Thread: What’s Being Overlooked in the Immigration Debate

http://bsimmons.wordpress.com/2007/06/2 ... on-debate/

USA Robert E. Meyer
June 23, 2007
I have heard it said that big problems are really just little problems that were neglected when they were small. Never was a truer word spoken in regards to the current immigration imbroglio. Years of neglecting the problem have made it nearly insurmountable now.

Since there is a voting block to lose in the process of making one false move on the immigration front, many Republicans have taken a surprising stance in opposition of their constituents. But one thing is abundantly clear: conservatives can’t win this issue trying to imitate the positions of liberals.

Liberals have attempted to strike their philosophical touche by claiming that those who support cracking down on illegal aliens, would take care of the problem at ground zero on the demand side if they were really concerned about stopping illegal entry into the U.S. This means enforcement against companies that hire illegal aliens out of willful expedience. If there are no employment opportunities, then they will not come, so to speak.

There seems to be a major push for granting a quasi-amnesty for the illegal aliens in this country. Various reasons are given for such compliance. Those coming over the border from Mexico and Central America will do jobs that fifth-generation Americans wouldn’t do during their worst nightmares, we are told. We are reminded they are hard working people. We are told they will help to prop up the Social Security system, etc. Politicians also remind us of the impracticality of rounding up 12 million plus illegal aliens and sending them back over the border. All of these points may be well and true, but do they justify breaking and ignoring current law? If I was in their shoes, would I do the same. Perhaps, but what other country would tolerate it? What other country could withstand the humanitarian onslaught stretching their social safety net?

Many of the political leaders want a comprehensive immigration bill. Those opposed to the current congressional legislation see the need to emphasize a policy puts national security first, even if the immigration fiasco is dealt with in various stages. That means a serious plan to seal the borders is priority one.

I believe President Bush is wrong on immigration. Sen. Ted Kennedy was dead wrong when he backed the grandfather and patriarch of our current immigration bill in 1965, saying that the things which are now happening, would never occur because of that legislation. President Reagan was wrong when he signed the Simpson-Mazzoli bill, thinking that the provisions of it would actually be obeyed, and that it would be a once-and-for-all amnesty event. And considering the past, why should we believe the currently proposed legislation will be enforced in its entirety either?

The temptation for those who are unable to articulate good arguments in favor of the amnesty-leaning position, is to simply demean the opponents by calling them racist, or hate mongers.

Concerning the local level, some leaders in the church have been among the greatest facilitators in this matter. David Zubik, the Bishop of the Green Bay diocese impugned those who would be unwilling to accept illegal immigration with outstretched arms.

In his latest installment of trying to shame those who oppose our governmental policy of unilaterally ignoring their own laws, Bishop Zubik compared his opponents favorably with the racial sensitivity of Archie Bunker. A defender of the Bishop, in knee-jerk fashion, suggested that those who disagree with his position are disseminating hatred. This is primarily in reference to the support of a proposed local ordinance that would penalize businesses who hire illegal aliens. Again, the reason for local action is due to negligence and indifference of the issue at the federal level.

On the other hand, the chief problem is a misunderstanding by Zubik, regarding the issue of biblical jurisdiction, between the civil and ecclesiastical spheres. As a result, he expects the state to do the charity and relief job the church and its members ought to be doing.

The role of the church is to provide help to those in need, and there is no international boundary on that mission. Christians should help people less fortunate though voluntary work and donations. However the church should not circumvent existing immigration laws, or deliberately promote illegal immigration. It is easy to have mixed feelings as one contemplates the biblical demand to aid the sojourner and alien. But when does the “flight of refugeesâ€

How many people can a lifeboat hold before it sinks or capsizes and all inhabitants perish? Notice that the lifeboats on the Titanic rowed a ways from the sinking ship. This was not because the people who weren’t in the lifeboats were not worth saving. The problem is that a lifeboat may support 60 people, but if 200 scramble to get on board out of desperation, perhaps it will sink, and nobody will survive.

Great analogy, and I truly believe that is what is happening here.

While many illegal aliens contribute to the American economy, others put a fatal stranglehold on the resources of our social safety net. This is not compassion for naturalized citizens who are then deprived. The last time I saw my older brother before he died, he asked me why this country gives away so much to aliens, while denying the same help to its citizens. He had a small nest egg which he had to spend down before getting the medical assistance he needed for his poor health. Of course, in his case, it would still have been welfare, but he did have a point about the priorities of multi-generational Americans vs. those coming over the border covertly.

If all the illegal aliens were naturalized by a swift act of a fiat, the next wave of protests would be about substandard wages and poor working conditions, and the importation of relatives and family. We would then be the bad guys for keeping families apart.

It is time to teach other countries how to fish in their own ponds, because the whole world can’t come to America. Hopefully they are willing to be taught.

Logical, rational and very insightful observation of all that is wrong with allowing zillions of illegal aliens to remain in this country while perpetually procreating at our expense. The majority only want legalization so that they can get free social services beyond their dreams by staying in America and perpetually anchoring themselves and bringing over more dead weight in the form of familia. They appear to have no concern that we truly do not possess the ability to supply unlimited tax dollars to fund their free ride and they certainly don't care about Americans or America as a nation.

Originally Posted by NotGoingToTakeItAnymore

The temptation for those who are unable to articulate good arguments in favor of the amnesty-leaning position, is to simply demean the opponents by calling them racist, or hate mongers.

Concerning the local level, some leaders in the church have been among the greatest facilitators in this matter. David Zubik, the Bishop of the Green Bay diocese impugned those who would be unwilling to accept illegal immigration with outstretched arms.


On the other hand, the chief problem is a misunderstanding by Zubik, regarding the issue of biblical jurisdiction, between the civil and ecclesiastical spheres. As a result, he expects the state to do the charity and relief job the church and its members ought to be doing.

The role of the church is to provide help to those in need, and there is no international boundary on that mission. Christians should help people less fortunate though voluntary work and donations. immigration policy laws.

If we are going to export anything, it ought to be the better angels within our system of government and ethic of liberty.



If all the illegal aliens were naturalized by a swift act of a fiat, the next wave of protests would be about substandard wages and poor working conditions, and the importation of relatives and family. We would then be the bad guys for keeping families apart.

It is time to teach other countries how to fish in their own ponds, because the whole world can’t come to America. Hopefully they are willing to be taught.
.

I think we need to keep up the religious/charitable side of this debate. I don't like being labeled as a "hater" for taking a socially conservative view and the facts are completely to the contrary anyway.

Being more or less acquainted with American missionary groups I have reiterated to the liberals that Americans ALREADY ARE doing fantastic things abroad to help poor people. I'm trying to track down some reliable statistics, particularly for Latin America. I know we have something like upwards of two million people who volunteer abroad each year. Total US giving to missionary groups is about $60 billion per year, and that is not counting the secular based groups. Nowadays, many mission groups amplify their outreach and contribution by training local workers and using US money to support them. The "Mexico missions trip" is now standard fare throughout evangelical Christianity. So now instead of supporting one American at $50,000 per year, we build the clinic or school for thirty thousand, using American volunteers and train ten workers with the remaining $20,000. No kidding.

We are also talking about different economies of scale between the US and Latin America. In many places $100 dollars will provide for a family for a month. Here, one person couldn't even live a week, at the minimum. With the spread of the Internet people all over the world have an opportunity to band together, help each other and seek opportunities.
I have even seen discussion in UN Forums, no less, about the possibility of Third World people even "leap-frogging" the West, and that is certainly true as upwardly mobile, middle class Third Worlders pass up Americans trying to live in "Tornado Alley" or whose jobs have been outsourced.

These pro-immigrant,radical groups and their open borders lobby supporters lambasting Americans as "racists" simply do not know what they are talking about. This is one of the most misinformed groups on the planet, right up there with Al Qaeda.

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