Our local paper ran this story this morning about some groups of people who place and maintain water stations in the desert to help prevent the deaths of illegal crossers into the United States.
Maybe you have to live in the Southwest to appreciate the hatred and vitriol that surrounds the illegal immigration issue. Or maybe it's in every part of the country and I just am not aware of it.
These are some of the comments left by readers in response to the story. I chose these because they are typical and brief. Spelling errors are as written. A full ninety percent of commenters want illegals stopped at all costs, even to the point of death.
Donald H. said,
Where are those water barrels, anyway? I need some target practice. We need the borders secure, not enticement to tresspass!
From Clifton C.,
These BLEEDING HEARTS are aiding and abeting criminal's and should be sent to prison in MEXICO. Mabey after they see how the mexican government treat's AMERICAN crimial's they maight have a change of mind about the ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINAL'S they help. Clifton loves to capitalize to emphasize his points.
And our award winner from Randy L.,
TRAITORS THAT NEED ARRESTED. If they die, it's their own fault.
In a perfect world the poor of Mexico could find work in their own country that provided them a decent life. In a slightly less perfect world, we would have a sensible immigration plan that would allow people to work in this country as needed and would a have a system that would include some kind of reasonable enforcement of the border.
Instead, we have a tidal wave of the poor and desperate from south of the border risking life and limb to better themselves. Is a drink of water too much to give?
So long as I am on a rant, Jeremiah Wright, famous for being Barak Obama's pastor, spoke yesterday at the NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner last night in Detroit.
No white person in America can look at the video of Rev. Wright's now famous sermon to his congregation, without being at least a bit put off. Me included. To hear Wright describe the attacks of 9-11 as, America's chickens coming home to roost, is disconcerting and gives rise to reflexive defensiveness and denial among non-blacks. I happen to think that he is wrong on that score.
Additionally, I think we tend to dismiss Wright's criticisms as whining and blame blacks not taking personal responsibility for themselves. After all, we all know African-Americans who are doing just fine, so those who aren't, are just not trying hard enough.
At the Detroit dinner Rev. Wright said of himself, "I am not one of the most divisive" black spiritual leaders, he said. "I'm one of the most descriptive."
Rev. Wright describes the view of many, probably most African-Americans in this country. It is a view that most of us non-blacks don't get. Even the most successful black Americans will tell you that something is wrong in society. This in spite of their personal successes.
Walter Williams, a professor of economics at George Mason University and a conservative black American has outlined his points for avoiding poverty. They stand in stark contrast to the reality for many black Americans.
According to Williams the keys are, first, graduate from high school. Second, get married before you have children, and stay married. Third, work at any kind of job, even one that starts out paying the minimum wage. And, finally, avoid engaging in criminal behavior.
Consider the following;
A black baby is about three times as likely to be born to an unwed mother as a white one. Lyndon Johnson was distressed that black illegitimacy rate was twenty percent in the sixties, in part spurring the Great Society programs. The rates peaked at seventy-four percent and are still at sixty percent today.
African-Americans are incarcerated at rates at least twice their percentage of the population in forty six of the fifty states.
African-American family income is two-thirds that of non-white Hispanic families.
African-Americans graduate from high school and college at rates below all other major ethnic groups.
I think that as uncomfortable as his message is, the Rev. Wright makes a point. Something is wrong in our society and it is about more than taking personal responsibility.
Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky
8 comments:
All of us need to work together in a positive way to solve these problems. I've never understood where all of the hate comes from!
would a non bleeeding heart give water to a dehydrated soul? how hard would it be to give a small amount of food and a drink of water to a starving soul? how can people be so hard? it doesn't get them anywhere
And some of the cruelest, most hateful people call themselves Christians. From Matthew 25:
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right side, 'Come, you who have been called by My Father. Come into the holy nation that has been made ready for you before the world was made. 35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me water to drink. I was a stranger and you gave Me a room. 36 I had no clothes and you gave Me clothes to wear. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in prison and you came to see Me.'
37 "Then those that are right with God will say, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? When did we see You thirsty and give You a drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and give You a room? When did we see You had no clothes and we gave You clothes? 39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and we came to You?' 40 Then the King will say, 'For sure, I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me.'
Dennis likes all people.
I can't read those reader comments because I am too sensitive.
"We have to preserve our way of life" is another way of saying we refuse to share with those that need it.
I agree with Julia.
ched definitely sums up my views! we do all need to work together and I too don't understand where all this hate is from and why and why it persists.
if you haven't seen the pinky show's take on the 'illegal' immigration issue it's a MUST...easiest thing is to just go to you tube and put in pinky show, illegal immigration. for cats pinky and daisy sum up the issues better than most!
Wow! What a brilliant, thought-provoking post. Not surprisingly, I pretty much agree with you on everything.
And bravo to Julia, for pointing out the inherently un-Christian attitude of some of these immigrant-haters.
I don't know how, or why, we all got so good at dividing ourselves and our society up -- but we need to get good at erasing those dividing lines, pronto.
Post a Comment