Thread: A simple Question

If someone is born to parents that came to the United States illegally, but then gained residency through amnesty, are they still considered anchor babies and should they be treated different than citizens?

Yuyi,

before we attempt to answer your question would you be so kind as to read this simple statment and give us your feelings on it ?

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Originally Posted by yuyi

If someone is born to parents that came to the United States illegally, but then gained residency through amnesty, are they still considered anchor babies and should they be treated different than citizens?

Legal is legal, amnesty or by nationalization or by birth. You should never, ever be treated differently.

Charles, the statement that you posted which was by President Roosevelt right? Well, I agree with it, but to some extent. See, I am an American, but I am also Chicano, latino, mexican-american, or hispanic. This is not contridictory. I will always be an American, but you cannot expect me, nor any other person, to give up their culture and way of life to "blend in" with the American culture. I was taught Spanish as my first language, and I think my parents did the right thing. Of course, I was encouraged to learn English as soon as I went to school. And I did. My point is that I believe all people that come to this country have the right to preserve their culture. Of course, they should learn English and know about American, but they should not give up their traditional ways nor their language. My question about whether or not I would be considered an anchor baby was because of the postings I be reading in this website, where some people seem to believe they are second class people, even though they are citizens.

Seems there's still a real desire to be Mexican before American.

Some "cultural" things can't be honored in a civilized society. We don't stone people to death for commiting adultry. We don't train animals to kill another for sport. We don't allow human sacrifice. We don't behead people. We don't prostitute our children. We don't crush the bones of our departed loved ones and mix it with water and drink it. We don't walk the streets in loin cloths. There are just parts of a "culture" people have to get rid of if they want to live in America. And I in no way am saying if any of these things are a part of your culture or not. They are just things that do go on in various parts of the world. Here....they are not acceptable. Now those types of things we would hope one would want to "give up". If not....then I say go back. Just as there are things Americans do that offend people in other countries. Out of respect we may honor that while we are there visiting or understand that's the way it is there. Not here. That's part of assimilating. You take...you give up. You do not try and make a country your old country. Some of the neat parts of a culture we adopt and make a part of our culture. But that is a decision that has to be made. America is not Mexico or China or Iran or Ireland or Germany or Africa....etc. but PARTS of their culture and traditions we welcome and they become a PART of what makes us great and a PART of American culture. Now if you want to speak your native tongue in your own home and at your own community gatherings...fine. Just don't expect the Nation to change it's language because of who the most immigrants are at that time. There HAS to be ONE NATION, ONE FLAG, ONE LANGUAGE.

I don't know about your personal birthing order, such as were you born here a few years after they arrived or after they were granted amnesty etc. But as it stands now, legally your a full fledged citizen just like the rest of us. Not a second class citizen.

Yuyi,

If one prefers Mountains over deserts, one does not move to the desert and try to build mountains. One simply lives in the mountains.

If you prefer the Mexican culture over the U.S. culture, then live in Mexico. Period.

Originally Posted by Carrie92121

Yuyi,

If one prefers Mountains over deserts, one does not move to the desert and try to build mountains. One simply lives in the mountains.

If you prefer the Mexican culture over the U.S. culture, then live in Mexico. Period.

Harsh but accurate. I agree.

The dream of America has always been for people to flee brutal or repressive cultures and to join in the American Dream. By the luck of proximity, one little country has perverted that entire notion and seeks to take for itself the benefits of Americanism while rejecting the concept of Americanism. This is just wrong, and it should not be allowed to stand.

Tell me, Yuyi, where do you stand on the mordita? Do you believe that gangs are a practical reality that must be lived with? Is political corruption just part of life? do you adhere to the idea that something is not wrong if you can get away with it? These are all "values" that have no value, yet that is what the Mexican invaders bring with them. These concepts are inimical to system of government we have set up here and, if allowed to prevail, will soon reduce this nation to just another "once was" dream fraught with all the injustice and repression Mexicans are allegedly fleeing.

If one prefers Mountains over deserts, one does not move to the desert and try to build mountains. One simply lives in the mountains.

Great response. I'm too wordy and that's perfect.

Ok, first of all no I am not going to go "back", nor am I going to sacrifise anything. It is posts like that that erode the meaning of the debate. What I am talking about is the preservance of one's heritage, pride, customs, language, religion, etc. Does anyone see anything wrong with that? I don't. But this is what is wrong. It is wrong that when one person asks serious questions in hopes of concluding more relevance in an issue that is so important to him, especially when he has divided stands because of the complexity of the issue, and then people try to rationalize THEIR stand in hopes of convincing others to think as they due, through the use of stereotypes. Get one thing straight. The culture of illegal immigrants is not one of criminal gangs and narcotic felons. I will not deny the fact that many illegal aliens do contribute to this negative impact on our society, but constantly generalizing illegal aliens to being criminals IS stereotyping, especially when focusing on only one side of the story.

Originally Posted by yuyi

Ok, first of all no I am not going to go "back", nor am I going to sacrifise anything. It is posts like that that erode the meaning of the debate. What I am talking about is the preservance of one's heritage, pride, customs, language, religion, etc. Does anyone see anything wrong with that? I don't. But this is what is wrong. It is wrong that when one person asks serious questions in hopes of concluding more relevance in an issue that is so important to him, especially when he has divided stands because of the complexity of the issue, and then people try to rationalize THEIR stand in hopes of convincing others to think as they due, through the use of stereotypes. Get one thing straight. The culture of illegal immigrants is not one of criminal gangs and narcotic felons. I will not deny the fact that many illegal aliens do contribute to this negative impact on our society, but constantly generalizing illegal aliens to being criminals IS stereotyping, especially when focusing on only one side of the story.

That is your claim, but it is not my experience.

That people will ILLEGALLY cross into a country and use its resources meant for its own citizens PROVES that they 1) have no respect for the law and 2) are thieves. That you do not see criminal interloping and theft of services as crime or theft merely demonstrates my point.

Having said that, my characterization is predicated on personal experience, which is my first basis for opinion, and from the statistical fact of the dollar value of services illegals are stealing here in the US. That does not mean that this applies to each and every illegal entrant or to you and your family. However, it is a valid characterization in my opinion, given that a disproportionate percentage of illegal aliens do conform to the sterotype.

I'll also add this: My characterization of the Mexicans at large as being a people who have little respect for the law is based on a great deal of time spent in the interior of Mexico. It's a completely different ethic than we have here. I have also tried to do business with Mexican companies. Everything there is predicated upon payoffs and corruption. As a result, I neither do business there nor do I even vacation there.