The Yorba Linda city council just voted to support the infamous AZ immigration law SB1070 (LA Times 6/4/10). This was done in part as retaliation for the LA city council voting to boycott AZ. Let me just say, first, that I live very close to Yorba Linda. It is a weathly city in Orange County with a mostly white population. I'm wondering if those same rich, white people will be willing to get off their asses and mow their own lawns when it's 100 degrees outside, or flip burgers at McDonalds, or work in a factory or clean up after...themselves, as maids do everyday?
People bitch about all those "illegals" but they don't realize how immigrant populations help both our economy and our way of life, and do it for much less money and little to no benefits. Many people also believe that immigrants come over here looking for a "free ride" or that they should simply "apply for papers." First of all, I've never been able to figure out what "free ride" they were referring to. Immigrants I know work at crappy jobs for low wages and do not get health insurance, vacation time, dental insurance, sick leave, and are often fearful of going to the doctor or other social services for fear of deportation. Even those with visas still feel the sting of racism and anti-immigrant attitudes, being asked if they are illegals or if they can "speak English?" Secondly, there are very few legals paths to a green card, let alone citizenship. And these few paths are wrought with legal pitfalls and large obstacles.
Here's the truth: you will never stop immigration, illegal or otherwise, by putting up a ridiculous wall or doing a witch hunt to deport all undocuments folks. The answer lies in creating clear, accessible paths to work visas, green cards and citizenship. For a country built on the backs of immigrants since our inception, it sure seems hypocritical and short-sighted to penalize immigrants today for wanting the same thing.
And my last word on AZ...stop being so fucking racist!
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ReplyDeleteExactly! They need to understand that if given the opportunity, I bet every illegal immigrant would want to have a work permit and would be willing to work hard, pay taxes and contribute to society in a positive way. It's ridiculous to think that people come here illegally by choice and that they are leaving their countries because they want to! People immigrate in search of a better life, or for a better life for their children that often get left behind, or more often, people immigrate to America due to starvation, political oppression and in many cases due to death threats. We would all do the same if the circumstances in our country forced us to. People need to wake up and stop projecting their self-hatred onto others!
ReplyDeleteThank God for people who are not afraid to speak the truth!!
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