Ellis Island, 2.0
History repeats itself
Ellis Island, 2.0
Yesterday, my office looked a little bit like what I would imagine Ellis Island resembled in the early 1900s, when immigrants from all over the world flocked to these shores for the proverbial ‘better life.’ President Obama’s new initiative allowing people who came here as children to obtain working papers and some minimal protection from deportation finally went into effect, and the reaction was overwhelming.
I know that many of my friends on the right have no sympathy for someone who jumped the border or overstayed his or her welcome, even if that someone was an infant at the time of entry. I understand that there is a sharp difference of opinion as to who deserves to be here, and who doesn’t. And I refuse to pull out the ‘racist’ card that liberals throw around because their analytical skills have atrophied.
But if you could have seen the people in my office yesterday, you might understand why it’s important to welcome these young people instead of keeping them in the shadows. None of them had foreign accents when they spoke. Not a one looked any different from the teens and young adults on the streets of Philadelphia (which may not be a good thing, but I digress…) They were all in school, all planning to go to college, all loyal to the only country they’d ever known.
This is a good thing, people. And it’s about time.
If all these folks are going to vote for Obama or encourage others to vote for Obama, then I must take a second look. I am sympathetic, but not crazy.
At the moment I am uniformed, i.e. I need more and accurate information about who they are and what their political preferences are by percentage. Remember they are law breakers, however innocent and young at the time.
"Unchained" Joe makes me very uneasy about flying blind just because I have a good heart. I don't need that idiot back again and I would rather 12 million suffer than 300 million suffer.— PlumberJoe
Christine: Thank you for a sensible and realistic look at the issue. As usual, PJ would only agree if they were potential conservative voters. I wonder if PJ's ancestors were asked for whom they would vote before becoming citizens. That is unless PJ's ancestors were native Americans and were born here. Go drink another beer PJ and drown your sorrows.— lport- As usual, lport the lawyer does not understand the law. The Dream Act was defeated. Obama under the Constitution cannot unilateral declare it OK for this event to take place. lport put you bleeding heart in ICU and learn the law before you open your silly mouth.— PlumberJoe
- I applaud any effort to resolve the illegal immigrant problem. Busing 12 Million souls to Tijuana is quite the logistical problem. Blanket amnesty is blatantly unfair (and undeserved). If this is a Hybrid Dream Act skirting the law, so be it. Let's see how it plays out in real life and in the courts. Oh yea...the border still has to be sealed...— TomTheCork
- I'm sure the Native Americans have no "sharp difference of opinion" as to who deserves to be here. No wonder hypocrisy is the primary plank so many uneducated "americans" build their arrogance on.
— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus - It was all very heartwarming, also, when the pilgrims arrived here to escape persecution, but it did destroy the way of life of Native Americans and leave them confined to reservations in what was once their own land. The USA is now being colonized by Latin America. How are we going to deal with another 100 million people here? How many new I-95's will we have to build, how many strip malls, how many housing developments? Where will the water come from? Where will the crops be grown? Is this really best for the legal citizens of the USA?— ksmccormick
- This is not easy. Not easy at all. No matter how you twist it, somebody gets hurt. including the wrong somebody.
I take back every thing I said, including my screaming at lport.
This is a great country. How did we get so mixed up?????— PlumberJoe - Wow! Of course, I see exactly the wisdom of the order that allows these young people to come out of the shadows and seek legal status in this country. It is not citizenship but it is a step in the right direction.
There is no comparison to any other situation in history. And, yes, Christine, it is indeed a good and perfectly sensible thing.
8-)
— Gendres - "They were all in school, all planning to go to college, all loyal to the only country they’d ever known."
It's a very sad commentary on our nation when illegal immigrants to this country take more pride in the opportunities often denied to them and our own young citizens see a free education as an inconvenience to complain about.— barlowjames - PJ: You are so right. There is no easy answer to the issue and no matter what the decision, someone will be hurt. That being said, we must find a way to give these young people who can contribute to America a path to citizenship. They did not knowingly break our immigration laws and to deny them the opportunity of citizenship is not the way to go.— lport
- Christine suspends her right wing views when it puts money in her pocket. What if she were an abortion provider instead of an immigration lawyer?— mxlplk
- lport, if feels good to be in agreement. We must be cautious and not let this become a habit.
Perhaps if we put all of Congress on a ship, like the man without a country, until they come up with a full and workable solution to the border and immigration problems, we could make progress, be humane and prevent future occurrences.
(Beyond the scope of reality, I do suspect.)— PlumberJoe - mxlpik - what a mean spirited thing to say. Christine has always supported comprehensive immigration laws as do many conservatives. All of us want to preserve the sovereignty of our borders, and the president has set a record of deporting illegal immigrants.
But this is an entirely different issue. This is about children brought to this country involuntarily. They have gone to school and are prepared to work within our laws. They are not being given anything special, but a chance to work and contribute to the community that helped raise them.
Comprehensive immigration policy should include common sense work permits so that those who want to work here can do so legally and without sneaking in the back door.
— Gendres - Christine, While you're display of "compassion" exhibits how conservatives do not necessarily hold to a series of partisan "truths," I'm still looking for a liberal who's willing to state that he or she favors strong enforcement of existing immigration laws. There lies the difference between conservative and liberal (in)doctrin(ation).— lefty
- Plumber, p-l-e-a-s-e stop with the condescending remark alleging the jury is still out in your camp. You know dang well how they would vote if provided the opportunity. Further PJ, we all(including Christine) know you better than PJ who openned up this board with a rather transparent attempt at self-deprecation. Save that for our friend Wayfare!— lefty
Email Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com Reach Christine M. at cflowers1961@yahoo.com.
