05/29/07 Email exchange (unedited as received)
Dear Hal,
I just want to ask why so much hatred between illegal immigrants, if the Anglo are as well immigrants??? Borders or no borders people come to this country to have have a better life. My parents came here illegaly and I thank them 100% percent for risking their lives to come to this wonderful country. I'm showing to them that their hard work has payed off and I am becoming really succesful and going to college. However, I know not everyone seems to think the same way and many Chicanos, or mexican americans that have the opportunity to gain education don't take advantage. Gang violence in Los Angeles is becoming a serious issue, but we can't get angry or fustruated at the Mayor and other organizations that are trying their best to stop it. I, myself have experience the horros of gang violence and I don't think it will end very soon.Gang violence is one of many issues like drug dealing will take years to stop. And about the borders, what good will it make building a border??? Keeping people out of the United States is not a soulution. I don't see Latin American countries closing their doors at U.S cittizens.
Angie91
Dear Angie91
You have made some classical "think stopper" statements and asked some classical "think stopper" questions. A "think stopper" is a conjectural accusation or name calling that stops discussion, paralyzes thinking, and halts argument and conversation. In the 16th century the word was "heretic" – today it's words like "racist" or "xenophobe."
The fact that your parents came here illegally from Mexico (my wife did also) doesn't make it right for all times. Australia was build by convicts exiled from England. That doesn't mean that Australia should always welcome convicts.
Humans, just like animals, have two basic defense systems -- fight or flight. When the choices are to fight your own corrupt government for your rights and a better life or accept America's virtual invitation to migrate illegally without any punitive consequences, the choice is obvious. Perhaps if our immigration laws had always been enforced, your parents would have made the choice to fight for a better life in Mexico.
True, you are very lucky that your parents' decision to break the law culminated in your being a citizen of the greatest country in the world (for now). But some parents who immigrate illegally have children that turn out to be criminals and gang members. While the majority of illegal immigrants are not criminals beyond breaking our immigration laws, the problem is that when people come to the U.S without permission, there is no way to tell the "good" illegal aliens from the "bad" ones.
What planet are you on to think that Mayor Villaraigosa is doing everything that he can to stop gang violence? The Mayor fights every effort to cooperate with the federal government in deporting illegal alien gang members. When he was a councilman before he was mayor, he voted to have ex-cop councilman Dennis Zine go to Washington to lobby against the CLEAR act.
Your statement that you don't see Latin American countries closing their doors to U.S. citizens shows a disconnect in your logic. If you are talking about tourism, the U.S does not close its doors to any citizen of a Latin American country. If you are talking about immigration, that's quite different. If the U.S. enforced its immigration laws as Mexico does, we wouldn't be discussing the immigration problem now.
If the U.S. were to take your advice to allow just anyone who wanted, to immigrate to the U.S., the world's 6 billion impoverished persons would turn the U.S. into a third world hell in short order.
I hope you will rethink the issue.