Food for thought. It's worth the ten minutes it takes to read the whole article on CNN.
___
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/28/immigration.georgia.mayor/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
Paul Bridges leans toward his desk, picks up the phone and punches in a number
with the fast, laser focus of a man on a mission. The mayor of this tiny town in
South Georgia is ready for battle -- and looking for a new weapon.
[...]
"I really don't know what your beliefs are on this issue," he said, "but I'm going to
persuade you."
Bridges wants the federal government to come up with a solution that gives the
millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States a chance to work here legally.
"You get me an invite to that Tea Party meeting and I'm going ... I'd like to give
the contrary viewpoints. Surely one person in the audience is going to be sympathetic."
Bridges is an unlikely soldier on the front lines of the nation's immigration debate.
The 58-year-old native Southerner describes himself as a conservative
Republican. For years, he knew little about immigrants but didn't lack strong
opinions about them: "They were just low-class people," he recalled. "They weren't
even able to speak English."
Bridges is one of more than a dozen plaintiffs suing Georgia and its governor,
trying to stop the state's new immigration law. They won a reprieve Monday when
a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law scheduled to go into effect July 1.
One of those sections would criminalize exactly what the mayor of Uvalda does
almost every day: knowingly driving a car with illegal immigrants as passengers.
The judge also put on hold parts of the law that allow police to ask about
immigration status during investigations of criminal violations.
But the legal fight is far from over. It could drag on for months and reach the
chambers of the nation's highest court. It's a struggle that pits Bridges against
many members of his own party and could hurt his political future. But that doesn't
stop the mayor.
In public speeches and opinion articles, he slams state lawmakers for creating an
unfunded mandate that he says will burden police and devastate farmers who
depend on immigrant labor in their onion fields and berry groves.
His words are more than just political talking points. The potentially crippling
economic blow to the region is only one part of his rallying cry.
Bridges is waging a deeply personal battle.
Enforcement of the Georgia law could put him in prison and tear apart the families
of some of his closest friends.
In his City Hall office, just a few feet away from a handbook for Georgia mayors
and council members, he keeps a glass paperweight engraved with a Bible verse.
A family of illegal immigrants gave it to him for Christmas.
"I decided I was going to be the mayor for everybody," [he said].
[...]
Despite the immigration law, he will continue shuttling immigrants to soccer games
and shopping malls. He will still let his friend's undocumented family members stay
in his home during berry-picking season. And he will keep fighting the law, even
though none of the people he's fighting for can vote for him on election day.
[...continued in the article...]
My experience with undocumented workers is that all they want is to work an honest day's work, get an honest day's pay and live on as little as possible so they can send money home to their families.
These are not bad people we're talking about, by and large. I'm all for closing the borders to illegal immigrants, but for those that are already here, I really don't see the reason for all the enmity.
Originally posted by sh76Lookit the gumballs please:
My experience with undocumented workers is that all they want is to work an honest day's work, get an honest day's pay and live on as little as possible so they can send money home to their families.
These are not bad people we're talking about, by and large. I'm all for closing the borders to illegal immigrants, but for those that are already here, I really don't see the reason for all the enmity.
Originally posted by Zapp BranniganThings like what, exactly? A crowd cheering for a soccer team? No, women having babies? Wait, white folks being outnumbered? If you're that worried about it, maybe you should go on a Wilt Chamberlain type crusade. I don't know if you're stamina is up to the 20000 mark, but surely you could score with at least a couple.
Let's see how happy he is with his position when things like this start to happen in his hometown and then his entire state. Then country.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008444/Only-America-U-S-soccer-team-booed-Mexico--California.html
Originally posted by dryhumpI guess you didn't bother to read the article.
Things like what, exactly? A crowd cheering for a soccer team? No, women having babies? Wait, white folks being outnumbered? If you're that worried about it, maybe you should go on a Wilt Chamberlain type crusade. I don't know if you're stamina is up to the 20000 mark, but surely you could score with at least a couple.
Or if you did, you didn't understand what was happening.
Originally posted by sh76Of course they are not bad people, and it's not enmity (nor bigotry) for US citizens to insist our government have control over who and how many immigrate to the US.
My experience with undocumented workers is that all they want is to work an honest day's work, get an honest day's pay and live on as little as possible so they can send money home to their families.
These are not bad people we're talking about, by and large. I'm all for closing the borders to illegal immigrants, but for those that are already here, I really don't see the reason for all the enmity.
Originally posted by SleepyguyOf course it is don't you know America is the ONLY country on earth that doesn't have the right to control the influx of people into it?
Of course they are not bad people, and it's not enmity (nor bigotry) for US citizens to insist our government have control over who and how many immigrate to the US.
What is consternating about our friends south of the border is that they come into America, then complain about America, brag about how great Mexico is, wave their Mexican flag, but crap in their pants at the thought about being returned to Mexico.
Originally posted by sh76gotta question your viewpoint:
My experience with undocumented workers is that all they want is to work an honest day's work, get an honest day's pay and live on as little as possible so they can send money home to their families.
These are not bad people we're talking about, by and large. I'm all for closing the borders to illegal immigrants, but for those that are already here, I really don't see the reason for all the enmity.
Originally posted by sh76How would they pay taxes?
If you gave them a visa, they'd pay taxes.
That's the catch-22. We get angry that they don't pay taxes, but we won't create a mechanism that allows them to pay taxes.
They don't speak English, they don't have any job skills, and they are mostly illiterate. Plus one mated pair will have a hundred grandchildren in another 25 years, all in the same boat, all waving their Mexican flags, screaming "La Raza", and claiming half of America is really Mexico while they collect welfare and cry about how bad America is and how wonderful Mexico is.
Same with the boatloads of Somalians and Haitians we are improrting , they do nothing but breed and collect welfare, commit violent crimes, and garbage up our cities and schools, and they're legal. Our government has betrayed us for a few million voters that will do what they want and keep them in power.
Originally posted by Zapp BranniganCarlos Mencia on illegal immigration and disrespecting the USA ("bad" words)
Let's see how happy he is with his position when things like this start to happen in his hometown and then his entire state. Then country.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008444/Only-America-U-S-soccer-team-booed-Mexico--California.html
Originally posted by Zapp BranniganYou both seem to miss the point that illegal immigrants both can and do pay taxes:
How would they pay taxes?
They don't speak English, they don't have any job skills, and they are mostly illiterate. Plus one mated pair will have a hundred grandchildren in another 25 years, all in the same boat, all waving their Mexican flags, screaming "La Raza", and claiming half of America is really Mexico while they collect welfare and cry abou as betrayed us for a few million voters that will do what they want and keep them in power.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/nyregion/16immig.html