Posts: 487 |
haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 7:56 PM |
big topic in the 2008 election over here in the U.S.A.
one thing, it drives me mental when the candidates (especially republicans) refer to illegal immigrants just as "Illegals". i hate this term because it's, in my humble opinion, a coded racist slur towards folks from South America more than any other place in the world.
i'm a legal immigrant in this country but i can't tell you the amount of times i've been sitting at my desk and heard other people going on and on about immigration, either legal or illegal, and how they're stealing jobs etc. these cupid stunts completely forget that I'M an immigrant -- only i'm an immigrant that looks like them and talks like them (kind of).
anyways, go Hillary.
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Monica Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 7:59 PM |
Mmmm. Immigration. In Spain there are a lot of people from South America, and some people don't like them and treat them as if they weren't human.
By the way, Haz, where are you from? I'm just curious ;) |
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Posts: 487 |
haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:01 PM |
Monica wrote: Mmmm. Immigration. In Spain there are a lot of people from South America, and some people don't like them and treat them as if they weren't human.
By the way, Haz, where are you from? I'm just curious ;)
:/ that's too bad, immigrants always seem to have a hard time of it which isn't right.
i'm from ireland. |
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goosey_84 Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:03 PM |
i always feel it's for hispanic/latino groups as well. In Cali it's mexicans to be specific.
edit: having a mexican background but being born here, i always feel torn when i hear the talk. and i agree haz; "illegals" really does come off as a coded racist slur. |
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haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:05 PM |
goosey_84 wrote: i always feel it's for hispanic/latino groups as well. In Cali it's mexicans to be specific.
isn't that terrible? it makes me nuts. and all this crap about "illegals stealing jobs from Americans", i mean wtf? yeah i can imagine an "American" hosing down the floors of some enormous ConAgra slaugherhouse for pennies an hour, yeah totally robbed there. |
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Monica Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:07 PM |
| It's not fair to treat immigrants bad. Some (stupid) persons think that they come here because they want to steal our jobs and I always answer this: if they had good conditions in their countries, they wouldn't come here. The same happens with people from Africa. They come here risking their lives... Everyday news say that one-two... whatever immigrants have died.... :( |
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ElspethOllie Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:09 PM |
haz wrote: Monica wrote: Mmmm. Immigration. In Spain there are a lot of people from South America, and some people don't like them and treat them as if they weren't human.
By the way, Haz, where are you from? I'm just curious ;)
:/ that's too bad, immigrants always seem to have a hard time of it which isn't right.
i'm from ireland.
Oh cool! How long have you lived in America Haz?
That's so funny, we were just talking about this in our Government class. I really like my teacher, he's on a lot of talking head shows and he has his own Xfm radio show. |
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Posts: 487 |
haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:13 PM |
Monica wrote: It's not fair to treat immigrants bad. Some (stupid) persons think that they come here because they want to steal our jobs and I always answer this: if they had good conditions in their countries, they wouldn't come here. The same happens with people from Africa. They come here risking their lives... Everyday news say that one-two... whatever immigrants have died.... :(
i agree with you it's a terrible state of affairs, but there's always going to be racism when someone new arrives. people fear change i suppose, which is definitely what's happening in my own home country of ireland. for centuries my country was made up of white irish people, but over the past 10 to 15 years that's all changed with the influx of different races of people into ireland, i never realized how racist the irish can be and it's pretty sad and scary :/
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goosey_84 Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:13 PM |
Monica wrote: I always answer this: if they had good conditions in their countries, they wouldn't come here.
that's how i feel about it as well. they talk about illegal immigrants here as if they "steal" these high end jobs...which is not the case (as haz illustrated above)...and it's my understanding that many are really just trying to make any kind of money to send home to support their families.
i leave it at that. i am not the most informed person when it comes to politics. |
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Meridith Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:14 PM |
| yeah nice attitude to have...I think people forget that most Americans (our ancestors) were all immigrants here at one time. it's too bad that it's that way. |
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haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:17 PM |
ElspethOllie wrote: haz wrote: Monica wrote: Mmmm. Immigration. In Spain there are a lot of people from South America, and some people don't like them and treat them as if they weren't human.
By the way, Haz, where are you from? I'm just curious ;)
:/ that's too bad, immigrants always seem to have a hard time of it which isn't right.
i'm from ireland.
Oh cool! How long have you lived in America Haz?
That's so funny, we were just talking about this in our Government class. I really like my teacher, he's on a lot of talking head shows and he has his own Xfm radio show.
i've been here 16 years. i really should go for my citizenship but i'm too lazy. i wish they'd just let me vote as is :) |
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th74 Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:18 PM |
goosey_84 wrote: i always feel it's for hispanic/latino groups as well. In Cali it's mexicans to be specific.
edit: having a mexican background but being born here, i always feel torn when i hear the talk. and i agree haz; "illegals" really does come off as a coded racist slur.
I've always thought the illegal immigrant issue had more to do with race than most people want to admit. And the word illegals conjures a certain image here in the US, one that has to do with race. My dad is Mexican, and I was born here, so I always get a little fired up about this topic. |
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haz Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:21 PM |
Meridith wrote: yeah nice attitude to have...I think people forget that most Americans (our ancestors) were all immigrants here at one time. it's too bad that it's that way.
agreed, that's what makes me so mad when i see all these idiots protesting and wanting a wall between the 'States and Mexico. talk about sending the wrong message to the world given the current situation globally, it's exactly what the terrorists want a tangible example of "Fortress America". but you know this whole "illegals" thing is just something for the Republicans to get the base all in a tizzy. four years ago it was gay marriage that got Dwight off the John Deere and into the voting booth, this time it's all those dangerous "illegals" boooooooooo!
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th74 Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:26 PM |
| It'll be interesting to see what happens with immigration, whoever is elected. Immigration is just one issue that's important for me this election year. |
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heyjude Posted Thu 17 Jan, 2008 8:27 PM |
| this immigration issue is particularly divisive because it's also successful in turning legal immigrants against "illegals" or undocumented immigrants. very sad. |
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