logo
Back to Home Page

 
December 20, 2006


Pro-Illegal Immigration Prof. Reprimanded for Insulting Students Who Support Border Wall

"The [Washington State University] College Republicans organized an anti-illegal-immigration event, featuring a '24-foot, chain-link, cyclone fence, later established as a representation of a 'Wall of Immigration.'" Professor John Streamas showed up, got into an argument with Dan Ryder, a College Republicans member, and in the process called him a 'white s--tbag," says Eugene Volokh, summarizing a report issued by WSU in response to the incident.

"It seems to me that Prof. Streamas's statement indeed shouldn't be a fireable offense . . . Nonetheless, it is pretty sad that this incident happened, and it says some pretty bad things about Prof. Streamas and others like him. First, the report tells us that Prof. Streamas 'insists that he did not utter the phrase as an expression of racism, in part, because he argues that a person of color cannot be racist, by definition, because racism also defines a power differential that is not usually present when a person or color is speaking.' Yeah, right."

"A university can't function effectively if people are deterred from raising substantive arguments because some people (even 'many people of color and immigrants') are offended," Volokh notes.

Read the full story

Comments

If this professor were Anglo, he would have been fired. He says the mock wall hurt many people on campus. As (presumably) legal foreign students and American students, regardless of ethnicity, I don't see how the mock wall would offend them. Mexico IS another country. And NO country should want their borders unprotected. Just try to break into Mexico and you'll learn you're not a part of that country very quickly!

Posted by: Ella on December 20, 2006 05:58 PM

It all sounds racist to me. If people of color and immigrants are offended, TOO BAD!!!!!!!
This is about legal and illegal and the functioning and preservation of our country, the USA. We don't have a say in that? People of color from other countries do? What a bunch of BULLSH**!!!!!
There's really nothing to talk about. American citizens should determine what goes on in this country. If others don't like it, GO HOME!!!!!

Posted by: Born American on December 20, 2006 06:25 PM

Agree with Ella. Discrimination and racism against Americans doesn't exist, does it? Dismiss the "professor" (meaning that beacon of enlightened educational and political discourse, i.e. shining example of freedom of speech). And WSU should issue a very public apology. Hey! Where's the omnipresent defender of civil rights, the ACLU? Conspicuously absent, and silent...

Posted by: Jeebie on December 20, 2006 06:59 PM

P.S. Some of the commentators after the story, bring up some good points. If this was a white professor who had called "people of color" a Sh**bag, he would have been fired on the spot.

Posted by: Born American on December 20, 2006 07:25 PM

Exposed: a racist man scrambling in his nonsensical mess to appear cogent...and I quote:

"...about Prof. Streamas and others like him. First, the report tells us that Prof. Streamas 'insists that he did not utter the phrase as an expression of racism, in part, because he argues that a person of color cannot be racist, by definition, because racism also defines a power differential that is not usually present when a person or color is speaking.'"

End Quote.

Such stupidity and self-accommodating bombast is rarely heard outside education and especially when it is "race based" education, which this man certainly is responsible for as representative.

I hesitate to even consider what his "credentials" are and why this educational institute even deems him worthy as a member of their faculty.

P.S.: Good for those students ("College Republicans") for having the fortitude and organzation intent and ability to confront this idiot "faculty" rager.

Posted by: -S- on December 20, 2006 07:47 PM

Illegal immigration is an issue of behavior, to state the obvious.

I have had more ridiculous statements made to me about this inability by people of races and ethnicities other than "White Anglo Saxon" to distinguish between what is behavioral and what is genetically impelled or predetermined, or, for lack of a better expression, "made to occur or likely to occur based upon what a human being's DNA is".

Illegal immigration is not genetically predisposed. There is no "illegal immigration" "gene" that imparts the BEHAVIOR of illegal immigration (and the many falsifications that are involved in that by illegal aliens) to any human being, regardless of what their DNA is.

In other words, there is no "gene" or "genetic characteristic" in ANY human race that compels one to engage in bad behavior, or, behavior that is offensive to others -- as is illegal immigraton to most here in the U.S. as also in just about every ohter nation on Earth.

BUT, the fact is is that where illegal immigration is concerned in the U.S., MOST of that BEHAVIOR originates in Mexico and can be found MOST OFTEN present as a behavior among people mostly from Mexico.

Granted, there are illegal aliens in the U.S. from everywhere on Earth (just about) and many others originate in Asia (also a problem for the U.S.), but, MOST, on the vast average, illegal aliens in the U.S. orignate from Mexico AND ARE HISPANIC accordingly (whether they're Mexican Nationals or not, their departure point to the U.S. is by majority from Mexico and they are by vast majority also all Hispanic).

The BEHAVIOR of illegal immigration is a product of CULTURE/S. People in cultures from other nations consider it heroic or "good" to take from the U.S. (or the "West" in the case of this problem in Europe caused by illegals there from other nations/other areas) without regard for what our laws are or may be, to just take from the U.S. because of various CULTURALLY DEFINED AND PROLIFERATED reasons, such as "the U.S. doesn't deserve it," or "they have enough already so we'll take what we want," or, "it doesn't really belong to them," or, "it should not belong to them," or various ohter rationalizations that CULTURALLY are encouaged.

Thus, to illegally immigrate to the U.S. is rewarded/aided/assisted/complimented within other cultures, as some good behavior by their culture insisted upon the 'nasty' or undeserving U.S.

That the vast majority of the problem in the U.S. just happens to be the responsiiblity of overwhelming percentage of HISPANICS does not mean that, to oppose their behavior is to be "racist" but to oppose what we consider to be BAD BEHAVIOR, and that is illegal immigration (and the many illegalities and falsehoods used to make illegal immigration possible).

But, to a person, I rarely encounter Hispanics who can separate these issues, and instead lapse into the "you're a racist" to people in the U.S. when and as we oppose the BEHAVIOR of illegal immigration, and most particularly if and as we are "White" when we do.

The racists can be found by vast majority, then, among Hispanics (and also among Asians who make these same wrong accusations and intellectually false arguments against the U.S. but actually intended against "White" America). If and when Hispanics can identify and define their "illegal immigration gene," the rest of us are mystified why Hispanics can't distinguish behavior from biology.

Posted by: -S- on December 20, 2006 08:02 PM

I wonder if Professor John Streamas is the usuall liberal kook. You know the type, the white guy with a pony tail and spindley little arms, and a very big MOUTH? The MOUTH is usually the most prominant thing on these liberals. You can't have a conversation with them at a normal decibal range.

Posted by: Bobby on December 20, 2006 08:21 PM

The professor, not a racist? I laugh in his general direction.

I am amazed that the university actually stood up for the students, most would not.

Posted by: takn on December 21, 2006 01:27 AM

If he can't think up a better excuse for bring racist, that professor should be fired for being stupid. BUILD THE WALL!!!!!

Posted by: Bill Beard on December 21, 2006 05:29 AM

We need to e-mail the school's judicial affairs office as well as the head of the professor's department. He will at least get a stern talking to regarding this if at least 5 people email each.

Posted by: David on December 21, 2006 06:41 AM

As a professor, Professor Streamas IS in a position of power over students. Furthermore, if he has tenure, he is pretty much protected regardless of what he says. If that's not power, I don't know what is.

Posted by: Ali on December 21, 2006 07:08 AM

As a Black American, I am offended at this "Professor" with the American Education System declining, seem like one would wonder, what is this "So Called Man" is teaching?
He needs to be fired, in my opinion. The sad state of American Education featuring "Your Professor John Streamas". John Streamas answer this what have Illegal Immgrants done for you lately?
John Streamas seems like if they had the chance they would take your job from you and put you on the street. Oh i forgot that is not politically correct.
Again the American Edcuation System at work and you wonder why the system is now 12th in the world and still declining, the miseducation of Professor John Streamas. Need i say more?

Posted by: JoeFight on December 21, 2006 08:08 AM

A peerson of color can't be racist? Come to California.

Posted by: Scott on December 21, 2006 10:42 AM

This so-called Professor needs to be fired. Ever since the liberals took over the education system it's gone nowhere but down.

Why I tend to vote based on whose running vs what party they belong to I suppose you could say I leave more towards being republican. Why is it republicans can let other people have their say but the minute you voice your own opinion they can't stop themselves from calling you a racist. Well the anwser is quite simple. When they play the racist card it usually means that they have no other argument to stand on.

The issue of illegal immigration affects the security of America and you would think that even liberals could see that somehow. We are not the worlds welfare office. It's not our job to ensure that every Mexican or other nationality has a job, schools, medical care and welfare.

As sad as it sounds I think It's going to take something ten times worse than 9/11 before everyone finally gets it that we need to maintain our borders and deal with every single illegal alien in our country. If you would just dry up the jobs for them most would self deport, problem solved. About a year later you deal with the rest by just simply putting out an ultimatem, either be out of the country within six months or lose all assests and face serious jail time.

We also need to not allow this endless appeals by illegal aliens taking advantage of OUR legal system. Once caught and proven they are here illegally they need to be deport asap.

Also illegal aliens should not be allowed to file any kind of lawsuits. It's really sad that people who have no legal right to be here can sue an American.

Brian

Posted by: Brian on December 21, 2006 11:00 AM

That "power differential" "argument" I have heard before-and it forms one of the formal bases of all "studies" programs. (hispanic studies, womans studies,etc.)
It would be nice to be able to simply brush aside the impossibility and imbicility of such notions, or disregard the poisonous reaction in society when they are hard-wired into the circuitry of students heads, however, real life has shown that 4 or 6 years of this type of mind staining cannot be washed out in a lifetime.
So after you have second mortgaged your house so Johnny can get the best education money can buy, Johhny will come marching home one day as a mini-me of a ghoulish professor such as the one referred to in above article.
Boiled down, the idea is nothing other than unadulterated Orthodox Postmodernism-nothing more.
Johnny, however, has grown up in the neatly clipped subburbs, and has been made to feel ashamed for his sence of order and personal hygine. After he tattooed 75% of his body and pierced the remaider, he still didnt feel "core" enough-and the phantoms in his mind tricked him into believing that someone would be very disappointed if he didnt completely self abnegate, so he tattooed the wisdom of Herr Doktor Streamass. (THAT'll show THEM dam yuppies!)
Those brave souls who stand up to little tyrants like StreamaaaaaaaaaaH! have all my admiration.

Posted by: Angus MacLeod on December 21, 2006 11:07 AM

Takn me too what ajoke. For myself I won't take the phrase Redneck from Black Militant,I warn if they persist well then N word gets used.

Posted by: Critter on December 21, 2006 11:47 AM

Hmmmm....It seems that there are quite a few professors saying things that most would consider to be "racist". Here is a quote from a professor at a community college in Greeley, Colorado, the day of the Swift raids.

12/12/2006
The Greeley Tribune

"Andres Guerrero, who teaches Spanish at Aims Community College, joined the protesters. He said, “In ten years we’re going to take over the southland, trust me. “This is our land and always will be our land.”

Posted by: Bren4824 on December 21, 2006 12:21 PM

They reported on CNN today that a man had been caught using the identities of nine professional football players. It seems that he had fraudulent documents made up so that he could use their identities. The judge made his bail $250,000.

Isn't it racism/discrimination if this man is being held on $250,000 for document/identity fraud--when illegals caught doing the same thing are being released--"as they were only trying to work to provide a better life for their families?"

Posted by: Bren4824 on December 21, 2006 12:27 PM

COLLEGES LIKE OUT OF STATE TUITION FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS

Last I heard 30% of our college population is foreign students, lots of extra tuition $$$$ here.

The joke of it is, coming from Bill Gates and his globalist cronies, WE DON'T GRADUATE ENOUGH DOMESTIC ENGINEERS!!!!

LOL

Posted by: Softwarengineer on December 21, 2006 01:07 PM

...tattooed on the inside of his skull I meant to say, (whispering) my boss walked in while I was firing that one off.
As for Sottsass or whatever his name was, the behavior/thought/understanding of thing displayed is the TRUE picture of the Little Red Army of Tolerence. No one should ever be fooled by their melodic cooing about "culture" and "change" etc.
If you could borrow Gods eyeglasses for a minute adn look directly at the heart of a multiculturist, you would see a petrie dish wriggling with virus and flaming with hatred-the same "hatred" they accuse us of. The accuser accuses most that which he despises most when he looks in the mirror.
We have nothing to fear from these people, their true identity is surfacing more and more every day. Thanks Professor. You did us a great favor. Power to the People! (except james)

Posted by: Angus MacLeod on December 21, 2006 02:06 PM

I guess I missed the part that Streamas is black. Well, in that case I wonder, is he one of those black liberals that wears the African hat and walks around with righteous indignation?(blind hate) Can you imagine what a convention of these liberal bozos would look like?

Posted by: Bobby on December 21, 2006 03:09 PM
Post your comment


 


Exit Tracking At the Bottom of DHS Priority List

"Homeland Security Department officials said they have not abandoned the idea of biometrically verifying the identities of foreigners leaving the United States by land, but acknowledge that it is at the bottom of a long to-do list of border security measures," the Washington Times reports. "The exit capability for U.S.-VISIT, the system that uses fingerprints to confirm the identities of foreign visitors, is a congressional mandate, although the law provides no deadline. A report on its implementation is overdue and is expected to be presented to Congress next month. Officials say their priority for U.S.-VISIT is to prevent potential terrorists from entering the country, rather than to confirm that legitimate visitors have left on time or to track down illegal aliens and others who overstay deliberately."

Read the full story

Comments

THEY DRAG THEIR FEET

When it comes to REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN VOTER AND ENFORCING THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS, they drag their feet.

You government and globalist employers have totally ran out of excuses for no identification system in this country, American Government employees have been tracked by finger print for years....where's your excuse now?

Posted by: Softwarengineer on December 20, 2006 01:35 PM

Im curious. To say that exit tracking is at the bottom of the list suggests that there actually is such a list. ...umm, Michael? Can you show us that list and see if we agree? We are your bosses you know. Strategically timed public relations raids are not what you should be doing. You also should not be commenting on your own personal political opinion when asked about it. If "comprehensive" means every single illegal and their anchor babies, then we are speaking the same language.
As for causuistry, leave it to the professionals.

Posted by: Angus MacLeod on December 20, 2006 01:37 PM

Well said, Angus and Software. Everything is at the bottom of the list, except procrastination.

Posted by: Jeebie on December 20, 2006 02:18 PM

Once again DHS doing everything but their job and protecting Americas citizens.

Brian

Posted by: Brian on December 21, 2006 11:01 AM

There will be only one way to fully track the comings and goings of foreigners in the U.S. That is an implantable microchip...I do not want to go that way but this problem will never stop as long as America is a desirable place to live. I think that the Globalists will use this problem to impliment a cashless system, RFID's on cars and cellphones and implant chips on all Americans. The promise of the system will be that we can all be found in seconds. I found a cool video on YOUTUBE...It is called "they want your soul" check it out!
Fight the NWO!

Posted by: Fornax2 on December 21, 2006 01:50 PM
Post your comment


 


Swift Co. Hiring Legal Workers, At Higher Wages, After Raids

"Fewer Hispanic immigrants are being hired to replace meatpacking workers arrested at Swift & Co. plants in Grand Island, Neb., and Greeley, Colo., during last week's immigration raid, union officials said Tuesday . . . Several union officials said Swift, which has denied knowingly hiring illegal workers and has not been charged, improved its wages, benefits and bonuses before the raids. ''They're trying to staff up their plants and they've been raising their wages the past few weeks,'' said United Food and Commercial Workers spokeswoman Jill Cashen. ''To me, it's an example that when you make the job more attractive you get a different kind of applicant.'''

Read the full story

Comments

No illegal aliens = higher wages for American workers... This and other reports of this happening just proves it... I guess Boosh and the rest of the traitors in Washington will have to come up with new lies... Boosh`s favorite b.s. "Their taking jobs Americans won`t do" is an insult, and a bold face lie, and it doesn`t work anymore!

Posted by: American Me on December 20, 2006 01:19 PM

THE JOBS LEGAL AMERICANS WILL DO

If they pay is fair.

Posted by: Softwarengineer on December 20, 2006 01:22 PM

Surprise, surprise. Another liberal myth regarding immigration evaporates. Bush, can you see through the fog of lies yet? Deport the criminals. Build the Wall.

Posted by: Jeebie on December 20, 2006 02:14 PM

AMERICAN's first!

Let this be an example for all the country to see... get rid of the illegals and the jobs Americans (supposedly will not do) swarm to fill the vacancy.

Posted by: Greg on December 20, 2006 04:07 PM

Jeebie,
Bush is the source of the fog of lies. If you caught his speech, today, he was feeling sorry for the illegals who are "forced" to enter this country and steal identities to do jobs "Americans aren't doing."
Yes, that's what he said. I e-mailed my opinion of his speech to him immediately after I vomitted.

Posted by: Ella on December 20, 2006 05:12 PM

"Swift co. hiring legal workers at higher wage."


Calling all the bogus economists and naysayers who claim Americans won't do certain jobs.

Posted by: Bobby on December 20, 2006 08:11 PM

Bush is well aware that his comments about "doing jobs Americans won't do" is just a crock. But he keeps sputtering them like a broken Chatty Cathy Doll....like his "stay the coarse" crapola. I didn't hear his comments today-have taken to tuning him out lately....Might be time for me to also send him an email with my own opinion of his traitorous activites regarding the border!

Posted by: mary on December 20, 2006 08:49 PM

This is just one example of illegal aliens getting jobs by fraudulently using the real IDs of American citizens. There are probably tens of thousands of other employers who have hired and currently employ illegals who are using the real Social Security numbers of American Citizens.

I was so concerned about this that I investigated whether any illegal was using my SSN to gain employment. I went to Google and typed in Identity Watch and found a service that tells you who else is using your SSN or other ID illegally.

Much to my relief, it has not happened to me. I encourage all who are concerned to do the same.

Posted by: reywob on December 20, 2006 09:01 PM

20 years ago, those jobs paid Americans a decent wage...today, some Americans have stepped up to tell Swift, we're mad as hell and we ain't gonna take it anymore!
Thank God! I wish the feds had cajones' enough to make Swift pay for their "unknowingly hiring illegals"...but they won't!
At least we can say with certainty now that Bush's line about jobs no Americans will do is one giant line of bull-ony!

Posted by: takn on December 21, 2006 01:19 AM

Hopefully the Swift workers that are suing Swift for depressing wages for years by hiring illegal aliens at a lower price will win and send another message. Maybe our government won't do it's job and prosecute but it's still going to cost them alot for being caught for knowingly depressing wages.

Posted by: Texas_Ducker on December 21, 2006 08:19 AM

I hope that the RICO suit against Swift takes them to the cleaners!

Posted by: Chris on December 21, 2006 08:31 AM

Well, Swift, look on the bright side. You might be shelling a little more out in the pay envelope, but when you need to fill a big order at Christmas time and need full shifts to work, your American workers won't run off to Mexico for a leetle vacation.

Posted by: June on December 23, 2006 06:01 PM
Post your comment


 


Illegal Aliens Have "Food Insecurity" Says La Raza

"Nearly one in five Hispanics lacks sufficient access to nutritious food and one in 20 regularly goes hungry, posing serious health and economic risks to the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority group, according to a new study. The National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group, noted in its study that the 'food insecurity' rate of Hispanics is nearly as high as that of non-Hispanic blacks and substantially greater than that of non-Hispanic whites, of whom only about 5 percent suffer from limited access to nutritious food, according to U.S. government statistics," the Washington Post writes. "'For a lot of our immigrant families, there's either a lack of understanding of the system or fear, due to their immigration status,' of approaching authorities, said Beatriz Otero, director of Centrona, a nonprofit child-care center in the District that has helped many Latino parents apply for federal assistance."

Read the full story

Comments

La Raza's points are well-taken, and hunger and poverty within the population of illegal labor is a natural consequence of slave wages and working conditions. They also correctly point out that such hunger also exists within non-Hispanic black and white populations. By the way, the larger numerical size of non-Hispanic whites makes the smaller 5% rate, in terms of actual number, much larger than it might seem. Indigenous Americans who have been denied work opportunities through illegal immigration have suffered in large numbers.

There is also hunger south of the border in Mexico, and any comprehensive solution for hunger and poverty in the United States needs to look at the root causes, such as corruption, poor education, overpopulation and other factors. Hard-working Hispanics who leave their home towns and families behind also aren't contributing amply to the people who need them at home.

This is a step in the right direction from La Raza. I'm glad to see them talking this way, although I'd like to see proposed solutions, too. One issue is cultural, and while we Americans tend to be too goal-oriented for our own good, Mexican entrepreneurs who lived for the day also contributed to previous efforts to revitalize Mexico. Maybe a compulsory national savings plan like Singapore's in Mexico makes sense.

La Raza could use the leverage of legal Hispanic citizenry to lobby Washington for things that will help Latin America, as well as legal Hispanic citizens here. I don't think mass immigration into an English-speaking country is the answer for anyone, and the wholesale replacement of Americans of all backgrounds with imported slaves ultimately benefits no one, including Hispanics.

A reasonable resettlement program for illegal immigrants should include careful consideration of the needs of Mexico and other countries south of the border, however torn and broken some of their societies may be at the moment. Even Americans who think this is not our business should consider that if we fail to do this, a future generation of Americans that has forgotten this era in history would be vulnerable to the same human disaster. No solution will be an overnight one, either, but with an Administration that's currently willing to spend over a trillion dollars in an attempt to reshape a ravaged country of the Middle East, one has to wonder why the same commitment does not exist for our next-door neighbor.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen on December 20, 2006 01:12 PM

LA RAZA = THE TAN KLAN

Posted by: American Me on December 20, 2006 01:29 PM

It would be very interesting to see the combined budgets of LULAC, RAZA, MECHA, etc, then do some number crunching to see if the multimillion dollar tax free pot would feed those 1 in 20 they propose.
Notice, that figure is framed with YOU in mind. Its YOUR fault that they are here in the first place, you imperialist.
Another question: Why do these types of stories always seem to come out right around Christmas? It seems as though I have read this same article every year since I was 7.

Posted by: Angus MacLeod on December 20, 2006 01:29 PM

CONCERNED CITIZEN, WHAT'S YOUR AGE AND DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN?

My guess is Concerned Citizen is a Globalist liberal, who feels the right wing are all Nazis. These concerned citizen liberals used to be for population control, now they want overpopulation Democrat voters, the Hades with our domestic children's future.

I've also heard from these misinformed/misguided GLOBALIST liberals [by the way, I'm a real LIBERAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEPOPULATION IN AMERICA], that simply buying a foreign hybrid car and ranting about GLOBAL WARMING cures our country's problems and we can still double the population with poor "Democrat" foreigners.

WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING????

Posted by: Softwarengineer on December 20, 2006 01:44 PM

Softwarenengineer, did you read my post, or did you see my first positive remarks about La Raza's apparent change of direction and fly into a rage?

You might want to re-read what I wrote.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen on December 20, 2006 01:49 PM

Food from American tax dollars via welfare doesn't provide you with nutritious food? All those hard workers doing jobs Americans won't can't feed you? Well, too bad, then. That's what you get for thinking walking across the border into another country unprepared will get you. Did you think it would be paradise overnight? It's not for born and bred Americans and it wasn't for our ancestors, so why should it be for anyone else?

Posted by: Born American on December 20, 2006 02:20 PM

"Mexican entrepreneurs who lived for the day also contributed to previous efforts to revitalize Mexico."

In case anyone didn't see from the structure of my sentence and fill in the blank, I meant to say "also contributed to the failure of previous efforts to revitalize Mexico."

Anyway, I agree with Born American that food welfare for Mexican citizens, and spoon-feeding the world for that matter, is not the burden of US taxpayers. Such assistance falls into the realms of foreign aid and charity, both legitimate and long-standing aspects of American life, but people can and should debate about the dollar amounts and nature of the programs. It's never really been a question of whether to care, though. I even heard Bob Dole correct conservatives on this point in a Young Republican speech he made in the mid-90s.

There have long been religous conservatives out there, most recently in Bill Barnwell's Dec. 2 piece on vDare, who've asked the question of how to best help the immigrants themselves. Poverty has been more a preserve of the religious left, but the religous right is most definitely on the case, as it should be. The classic conservative arguments never actually said "don't help others," but instead said we should not have government do the job, or at least not with wildly ineffective and expensive programs.

Helping Mexico solve its problem of corruption and encourging education and other sensible reforms legitimately falls into the area of diplomacy (we typically want people to emulate our values), rather than foreign aid, and any actual public money we spent (as opposed to private investment) should be subject to careful consideration and public debate. I mentioned the trillion dollar figure knowing that most of that money has been spent on military matters that would be, unless we actually sent troops to quell drug and radical leftist violence in some areas, not much of a factor in Latin America. But at the present time, American taxpayers and workers are paying "out the wazoo" for illegal immigration, and mass immigration in general, in order to subsidize certain special interests. Americans who have stood up to stop this have provided our politicians with the political cover they needed, helped to enlighten pundits, and moved the parameters of the debate to the point that many Hispanic interest advocates may now see redevelopment as a better course of action than mass immigration, especially in light of the once-displaced American workers who have been highlighted recently. Renewed focus on Americans has been long-overdue, and when Americans are fully part of the equation, suddenly immigrants per se won't have a free ride in the press they had before.

One more thing about laissez-faire capitalism. While I believe in private property and the labor theory of value (if you work for it, you should own it), two underpinnings of our system, I also believe in Adam Smith's early and largely-forgotten work on moral sentiments. Without a moral underpinning, capitalism becomes nothing more than gangsterism. Ayn Rand was unsophisticated (she didn't understand Kant, whom she reviled), and since her theory also was atheist-based, I'd argue her thoughts were weird cousins to Marxism. We had something like objectivism in the American Wild West, and we've seen it more recently in Russia, but laissez-faire economics, when misconstrued, become "everything's okay if you feel like doing it." Want to create your own currency? No problem. Start a bank? No problem. Don't trust the bank? No problem, either, just don't accept their notes as payment. No law in your town? No problem. Your Sheriff's on the take? No problem. Round up a possee and hang 'em. This quickly becomes a system of worthless railroad bonds and chaos, aka as anarchy, and it was actually the robber barons themselves who saw a need for better organization, which led to trusts, which got out of hand, which they also agreed to let Teddy Roosevelt bust.

History marches on, but what I fear the most are extremists and those who feel certain they are right but are not.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen on December 20, 2006 05:03 PM

Let me get this straight. Illegals come here and are obviously unemployed or underemployed because they're going hungry. Why is this OUR responsibility? I say give them a good meal and a bus ticket home. If they're here to work and are NOT working, they don't need to be here. We have enough hungry, homeless citizens we can't seem to help.

Posted by: Ella on December 20, 2006 06:12 PM

Why should any American worry or believe in anything a group called La Raza,(THE RACE) says.

Posted by: Bobby on December 20, 2006 08:24 PM

"'For a lot of our immigrant families, there's either a lack of understanding of the system or fear, due to their immigration status,' of approaching authorities, said Beatriz Otero, director of Centrona..."

That means they're illegal aliens and this guy knows that they are.

He's using the sympathy factor here to try to justify more U.S. dollars being spent on illegal aliens (err, "people who are not sure about their immigraiton status").

The U.S. Agriculture industry is also a leading proponent of open borders, to state the obvious, and leading employer of illegal aliens in the U.S.

If people who are here illegally can't figure out how to manipulate the U.S. social services, are we then supposed to help them? Maybe start another branch of government at taxpayer expense to fund explaining how they can feed themselves if they're illegal aliens? Ridiculous.

Charity should remain a freely entered into act by people motivated toward demonstrating love for others and sharing, assisting those in need, but making the Department of Charity for Illegal Aliens is ridiculous. But, is it charity when citizens are forced without regard for their individual opinions to support behaviors that we consider to be objectionable? Charity is supposed to be an act of giving, not an act of theft -- and forcing taxpaid dollars into giving pools for illegal immigration helps is truly and terribly offensive in my view.

Another very bad outcome of illegal immigration...we all have needs and that includes U.S. citizens. If a person is in our country illegally, they might want to figure out how and when to go home so they can feed themselves there.

Posted by: -S- on December 20, 2006 08:50 PM

Doesn't LaRaza already benefit in the millions of dollars annually from U.S. taxpayer dollars and from various corporate giving?

Why doesn't LaRaza use SOME of their millions to feed people "who are not sure about their immigration status" and...well...let me guess, they'd all be Hispanic. LaRaza would screen applicants based upon whether or not they were "of the race" (Hispanic).

LaRaza is a racist organization and there is not one iota of loyalty in that organization to American citizens, nor especially any who are not "of the racec."

Why aren't they working to figure out how to "feed" "their people" in Mexico? To eradicate the poverty that's alleged to exist there such that people "of their race" "have to" "migrate" here (their terms, not mine).

Posted by: -S- on December 20, 2006 08:56 PM

The "poverty picture" that La Raza has agreed to give the American People is but another example of how willing they are to deceive those "not of the race." Their hope is to accomplish two things. 1. Find sympathy for illegals (immigrants) and 2. Let the rest of us pay for their folly.

Mexico, in case anyone cares - ended the calendar year 2002 with half their population in poverty and a full 1/5th in extreme poverty. Now, 4 years later and after a meager increase in their Human Services Budget - it boasts a decrease in their poverty rate of 5.3% - but fails to take into account that in that same time period, nearly 10% of its population INVADED the USA and that between 12 to 26 billion U.S. dollars found their way into the coffers of the Mexican Government and the wallets of those who were and who remain in the 50% poverty class.

Ironically - due to all of this cash flowing through the wire services of Western Union, etc. - the 20% of Mexicans who were in extreme poverty has now increased to a bit above 22%. The offset between the two shows a zero gain overall, and those States in the South of Mexico - as we all know - have been and are increasingly - in a state of unrest, and civil war. It would seem therefor, that Mexico's big plan is to send even more nationals to the USA under the seriously flawed plan that more Illegal Aliens in the USA = more U.S. cash flowing into Mexico = less poverty. The data shows just the opposite - as villages and towns stand nearly abandoned due to a lack of "cash" prospecters who have been driven to flee to the USA because of a government policy that refuses to address the causes of poverty - beginning with corruption, corruption, and extreme corruption.

From what I see and hear now - Mexico is near the "tipping" point - politically and socially. Millions of its citizens have alligned themselves with marxist-socialist such as Chavez, Castro, Ortega, Morales and several more dictators of Latin American nations. What we are seeing now - is but a repetition of the leftist movements that drained citizen resources in the 60's - 70's - 80's and now in this millenium.

As for the geneous of La Raza - make no mistake!! So long as they can get away with portraying the ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADER as nothing more than a homeless, starving, uneducated, hard working refuge from a distant land that reeks of empty dreams and political and social corruption that caters to some swarthy drug lord who owns everything and everyone - and uses this to successfully shame us "non-hispanic whites", then we will see every politician at every level of our government - bend backward and forward to provide them with the kind of life that will not only cost us billions - but the sovereignty of our nation as well.

Bush has promised that he will work with a Democrat Congress and Republican supporters to ensure that "HIS" policies get passed and implemented.

Whatever happened to those things that the American People want and expect? How about a concept that requires our Constitutional Officers and elected and appointed officials who have a sworn duty and an obligation to represent the People of the USA? What a novel idea!

Posted by: MJB on December 20, 2006 11:32 PM

I watch them here in the supermarket ,Pay for items with food stamps then what food stamps doe's not allow is paid from a roll of $100.00
dollar bills 4 inches thick then drive out of the parking lot in a brand new $40,000.00 dodge pick up.I am on SS and denied food stamps .Me and my wife eat one meal a day . America is in decline
and nothing will stop it.

Posted by: American on December 21, 2006 12:03 AM

Food insecurity is now the way the US government describes many who go without food in this country. While the change in wording seems ridiculous, I don't feel like we're responsible for the "insecurity" of even one illegal alien...
They aren't supposed to be here...
Go home...quit yer bitchin!

Posted by: takn on December 21, 2006 01:30 AM

I've read a few claims recently that it's OUR fault illegal aliens are here, because of US policy in Latin America. Yet, here we have "Concerned Citizen" claiming that the US must intervene in the affairs of Latin America to save it from itself. Just how does he think we'll do that? Maybe by backing a coup? Or pouring millions upon millions of dollars into "aid"--which is promptly put into the pockets of elites? Seems we're trying that in Iraq. We're damned if we do, and damned if we don't.

Posted by: Ali on December 21, 2006 07:15 AM

Plenty of born and bred American children are hungry. Many working poor don't have basic necessities. Many elderly experience the same thing as "American" talks about.
I never hear anyone talking about our "insecurity."
This country should be ashamed. (and held accountable).

Posted by: Born American on December 21, 2006 11:42 AM

American has put it succinctly, American Citizens are tired of going without and then having to "foot the bill" for the Illegals. In So Cal the Media is pleading with the Public to donate toys this Holiday Season. It has been reported that the toy donations to the major toy drive charities are down by 2/3 this year. Is it possible that the Public has figured it out? The majority of "needy children who will not have toys for Christmas" have Illegal Alien Parents. The same parents described by American. These vultures play on the sympathy of Americans to avoid spending their own money on THEIR children. Meanwhile the REAL needy American and Legal Alien Children are losing out. Thankfully, many Churches and Private Charities realize this and are focusing their donations on these "truly needy". My donation has gone to one of these. If La Raza is so concerned about the Illegals, they should spend some of their funds on a toy drive for Illegals Children. However that would take money away from fighting Americans in Court. It is so sad that the Greed of these Illegals has come to this.

Posted by: Braveheart Offspring on December 21, 2006 12:04 PM

Ali, I've posted ideas for Mexican reform on this blog several times, and on this thread yesterday I also floated a compulsory national savings plan for Mexico as a possible way of changing the culture more toward one of deferred gratification. I also said we might, but said neither we should or we should not, even put specialized troops in Mexico at some point to quell drug violence in certain areas.

I never said Latin America's problems are simply OUR fault, but the United States has a long history of helping other countries rebuild themselves, often through trade, investment and other benign means. We do it right now, whether people realize it or not. Our leaders know it, and they also know we can do much to resolve the massive income gap between the US and Mexico if they approach the issue with the right thought and political will. The United States has done this before in Japan, China and Germany, and many other places. Mexico also seems the lower-risk bet for business, versus other countries of emphasis today, in my opinion, and I know some investors who already believe that. Many people now realize Mexico could be a good place for many Boomers to retire, and right there is a need for many Mexican workers in Mexico rather than here taking American jobs. We also can shift more production into Mexico from China, and we can use moral and other means to help convince Mexico's leaders to clean up their corruption.

I'm not floating a proposal, but I've been saying there's a need for responsible adult leadership, and I'm hopeful that this is starting to happen.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen on December 21, 2006 07:28 PM

I have to agree with concerned citizen.
The US has helped practically every country in the world to develop along economic lines. Even before this illegal immigrant issue started back in 86 I wondered why there were not more US companies developing businesses, real estate projects, etc. that would have employed mexicans, americans and produced another market for retirees, golfers, hunting and fishing programs and Lord knows what else could have been done.

I think there have been a lot of missed opportunities and we are all suffering for it.
I think that is one of the reasons you are seeing some of the latin countries leaning further left.
The sad thing is that these people would rather work for what they get than be given handouts.
Their government needs to create more opportunities for their people.

The things that stand in the way now is that corruption and the drug cartels have so much power and influence that it will be even more difficult.

Posted by: veteran on December 22, 2006 08:44 AM
Post your comment