(Name-mce) ListServ City Vents Anger at Illegal Immigrants

[Anne Patricia Dobson]

I may be putting my foot in the "Devil's Advocate" waters, but are those 
that disagree with the CONCEPT of illegal aliens disagreeing with the idea 
of immigrants or disagreeing with the idea that they are ILLEGAL. Yes, 
America is a country of immigrants. Even the first people apparently 
immigrated over the land bridge that connected us to Europe. However, since 
we have become a nation and established LAWS we have a LEGAL WAY of doing 
something. Not only coming into this country but in behaviors when we are 
here.

My mother is a first generation American.

My grandparents came to this country through Ellis Island.

They went to school and became citizens.

Though they spoke their native language, and though my mother's first 
language was NOT American English, the whole family LEARNED American 
English. This, they saw, was to their own and their children's benefits. 
They did not give up their culture, or their identity, or whatever else you 
think you may give up by learning another language.

As to the crochet that illegal aliens are doing work that Americans will not 
do. . .I find that argument extremely offensive. Does that mean we should 
not have done away with slavery because there were, after all, jobs that 
Blacks would do that Whites would not? Does that meant that we should, by 
not objecting to illegal immigrants, agree with the fact that it is OK to 
put people to work doing sub-human (if "we" won't do it then it must be 
sub-human because, after all, we are only human beings) work because they 
are illegals? That by KEEPING THEM ILLEGALS we have, in effect, given them 
the privilege of being slaves we do not own but only control?

I really believe that we need to see this as an issue of ILLEGALITY and not 
an issue of anti-immigration.

Why is it so much better to keep a group of people ILLEGAL than to work to 
change immigration laws or make them "legal" in two countries so they can go 
back and forth to see their families?

I know, too, that there is a problem with NOT requiring people to speak the 
language of the country that they immigrate to: it helps to keep them 
illiterate in two languages and in two worlds. Again, much better to CONTROL 
a group of people that way.

As for the last sentence in the article, I believe that the reporter got it 
wrong. It is not anti-Hispanic at all. She is misinterpreting the direction 
that all such argument should go. IT IS ANTI ILLEGALITY.

ANNE PATRICIA DOBSON

-----Original Message-----
>From: Bertha Mo <mob at potsdam.edu>
>Sent: Jul 24, 2006 8:27 AM
>To: NAME-MCE - National Association for Multicultural Education Email
>	Discussion Group <Name-mce at nameorg.org>
>Cc: name-mce at nameorg.org
>Subject: Re: (Name-mce) ListServ City Vents Anger at Illegal Immigrants
>
>
>
>
>The majority of people in the US are immigrants.  Due to restrictive
>immigrant laws, many of our ancestors came here illegally. And many of our
>ancestors were forced to flee to America because our way of life was
>deemed illegal.
>
>The Bible says, "He/She who is blameless shall cast the first stone..."
>for students who are on the right.  I am sure we can find sayings for
>those who are objecting from the left...
>
>Best,
>
>Bertie Mo, Ph.D., MPH
>>
>>
>> I teach Communication in a midwestern university and I see these
>> attitudes from students.....what can we do to change this?  I've hosted
>> class discussions and we focus on stereotyping and discrimination.
>> There must be more we can do!
>>
>>>>> khyati at fdu.edu 07/22/06 1:33 PM >>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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