whole.

Well if they wouldn't circumvent the system maybe it would help them?

The 10 million to 12 million undocumented immigrant workers in the United States are mostly employed in low-wage jobs. The U.S. immigration system classifies low-wage jobs in the "other worker" category, with only 5,000 visas granted per year worldwide.

I thought that they were paid the same as Americans? Oh, was that a poopsicle I was fed? This just shows that the jobs they are stealing will not support an American family; therefore Americans can't take the work because they wouldn't be able to support their family, it isn't that an American wouldn't take the job.

It becomes a mathematical impossibility for our immigrant brothers and sisters to do something about their status. But this is not the focus of our public debate.

Please don't call them my brother and sister.

Instead, we ignore the dysfunctional immigration system and go after the individual immigrants who are trying to provide for their families. We are quick to point out scarce resources, job loss and depressed wages, without digging deeper. Now, the blood is on all our hands.

Humm. For one to acknowledge the fact that they are stealing the American jobs in the same paper. Now if I'm not mistaken, the Americans that had jobs stolen from them were "just trying to provide for their families". "Now, the blood is on all our hands." not mine, is it on yours?

It is time to educate ourselves and become aware of the larger context, one in which we all play a part. We must demand change and that the violence stop.

Humm I like the reverse psychology approach. She should be a psychologist. Too bad I won't fall for the mind bender approach, we are doing something, thank you Dr. Propaganda.

Welcome BoxerBear!

Hey Tom2... good to see ya.

W

As everyone here agrees, stop violence, period. But Tisha, do you have any concern over the legal American Citizens who have been raped, robbed, killed by many means from vehicles to downright brutal murders at the hands of illegal aliens?

Why didn't you "think" about that ? Do you not care about the legal citizens of the United States, Tisha ?

You are right. Do something about our open borders and lack of enforcement of federal immigration laws already on the books. But don't try to run down this useless argument about how illegal aliens are being harmed. First start with those who live here legally and the harm that's being done to them. Don't skip the facts. Don't try to address this issue if you are not willing and capable of laying the facts out on the table, as they truly exist. You can run from the truth Tisha, but you won't be able to hide the truth. There are too many people who have taken this issue and painstakenly looked at it from every angle and with all the statistics and information available, and it all translates into what is the hard cold truth, ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE ENTERING THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY BY THE THOUSANDS EVERYDAY. NO COUNTRY CAN FUNCTION AND LIVE IN HARMONY WITH AN INVASION OF THIS MAGNITUDE GOING ON. If you've got a brain, Tisha...try using it.