Perhaps I am just slow, but I am really confused by what the big protest yesterday was all about.
I have heard variously that it was for immigrant's rights, that it was for rights for migrant workers, that it was for recognition for the contributions that immigrants make to this country and that it was in protest of the immigration reform that is going through congress at this time. If this last was the point, then I have issues with the whole affair.
Let's ignore the fact that the bill in congress is a pretty bad idea. I am personally opposed to any bill that decriminalizes illegal immigration. The protesters yesterday made some truly specious arguments. I'd like to address these today.
Argument: You're trying to make us into criminals.
Rebuttal: What part of the term "Illegal Immigrant" are you having problems understanding? If you broke the law to enter the country you are here illegally and hence, you are a criminal.
Argument: We just want the rights we deserve!
Rebuttal: What rights would those be? If you are here illegally, you have no rights. Your argument is akin to the burglar who just broke into my house complaining that his rights are being abridged when I call the cops.
Argument: We demand our Human Rights!
Rebuttal: Well, there's an ambiguous demand. We're not challenging your rights as a human. Nobody has proposed to enslave you, to torture you or to kill you. We've only proposed to return you to your country of origin.
Argument: Take a look at your own family tree!
Rebuttal: What? My ancestors entered this country legally. They immigrated from Prussia, The British Aisles, and Scandinavia in accordance with the laws that were in place at the time they came over. (I cannot even believe that this argument was made! I heard it on three different newscasts yesterday!) The speaker appears to be implying that everyone is here illegally. Either that or they think that this rally was for rights for legal immigration, something that it was not about.
Argument: We're just trying to get the rights to immigrate legally
Rebuttal: What? We have legal avenues for immigration. If you're here illegally, you ignored the legal ways to get here.
I guess I should get off my soap box. One of the major issues I had was the blinding contradictions in these situations. While claiming that they want to be Americans and that they want to fit-in and be accepted by the country they claim they want to be in, they wave the Mexican flag, fail to even try to learn English and refuse to try to fit in.
I hope wherever you are today, you are somewhere you want to be!
Don Bergquist - 02nd May 2006 - Lakewood, Colorado
I have heard variously that it was for immigrant's rights, that it was for rights for migrant workers, that it was for recognition for the contributions that immigrants make to this country and that it was in protest of the immigration reform that is going through congress at this time. If this last was the point, then I have issues with the whole affair.
Let's ignore the fact that the bill in congress is a pretty bad idea. I am personally opposed to any bill that decriminalizes illegal immigration. The protesters yesterday made some truly specious arguments. I'd like to address these today.
Argument: You're trying to make us into criminals.
Rebuttal: What part of the term "Illegal Immigrant" are you having problems understanding? If you broke the law to enter the country you are here illegally and hence, you are a criminal.
Argument: We just want the rights we deserve!
Rebuttal: What rights would those be? If you are here illegally, you have no rights. Your argument is akin to the burglar who just broke into my house complaining that his rights are being abridged when I call the cops.
Argument: We demand our Human Rights!
Rebuttal: Well, there's an ambiguous demand. We're not challenging your rights as a human. Nobody has proposed to enslave you, to torture you or to kill you. We've only proposed to return you to your country of origin.
Argument: Take a look at your own family tree!
Rebuttal: What? My ancestors entered this country legally. They immigrated from Prussia, The British Aisles, and Scandinavia in accordance with the laws that were in place at the time they came over. (I cannot even believe that this argument was made! I heard it on three different newscasts yesterday!) The speaker appears to be implying that everyone is here illegally. Either that or they think that this rally was for rights for legal immigration, something that it was not about.
Argument: We're just trying to get the rights to immigrate legally
Rebuttal: What? We have legal avenues for immigration. If you're here illegally, you ignored the legal ways to get here.
I guess I should get off my soap box. One of the major issues I had was the blinding contradictions in these situations. While claiming that they want to be Americans and that they want to fit-in and be accepted by the country they claim they want to be in, they wave the Mexican flag, fail to even try to learn English and refuse to try to fit in.
I hope wherever you are today, you are somewhere you want to be!
Don Bergquist - 02nd May 2006 - Lakewood, Colorado
United States of America
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