Thread: Not all Hispanics want Amnesty for Illegals

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OTHER VOICES ON IMMIGRATION

Not all Hispanics want amnesty for illegals

Greta Harrison

July 7 2007

Bill Cosby once said " If you see a white man who drank too much sitting in a bar you think, "he's a drunk." If you see a black man who drank too much sitting in a bar you think, "that's the Negro race."

I understand what Cosby meant. Today I feel the radical Hispanic protesters and illegal immigrants may be forming society's opinions about all Hispanic people. Contrary to what may seem like the norm, many Hispanic people are against illegal immigration.

We are shuddering every time we see or read of another radical protest for illegal immigration. Are you surprised? Well, think about it. We all followed the rules and now we should be proponents for breaking the rules?

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once said that she felt she wore an imaginary extra stripe of patriotism because she was a naturalized citizen. Again, I understand this completely. We do not feel superior-we feel very lucky, very special and very happy. That is what one feels when one earns anything: be it a degree, a paycheck, or the privilege of being an American citizen. It is not a right, or an entitlement. We must remember that fact that activists want us to forget. Citizenship must be earned - by following the rules.

This is not torture, or even unfair. The Mexican government is unusually cruel to illegal immigrants who come to Mexico from Central America. Yet this same government is crying like a baby to us? And what's worse, our politicians are listening.

None of the politicians running today for president has a proper answer to the illegal immigration crisis. None of them. Bill Gates has been stating for years the fact that we need to reform our policies in other ways, like making the process easier for those who are educated or filling a specific high-level profession. You see these people do follow the rules, they are not a drain on our society in any way, and they are what our melting pot needs. Many of them go back to their countries when their visas are expiring. Some go through channels and luckily, but legally, get their visas extended. My father was one of those lucky people back in the early 1960s when Robert F. Kennedy extended the visas of many deserving candidates who were following the rules. If I am not mistaken, I believe Barack Obama's parents received this same type of extension from Kennedy too. But, my parents were ready to go back to Ecuador if their visa was not extended. They would have applied all over again and followed the legal path to their goal of becoming citizens. Those are the rules.

Instead, we have a country that overwhelmingly wants us to be much tougher on illegal immigration, while our politicians do not listen.

Entitlements breed nothing good (unless it is for the most needy such as mentally and physically disabled citizens, etc.) Any study of basic economics proves this. While our hospitals in crisis areas are closing their doors, and our schools and early intervention programs are not allowed to even ask if a child is illegal, we want to worsen this by adding an entitlement? Amnesty makes citizenship an entitlement. The current immigration policies being discussed are using different words and phrases to disguise amnesty.

Some of you may be thinking I am a hard-liner with no heart and deep pockets. I am the average American who has reached her dream. My parents are from Ecuador and Cuba. I was born in Ecuador. I proudly state that my family has come here from both countries legally, many taking 40-plus years to get through the process. I have a cousin in Cuba right now who has gotten the proper visa, but cannot get the green light from the United States because of the immigration mess we are in. He is in his 40s and has waited his whole life to get here, legally. He could have gotten in a boat, or snuck across the Mexican border, but he is waiting in a country where the people are suffering daily, to get here the proper way.

My family has been educated, thanks to the Episcopal and Catholic churches, and scholarships. Here is an American fact to be proud of: The elite colleges are telling their applicants to be exceptional and "stand out." So many Americans are doing mission trips all over the world that that is no longer considered special when a student is applying to college. Isn't that amazing? Americans are so good, that that goodness is not even special anymore. There are thousands of schools all over the world being run and funded by our churches. This is the real way out of poverty - education all over the world. Including here, where one only needs to follow columnist Walter Williams' four rules to escape poverty: Graduate from high school; get a job and keep it; get married before you have children; stay out of jail. That is all Americans truly have to do, it is not so easy in other countries. I know this.

My mother has volunteered as a translator to try and help illegal immigrants learn the proper way to get visas and fill out what can be a maze of paperwork. She was very discouraged and no longer volunteers. Why? Because the majority of people told her they would just wait for amnesty.

They also clearly stated they were having "anchor babies" so they could stay here. Can you believe there is a word for a child born just to stay here? Many of these people were not even interested in learning English.

Mexico is not for illegal immigration in its own country. Americans are such inherently good people that I think many of us feel guilty if we want to enforce immigration rules. We should not, this is truly a global issue. One does not appreciate what one does not earn - citizenship in any country needs to be earned.

I wear those stripes of patriotism proudly. I feel a debt to the United States that will take more than my lifetime to repay, so my wonderful children will follow the path given them. But I feel no guilt that sanctions breaking the rules.

Let's strengthen the rules in common-sense ways, and then follow them. Please remember that not all Hispanics are alike, many of us earned our education and citizenship, and do follow the law. Attention all politicians, please listen, finally.

Harrison is a resident of Hampton.

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Psalm 32

Good story you posted GeorgiaPeach.

When they come to this country legally... the perception that person sees is very different from the masses coming here illegally. When masses of illegal aliens flood our country by crossing our borders illegally or overstaying their visas!!...they could care less about assimilating and citizenship is NOT appreciated...

Excellent! It's unfortunate that the Mexican invasion has tarnished the image of "legal" law-abiding Hispanics.

I have nothing but extreme contempt for anyone who would give birth to a child for the sole purpose of using as a pawn. IMO they are one of the lowest forms of scum.

Thanks for posting.

Originally Posted by fedupDeb

Excellent! It's unfortunate that the Mexican invasion has tarnished the image of "legal" law-abiding Hispanics.

I have nothing but extreme contempt for anyone who would give birth to a child for the sole purpose of using as a pawn. IMO they are one of the lowest forms of scum.
Thanks for posting.

I agree Deb- they are scum- there really isn't much lower to go!