A recent response to the "CHANGE" chain email
I recently responded to a chain email called "CHANGE" that infers that Mexican immigrants are not as worthy to be American as 1910's immigrants because the former wanted to be "Americans". In the response, I kinda slam my cousin Matt, who's the type that does "Bible Passage of the Day" on his facebook.
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Thank you, Matt. I love you, cousin, but the "illegal means illegal" route doesn't hold account for the numbers that come over due to the terrifying conditions in Mexico. I've come to know that you've got very strong Christian opinions. I'm surprised to learn that such a staunch supporter of a messiah of peace and love is taking the viewpoint that our "too government is too pc so we need to send illegal immigrants back across the border to a country that's dangerous because well...illegal is illegal." That's a very cold opinion to have when this topic involves peoples' lives. WWJD?
1. Please stop playing partisan/racism politics because someone feels that this measure is racist. It's a recorded fact that Russell Pearce who was the driving force behind SB1070 in Arizona has Neo Nazi ties. While the bill by nature is not racist, there -are- racists who have pushed it forward as a side agenda. Here in Arizona we have had Neo-Nazis with assault rifles standing on street corners downtown to show their support for the policy. I simply think that it's a strange moment when good people find themselves on the same side of the fence with Neo-Nazis with assault rifles. I agree that our immigration system needs to be reformed, but the fact that it's gotten to "assault rifle nazi" levels makes me feel that this issue should slow down a bit before someone gets hurt.
2. I don't wish to be rude, but to state that Jennifer's "race card" play is old and tireless doesn't account for the fact that no one has disagreed with me so far on the issues of Civil Rights, the dangerous conditions in Mexico, and the fact that not a single person attached to this chain email has claimed to actually been harmed by an illegal immigrant.
3. It is not against the law to work and send money to family members that you love, even if they live in another country. Everyone that sends money to Mexico via "Western Union" is a tax payer.
I love everyone in this world equally, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other nonviolent factor. All that I'm trying to point out is that this "change" chain letter is designed to desensitize people into seeing undocumented immigrants only as rude, disrespectful, criminal, and hate filled people. You owe it to yourselves to not become angry, hate filled people in return. This issue isn't as simple as "illegal means illegal".
There -are- undocumented immigrants that want to be American and love America. There -are- children that have been trekked across the 110 degree desert because of dangers by parents that wanted them to be born/raised in a country where they have a chance to become something. There are illegal immigrant children and the children of illegal immigrants in our schools learning about how to be American an how to be good, productive people in our society.
I'm curious though, do you think this might be an issue that America has changed? Be it from Germany or from Ireland during the potato famine, we've had droves of tired, hungry, and scared immigrants coming to this country to find a way to live. We have a statue known as the "Statue of Liberty" located at 12 Acre Island right near Ellis Island where my ancestors entered America. On the statue is an inscription that reads:
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (P.S. Illegal means illegal)
I added the "illegal means illegal" but I took some liberties and made a few portions of the inscriptions in bold. The symbol of our peace and liberty has an inscription that reads "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses". In America, people have the freedom to decide that they do not like Americans, or the American way. In fact, in a free society with freedom of speech people should not be condemned for having impolite things to say about America. If we start to require that our immigrants adhere to "wanting to act like an American", we create a system in which people do not have the freedom to choose their opinions and their way of life. That is not the ethics on which this country was founded. In fact, this country was founded on the blood of people that were brave enough to look into the faces of the demanding authorities that would keep them from being free and commit TREASON to secure their freedom.
The Statue of Liberty is one of our nation's most beloved symbols. We put it on the jersies of our olympic teams. We travel to visit the statue. We buy little plastic statues of Lady Liberty to give to our children. The statue welcomes people to come and be free...not come and be American. This is what the rest of the world believes that our ethics are founded on.
If I were a Mexican, fleeing a country filled with dirt, drugs, beheadings, violence and rape I would be APALLED to come to America and learn that (contrary to what we claim our beliefs are) people aren't bending over backwards to be excited that I could share freedom with them.
...and then they learn that our population has become so bitter and scared after 9/11 that we're so busy worrying about our private hoards of wealth and prosperity that they're not willing to let piss-poor immigrants use their hospitals because "illegal means illegal". HOSPITALS. People are complaining about the wait times in HOSPITALS because illegal immigrant babies are sick. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US???
Maybe the American ideal doesn't deserve their love because we haven't shown them a proper example? Why should they love America? We spend so little time loving eachother...why should they want to be a part of this. The last time I saw a Mexican birthday party there were easily 50 kids in attendance. There are Mexican immigrants that know more about family and love than I've ever forgotten.
So I say...if there's a chance that even one of these "illegal immigrants" is scared, hungry, poor, and terrified of raising a child in a country like Mexico that we should take the time to deal with this CAREFULLY and consider all of our options. We should be honored that they are coming here for a chance to live a life like I, my parents, my grandparents, and my ancestors were blessed with. Yes...even if they don't want to act like the rest of us.
Please don't think I'm a jerk for what I say. I'm only saying this because I'm having an attack of conscience.
-Jeff.
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Thank you, Matt. I love you, cousin, but the "illegal means illegal" route doesn't hold account for the numbers that come over due to the terrifying conditions in Mexico. I've come to know that you've got very strong Christian opinions. I'm surprised to learn that such a staunch supporter of a messiah of peace and love is taking the viewpoint that our "too government is too pc so we need to send illegal immigrants back across the border to a country that's dangerous because well...illegal is illegal." That's a very cold opinion to have when this topic involves peoples' lives. WWJD?
1. Please stop playing partisan/racism politics because someone feels that this measure is racist. It's a recorded fact that Russell Pearce who was the driving force behind SB1070 in Arizona has Neo Nazi ties. While the bill by nature is not racist, there -are- racists who have pushed it forward as a side agenda. Here in Arizona we have had Neo-Nazis with assault rifles standing on street corners downtown to show their support for the policy. I simply think that it's a strange moment when good people find themselves on the same side of the fence with Neo-Nazis with assault rifles. I agree that our immigration system needs to be reformed, but the fact that it's gotten to "assault rifle nazi" levels makes me feel that this issue should slow down a bit before someone gets hurt.
2. I don't wish to be rude, but to state that Jennifer's "race card" play is old and tireless doesn't account for the fact that no one has disagreed with me so far on the issues of Civil Rights, the dangerous conditions in Mexico, and the fact that not a single person attached to this chain email has claimed to actually been harmed by an illegal immigrant.
3. It is not against the law to work and send money to family members that you love, even if they live in another country. Everyone that sends money to Mexico via "Western Union" is a tax payer.
I love everyone in this world equally, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other nonviolent factor. All that I'm trying to point out is that this "change" chain letter is designed to desensitize people into seeing undocumented immigrants only as rude, disrespectful, criminal, and hate filled people. You owe it to yourselves to not become angry, hate filled people in return. This issue isn't as simple as "illegal means illegal".
There -are- undocumented immigrants that want to be American and love America. There -are- children that have been trekked across the 110 degree desert because of dangers by parents that wanted them to be born/raised in a country where they have a chance to become something. There are illegal immigrant children and the children of illegal immigrants in our schools learning about how to be American an how to be good, productive people in our society.
I'm curious though, do you think this might be an issue that America has changed? Be it from Germany or from Ireland during the potato famine, we've had droves of tired, hungry, and scared immigrants coming to this country to find a way to live. We have a statue known as the "Statue of Liberty" located at 12 Acre Island right near Ellis Island where my ancestors entered America. On the statue is an inscription that reads:
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (P.S. Illegal means illegal)
I added the "illegal means illegal" but I took some liberties and made a few portions of the inscriptions in bold. The symbol of our peace and liberty has an inscription that reads "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses". In America, people have the freedom to decide that they do not like Americans, or the American way. In fact, in a free society with freedom of speech people should not be condemned for having impolite things to say about America. If we start to require that our immigrants adhere to "wanting to act like an American", we create a system in which people do not have the freedom to choose their opinions and their way of life. That is not the ethics on which this country was founded. In fact, this country was founded on the blood of people that were brave enough to look into the faces of the demanding authorities that would keep them from being free and commit TREASON to secure their freedom.
The Statue of Liberty is one of our nation's most beloved symbols. We put it on the jersies of our olympic teams. We travel to visit the statue. We buy little plastic statues of Lady Liberty to give to our children. The statue welcomes people to come and be free...not come and be American. This is what the rest of the world believes that our ethics are founded on.
If I were a Mexican, fleeing a country filled with dirt, drugs, beheadings, violence and rape I would be APALLED to come to America and learn that (contrary to what we claim our beliefs are) people aren't bending over backwards to be excited that I could share freedom with them.
...and then they learn that our population has become so bitter and scared after 9/11 that we're so busy worrying about our private hoards of wealth and prosperity that they're not willing to let piss-poor immigrants use their hospitals because "illegal means illegal". HOSPITALS. People are complaining about the wait times in HOSPITALS because illegal immigrant babies are sick. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US???
Maybe the American ideal doesn't deserve their love because we haven't shown them a proper example? Why should they love America? We spend so little time loving eachother...why should they want to be a part of this. The last time I saw a Mexican birthday party there were easily 50 kids in attendance. There are Mexican immigrants that know more about family and love than I've ever forgotten.
So I say...if there's a chance that even one of these "illegal immigrants" is scared, hungry, poor, and terrified of raising a child in a country like Mexico that we should take the time to deal with this CAREFULLY and consider all of our options. We should be honored that they are coming here for a chance to live a life like I, my parents, my grandparents, and my ancestors were blessed with. Yes...even if they don't want to act like the rest of us.
Please don't think I'm a jerk for what I say. I'm only saying this because I'm having an attack of conscience.
-Jeff.