Opinion Talk

By BT

April 21, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this

To Nancy Lyall’s comment, It is not an issue of having an immigrant neighbor. It is about illegal imigrants and that is not racism.

By Josh

April 21, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this

People show their ignorance when they imply not liking illegal immigrants equals racism. I want every illegal immigrant out of this country, but I also want to make it easier for people to come here legally. Why is that so hard for people like Nancy Lyall to understand?

By AH

April 21, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Wow I am constantly amazed by people who equate law and order to racism.

Illegal aliens are breaking the law and I don’t see any connection with enforcing the law with any form of racism.

By Nan

April 21, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

I’d question how many of those vacant houses are due to a crackdown on undocumented aliens and how many are due to foreclosures due to the downtown in the economy. That said, I’d rather have occupied houses next door to me than vacant ones as long as the occupants are working and basically law-abiding (i.e., they may not have a green card but they also aren’t doing crack or mugging old ladies). Vacant builders attract squatters, arsonists, meth labs, nonhuman vermin like rats and snakes … and if they’re not maintained property values go down for the entire neighborhood.

As for the immigrants, how about if the government starts cracking down on the employers? If no one hired illegals they’d stop coming.

By Celeste Duarte

April 21, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

I believe that racism still exists in America. If we are cutting down on immigration how can the current administration still allow to acceptance of immigrant work visa’s?

By MJB44

April 21, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

Thank you BT!!

You are exactly right, the key word ‘illegal’ was left out. I’m getting so tired of the mis-information and propaganda being tossed around by these traitorous anti-American whackos.

By Dave

April 21, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

BT, it’s ALSO about the economy. The immigrants DO PAY TAXES for the schools and hospitals, etc. They pay rent..the landlord then pays the taxes on the home (which he is really just passing along from the residents as it is THEY that give him the money). If the landlord can no longer pay is mortgage…you have a MUCH worse problem. IF he can no longer pay his taxes on the home, you again have a much worse problem.

It IS a racism problem. It was NOT as hard for our ancestors to immigate to this country as it is for those that want to come today. Illegals benefit our economy much more then people give them credit for…they also benefit WAY more than they take… They pay into social security but will never draw from it. They pay taxes in the form of rent to their landlords which in turn pays for schools and infrastucture. They pay sales tax on the items they buy. They spend money in the local communities and help drive the economy. To say all they do it “take, take, take” shows that you have no real clue as to how the economy works…nor do most understand that renters pay property taxes by paying their rent. That goes for white bred ingnorant trailer trash as well. Only it’s the trailer trash that DOES get welfare and social security disability payments adding a MUCH BUGGER DRAIN on our economy than the illegal “mexicans” do… Read, learn, then type or open your mouth…

The south…hmmm…sad that mexicans and gays have become the new african americans to you red necks…

By Walter Earl

April 21, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

This is not the country we when to war for we’re at rock bottom in everything.Here is an ajustment….. cut off Mid- East oil and start pumping oil from Mexico the illegans will go home and the no end to the funds we’ll save just on transporting from the Mid East. But this will kill the agreement with our Government and OPEC.

By Jerry

April 21, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

Dave, tell that to all the LEGAL people in Southern Cal who have lost their hospitals. Probably one of the most populous areas of mexicans in the country. No problem! BUT the illegals are!

BTW, my daughter is half mex. A legal one though! Quit with the race card. It doesn’t even fit here.

By Campbell

April 21, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

True, you don’t want to use illegal labor to bolster profits and in this case artificially. The problem is industry importing (illegal)labor instead of using local labor and creating businesses that are unrealistic that a community cannot support or does not need and in many cases they don’t want it. A lot of times development is forced upon communities whether they like it or not. This irresponsible development in which the citzens of the community are left out of the loop and end up holding the bag and the social and economic burdens of increased populations which in many cases are illegal populations. So now the American people end up paying for it both ways because our government refuses to enforce our laws and allow businesses to run rampant.

By Jerry

April 21, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this

Great idea Walter!

By Campbell

April 21, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

True, you don’t want to use illegal labor to bolster profits and in this case artificially. The problem is industry importing (illegal)labor instead of using local labor and creating businesses that are unrealistic that a community cannot support or does not need and in many cases they don’t want it. A lot of times development is forced upon communities whether they like it or not. This irresponsible development in which the citzens of the community are left out of the loop and end up holding the bag and the social and economic burdens of increased populations which in many cases are illegal populations. So now the American people end up paying for it both ways because our government refuses to enforce our laws and allow businesses to run rampant.

By Raymond J Huff

April 21, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

People like Nancy Lyall need to learn how to read and not interpet what they think they read. Chris Pannell stated that she was happy to see the empty houses which were no longer occupied by ‘illegal immigrants’. No where did she say anything or imply anything about legal immigrants. I for one do not want people who are breaking the laws living in my neighborhood. I do not care what color, relegion or country they are from. They can live somewhere other than my neighborhood.

By Rich Pellegrino

April 21, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Whether it is racism or not it is hateful to target undocumented workers and their families. We were all considered illegal at one time or another by the dominant group and it is high time that we grow up and stop calling people “names”, which is just a way of dehumanizing them, like we did with blacks, asians, native americans and others in the past, so that we can rationalize all kinds of hateful and violence against them. That is sick!!! There is no such thing as an “illegal immigrant” or illegal human being period—unless we are all illegal. ‘Just to prove my point I am thinking of hiring private investigators to tail the most outspoken among us, including and especially the opportunistic local & state politicians, who are pointing their fingers calling people “illegal”, and see what laws these find upstanding citizens are breaking. Remember what we tell our children: when you are pointing your finger at anyone you have three pointing right back at ya!

By Tony M.

April 21, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Dave you are absolutely right. People always want to blame somebody else for the way things are going right now. How about putting a stop to “American Citizens” taking money from social security, welfare and food stamps and sitting on their a$$ at home all day watching Jerry Springer smoking pot and popping out babies. The real solution would be to make citizenship available to people who only want to better their lives and those of their families. Mexicans are hard working people who if given the chance can be productive citizens of this great nation that was built by immigrants.

By BT

April 21, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

Dave, I guess you do not know the meaning of illegal. Also, just because someone breaks the law does not make it racism. Why don’t you try a new approach instead of always pulling out the race card. Get a life.

By yankee

April 21, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

Why do so many Americans hate this country so much?

By tom Robinson

April 21, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

I would much rather live next to an empty house than a house full of 20-30 illegal mexicans

By Susan

April 21, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Illegal immigrants are a drain on those of us who pay TAXES. They are a drain on the hospital systems, school systems and in general the tax us Americans.

I dont have a problem with immigration, I have a problem with people in this country who cost the taxpayers millions of dollars each year for something we cant either afford or do not have the right to.

As I see my daughter and son-in-law struggle for everything they get, (he works hard by the way) the illegals get it handed to them free. They pay no taxes, just hide and the law seems to let them. I dont work to support other people. I work to support myself. Only problem is that they get more of my paycheck then I do.

Yes Houston we have a problem.

By Dave

April 21, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this

BTm it IS about Race. Funny how nobody ever has a problem with an “illegal” immigrant from Norway or Finland. It’s always in reference to those of Central or South American decent.

But once again, what I spelled out above is true with regards to how they HELP more than hinder our economy. They really DO pay taxes, and use less services. They actually help keep social security afloat these days by paying into it. Besides the economic benefit to us later (by them never being able to drawn upon what they’ve paid in), they can not claim disability right now, and the money that gets paid in today, gets paid out the very next in the form of checks to those that now recieve SS. They also come here to do one thing: WORK!!! The redneck hillbilly’s up in my neck of the woods (Dawsonville) sit around smoking and drinking all day in front of their trailers. They are always home, never work, have 3 or 4 kids in the school system, get free welfare checks, food stamps, medical check ups, etc. Yet they always have money for Nascar hats, beer and cigarettes. They don’t want to work. The “illegals” not only work, but pay taxes and are one of the very reasons that homes were so very affordable compared to many other areas of the country. But that’s OK…since you buttheads voted for Dubya twice…the housing market has collapsed and the economy is tanking more and more everyday…so they don’t want to be here any longer…no work for them…they simply leave…

But I’m STILL stuck with the rednecks sitting around drinking beer and smoking…Sad thing is…there life will be exactly the same during this recession. They did not work back then, nor do they plan on working in the future…as long as those checks come in every month…that’s all they care about. Illegals go to where the jobs are. That’s why they left. It’s why they’ll continue to leave. When the economy turncs around….they’ll be back… know why? They work hard…they show up at 6am and work until 10pm if needed….they don’t complain…they keep working and working….same can NOT be said for the welfare rednecks…

By Campbell

April 21, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this

Tony, if Mexicans are such hard working people why is it that they can’t fix and develop their own country? That’s the kind of productivity they should be involved with instead of breaking our laws. It seems Americans are inheriting their financial and social problems. And since they are not true immigrants they could care less what they do to our society because its not their problem or responsibility.

By zeezil

April 21, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

Why is the AJC even giving the time of day, much less quoting some anarchist reconquista from the racist, xenophobic, nativist, bigoted Mexicans Without Borders (Sin Fronteras)???

By Dave

April 21, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

Susan, read my posts above..they DO PAY TAXES! When they pay rent, their landlord pays the property taxes. Schools are funded by property taxes. By saying that they don’t pay taxes…you would be equating that ALL RENTERS DO NOT PAY TAXES…only home “owners”….nothing could be further from the truth. They pay sales tax on the items they buy and the services they use. They pay into state and federal tax rolls, yet do NOT qualify to use them (such as I mentioned above…like social security, disability, wefare, food stamps, etc…).

The illegals get NOTHING for freel It is THEY who come here for one reason…to work. They don’t come here to sit around at lake lanier fishing all day…

You spin the same garbage as faux news and most of the talking heads on the radio…stop listening to uneducated morons and READ…learn…

Common sense alone should tell you that they pay taxes…

Wanna know who does NOT pay taxes?…The church!!! They don’t pay sales tax, property tax, state tax, or federal tax…and know what….(since this is about the word ILLEGAL),…THAT is “illegal” as they are NOT government agencies. want to help fic the economy…start by taxes the churches. Same tax rate as corporations…as they is what they are…they provide a service. As they have no “product” that they sell…only fear of death (better life is AFTER you die)…fear of gays…and now days…fear of mexicans.

Did ANY of you pay attention in economics class? Did any of you even TAKE any economics courses? Oh..hold on…I almost forgot….probably products of the fine FINE GA school system…

By CapeCodDawg

April 21, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

Illegal immigrants have no right whatsoever being in this country if they haven not gone through the proper channels. I have no problem with immigrants at all. Illegal immigrants are like a succubus to our economy,health care and real estate systems though and we just cannot afford them. I personally was told by a Brazilian immigrant that some of them have a system of getting credit cards and maxing them out of getting huge cash advances just before going back to Brazil. At the time the dollar was 3.5 x 1 ..or every Amarican dollar was 3.5 dollars in Brazil. That kind of scheming is wrong and effects us in the U.S. while they take our money elsewhere

By Sandy_G

April 21, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

I would much rather live next door to an empty house than a house full of ILLEGAL immigrants. We have both on my street and I can tell the legal from the illegal by the attitude. The legal immigrants who live across the street from me, take pride in the fact that they own their own home, are one family (mom, dad and two kids) in one house, have the nicest yard on the block, are considerate when they have parties and do not play loud music all day, invite us to parties at their home and speak English with us even though they are still learning.

The illegal immigrants one house down from us, house 8 - 10 people under one roof, park on their front lawn, stack building materials and junk in their back yard, play loud music all weekend long, cannot or will not speak English and simply glare at you when you walk by.

I would choose an empty house in a heartbeat over one filled with illegals. At least living next door to an empty house, it would be quiet so I could get a decent night’s sleep.

By Tony M

April 21, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

Campbell, unfortunalety years of oppression and corruption by the politicians and religious leaders in developing countries make their situation hard back home thats why like the people in the Mayflower they choose to look for a better life elsewhere.

By AM

April 21, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

If they are legal immigrant then they would know how to speak and read English and they would know our laws. However most of the invaders are illegal can’t speak English, break every zoning law, and they ruin the neighborhood, property value and quality of life for the legal US citizen and taxpayer.

So if I had to choose I would rather have an empty house next to mine rather that a invasion of illegals. Either way my property value goes down. At least I know my family is not living next to a criminal, and disease carrier or a group of drug dealers. Illegal invaders should not be here to begin with!

By Rich Pellegrino

April 21, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

Excuse me but if we get rid of all the “illegal immigrants” to this country. “poof”—most of us on this list would be gone :-). An easy solution to the problem of getting rid of the so-called “illegal immigrants” next door is to grant them a path to citizenship—yes,an amnesty of one form or another. It will happen, it is just a matter of when. Then there will me no more “illegals”. By the way, I am in favor of granting each one of you on this list “amnesty” for your ancestors’ illegal entry, and crimes against humanity—blacks and native americans—while you were taking their lands and raping their women. It is time for a general forgiveness, on all sides—let’s start with the Mexicans and others from south of the border, whose land we stole too, and forgive them for coming over the border to help their families eat by doing the jobs that none of us want to do anyway.

By mike

April 21, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

For all you wimpy-@ss liberals. How about we by the houses on either side of you and fill them full of undocumented (illegals)? We could put 10-15 in each house. 8 or 9 cars in the yard etc… No don’t want that in your neighborhood? Then shut-up please. Why don’t you offer your home as a refuge? Nah, I didn’t think so… wussies.

By GA Realtor

April 21, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

Dave,

As a GA realtor, I can assure you that most landlords do not pass their property tax on to renters, as the tax in addition to the mortgage would be so high, they wouldn’t find anyone to rent the property. For the past three years, the trend has been for the landlord to eat approx $100-300 off the cost of the mortgage just to get someone in to pay the bulk of it.

That said, illegals are paid under the table for the most part so there are no taxes taken out of the check for gov’t services (i.e. Social Security). The 7% tax they pay at Walmart for $150 worth of groceries ($10.50) doesn’t go very far in replacing the services they use while here.

Additionally, a great deal of their money never sees Walmart (or our economy) because they send it back “home” to their relatives.

My children are expected to develop at a slower pace in school because the teacher has to take extra time in class to tutor those who are not fluent in english before she can proceed with the lesson.

I am not against immigration, but people like you who rail against those of us who know better than to believe that the illegals are paying their fair share, should return with said illegals to the home country.

By Dave is an idiot

April 21, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this

Not to waste too much time on it —But Dave, you’re clueless man.

By AM

April 21, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this

Rich Pelligrino if you are so upset that we stole their land maybe you could start repaying now with your own money give them your house and property. Then you could leave this horrible place, full of racists, and go live with your pals in Mexico. Traitor

By Campbell

April 21, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

“Campbell, unfortunately years of oppression and corruption by the politicians and religious leaders in developing countries”

What a pile. Years of oppression by who? Mexicans like their corruption. If they didn’t they would be overthrowing their government. They are socially lazy and they would rather cross the border illegally for the easy way out then stand up for their own country. They allow their government, the elitist and multi-national corporations to force them off their land. The only backbone they have is to run.

By AM

April 21, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this

Dave, You are exactly right. The only difference in an illegal immigrant and some of the lazy people that sit in there house with there 7 or 8 kids that the government and tax payers take care of is that the lazy people have a social security card, and if you ask me all of you lazy people sitting around getting your food stamps, and your disability are not entitled to have that card anyway, all you are doing is sitting around waiting for some other person who is busting their butt to help you take care of your family. In addition to that it is a race problem, because you never hear anyone talking about the illegal, Chinese, Indian, or Russian people, it is only about the Hispanics. Focus on the American people who are sitting on their sofa and not doing a damn thing for this country, instead of the people who are paying taxes and not getting a damn thing back, and just trying to support their family.

By Dave

April 21, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

GA realtor…. are you THAT rock headed?! Real Estate taxes are paid by the landlord. Where does he get the money to pay his rent?…hmmm…lets see….from those that PAY the rent! They REALLY need to make that real estate exam a bit tougher….anyone can become one in this state…

once again… it’s so very simple to show how they pay taxes…read over and over what i wrote a few times so it sinks in…maybe if someone reads it to you aloud it will sink in. They DO pay taxes…

Tax the church….the corporations called churches….they are FAR worse to this country and society at large than someone who works hard from another country…

By hutch

April 21, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

wow. a lot of off the wall comments on this one.

the idea of illegality is a funny one. 150 years ago, the nativists hated the irish. 100 years ago, nativists hated the italians. they’ve always been distrusting og jews. now, we don’t seem to like hispanics. so what did we do? we created laws to keep them (and anyone else with low skills) out. a lot of people also don’t like asians, so we try to keep them out as well, but we’re more welcoming to them so we give a small handful of visas (not near enough, mind you) to them if they have skills and a degree. is xenophobia the main reason we’re keeping these people out? no. the main reason is that we’re afraid of competition. we’re afraid the low skilled workers will take our low skilled jobs from the uneducated among us. we’re afraid the high skilled workers will take our low skilled jobs from the educated among us. on the issue of taxes, don’t you think these workers would pay income taxes if given the opportunity? they’re obviously here to work and earn a living. give them a tax-payer number and let them pay taxes like everyone else, which, by the way, won’t be all that much since they don’t make very much money. and the idea of them draining schools is ridiculous because they do pay property taxes, indirectly through their rent, which goes a lot toward funding public schools. just because the landlord eats a piece, doesn’t mean anything. if the “illegals” weren’t there to live in the old houses, would the new ones have been built? no. and what of the issue that we should crack down on the employers. don’t we want people here that will work and be productive? if we were talking about cracking down on the welfare system to quit giving them welfare, that’d be a different story. every single one of us who purchases something that was touched by an “illegal” is paying less for that something because they are willing to work for less than minimum wage. that’s money in your pocket. i say let them work here and exempt them from the minimum wage. and what about those on the high-skills end? let’s allow anyone who wants to work here come work here. some of our best companies were started by first generation immigrants (yahoo by jery yang, google by sergey brin, sun microsystems by andy bechtolsheim). these are people who create jobs and move the economy forward.

By Tired in Sandy Springs

April 21, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this

I live in the Lodge at Sandy Springs and we are eat up with illegals. They leave trash everywhere, abuse the 2 heartbeat per bedroom rule, kids group together in lots of 20 (most of hispanic decent). Why can’t we have a national ID card for everyone. No card, no privleges.

By Campbell

April 21, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this

DAVE …maybe if someone reads it to you aloud it will sink in. They DO pay taxes…

Let this sink in DAVE.

Their not supposed to be here no matter how hard they work DAVE. If they were NOT HERE they would not be paying any taxes or working or taking up space DAVE. No more crossing the border without permission squatting and dumping. Their not immigrants DAVE.

THERE LABOR - ILLEGAL LABOR.

By Read Leviticus 19

April 21, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

To GA Realtor, the belief that immigrants do not pay taxes is simply incorrect. In fact, many immigrants over pay their taxes.

Check out http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/04/15/immigrant.taxes.ap/. In that article, you will see results of a study that shows that in the last year with data collected, undocumented immigrants paid $9 BILLION into Social Security that will never be recovered. And how is it that they overpay taxes? Well, for the low income immigrant (not to suggest all undocumented immigrants are low income - they, of course, exist in all segments of society) they likely have no tax liability. Were they to file their taxes, they would likely receive a refund. If they do not file, the overpayment goes to the benefit of the federal government and the state.

The reality is that either side can manipulate statistics to support their position. It is time for a compassionate approach to immigration that respects the inherent human dignity of all persons, secures our border, provides for a reasonable way to enter the county legally for workers matched with an American employer that could not fill a position with an American worker, and a process of legalization for immigrants here in our midst.

Read Matthew 25: 35-40 or Leviticus 19:32-34.

Someone will likely counter with a Biblical passage about adhering to the law. There is no doubt that people should obey the law; however, when economic or political conditions are so oppressive that one must risk their life for better opportunity for their family, they should face compassionate and rational consequences for their actions. Not amnesty, but rather a fair and humane solution that recognizes that we are all God’s children. The Lord does not separate heaven into the American section and Mexican side. At the end of time, we will all be together thanks to the suffering and love of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross so that ALL could live.

By sigh

April 21, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this

Dave, merely stating that, by paying rent you’re pay property taxes, doesn’t make it so. Illegal immigrants pay very little income and social security taxes. Most illegals are paid in cash, they’re not opting into the government tax system. Illegal immigration doesn’t always equal racism. It’s true that it’s harder to get into this country now than it was for our ancestors - one reason is that we now have so many illegal immigrants, many legal immigrants are denied access. Illegal immigrants do pay some taxes - sales, etc - and receive some U.S. benefits in return: roads, highways, hospital clinic and emergent care, organizations that work with immigrants, etc. These are all available for illegal Immigrants. And illegals do put money back into our economy with every purchase they make. But they also send large amts of cash back to Mexico every Sat, making the US to Mexico fund transfers business one of the largest industries in Mexico today. And the biggest reason the Mexican gov doesn’t help more in stopping our illegal problem - they need that money coming into Mexico. And last, but not least, calling someone stupid just because they have a different opinion than yours, while not really having an argument of your own, makes you sound silly and inconsequential. Also, putting words in CAPS doesn’t make a poorly stated argument more credible, either.

By JR

April 21, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

Dave Most rednecks know the difference between “there” and “their”. what is your highly educated excuse?

By Dave and Rich are idiots

April 21, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this

No comment needed.

By BurningAtlanta

April 21, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this

I get sooo tired of the myhs and rhetoric. Nothing irritates the pro-illegals like FACTS.

Yes, illegals do pay some taxes but the revenue doesn’t offset their costs. (Congressional Budget Office Report Dec. 2007)

Yes, fewer consumers will result in a loss of revenue. But that’s a two-sided coin. Fewer illegals equals less expendatures for judicial, medical, and educational costs.

Beyond all of that, do you base right or wrong on a dollar? I don’t.

I’m so sick of the “Sky is falling, they’re good for the economy, we can’t survive without them, they only take low paying jobs Americans won’t do…” arguments.

FACT: Illegals make up about 5% of the workfroce. 86% of construction workers are legal. 76% of farm workers are legal. 83% in cleaning occupations are legal. 88% in food preparation are legal. (Pew study, Jeffrey Passel, based on 2005 stats)

Remember the “Raid” at Swift in Greeley, Colorado? They arrested about 10% of their workers for immigration violations. Which means that 90% of the workers were legal.

Remember hearing about all the “massive raids” at the workplaces around the country? ICE made fewer than 5,000 workplace arrests in their 2006-2007 year, for the whole country. Our government still isn’t serious about enforcing the laws.

“Anyone opposed to illegal aliens is a racist…” About half of the American Hispanic voters in Arizona supported very tough laws aimed at illegals.

The “One time” amnesty of 1986 was a total failure and some people want to repeat that mistake. Mind-numbing.

Our “system” isn’t broken. Our laws haven’t been enforced.

Secure the borders, enforce the laws. What’s radical, racist, or extremist about that? Nothing.

By JB

April 21, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

Dave, roughly 25% of the folks in the 5 county metro jails are not rednecks, they are illegals. Go to ANY hospital emergency room any night on any weekend, see who the majority of folks waiting to be treated are and guess whose paying. And quit trashing my redneck friends, where the hell do you think I get my white liquor. I also surmise you are a builder or own some business that employ’s this cheap labor. I am willing to bet you have a little senorita mistress on the side.

By hutch

April 21, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

sorry for the one long paragraph. i guess you need to returns to identify a paragraph.

at the end of the day, i believe in liberty, economic and otherwise. if someone thinks they can make a better life for themselves by coming here, i say let them come. we’ve done it for such a long time. why stop now? most of our ancestors didn’t speak english when they moved here and lived in neighborhoods together. my wife did some missionary work in northern NJ and tells how the old-timers talk about how the irish lived on this street, the italians on this one, the polish on this one.

and just so you know, i’m a republican and conservative, but this is where i disagree. freedom is very important to me. if i want to hire someone to work for me for a given wage, and that person is willing to work for me for a given wage, why should the government stop me?

and those of you who are caught up on the idea of illegal. lets imagine for a minute a world where lots of people don’t like your brand of peaceful religion, even as much as 75% of the country. now, imagine they don’t like it to the point of wanting to pass legislation that will outlaw the practice of your religion. impossible you say? religion is protected? if 75% of the population hated your religion, they could amend the constitution of the land to exclude your religion. would you stop practicing it? would you leave the country? you aren’t doing anything that harms anyone else, but by staying and practicing your religion, you are now illegal, just because the majority of the people say you are.

and i’m not a fan of the argument to give them a path to citizenship. let them stand in line like everyone else.

By Ralph

April 21, 2008 5:24 PM | Link to this

What’s the most popular and overused words in America, one is a word that group who have no case and want to instigate trouble or even get away with murder useds,the word is RACISM. What’s the other word that means nothing in America, and like RACISM is used thousands of times a day. The second word is ILLEGAL immigration There are people who are waiting for months, sometimes years to come here legally, and we are support to look the other way when it comes to the illegal elements, that come here. Now there is a group called advocacy group Mexicans Without Borders, who are telling us what to do. Who runs this country? Americans or Mexicans, how can the illegally, tell us what we should expect. They have more power in this country, than they have in Mexico. How would the Mexican government do if millions of illegal Americans invaded their country? Most likely shoot them.

By Loaiza

April 21, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

How can you tell if someone is racist? When they see brown skinned people moving into their neighboorhood or coming into their favorite restaurant and make an expression of disgust. They do not know if they’re legal or illegal they’re just damn mexicans…

By hutch

April 21, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

why is it always about revenue received vs. revenue spent? if that were the case we’d be kicking out a large chunk of our population that receives much more than they’ll ever pay in. why not give all illegals a tax id number and let them pay taxes? would that make you feel any better? why are natives who milk the system better than non-natives who contribute just because the natives got here first?

saying the illegals could come here legally is a fallacy. unions have so much power in this country, there is no way in the world they would allow any significant number of low skilled workers to come here and compete with their set-up. that’s why they’re so afraid of free trade agreements that expose them to competition. the only thing they can’t really oppose that actually destroys most of their jobs is technological innovation.

and who’s going to rush in and fill these jobs currently held by illegal immigrants? we’re at 5% unemployment nationally right now, despite being in a slower economy. the people these businesses will have to hire will either cost more, be less efficient, or both, (or else why would they hire them in the first place? they don’t run charities.). do you know how that will affect you? the cost of houses will go up, the cost of food will go even higher, the cost of services will go up, etc. in short, you will pay more for everything you buy that they touched. that is a fact.

why is everyone so upset at their being illegal? what’s wrong with making them legal? again, i’m not saying citizenship, just legal. empty the list of all the others who are waiting to come in to work and no one should care.

studies have shown that immigrants, illegals or not, are no more likely to commit violent crime than natives.

By Josh

April 21, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this

Rich and Dave: Your stupidity is staggering. I’m surprised you could turn on your computer, much less find the letters to type.

“There is no such thing as an ‘illegal immigrant’ or illegal human being period—unless we are all illegal.”

How do you argue with that? It’s too mind-blowingly stupid to even answer.

By LMM

April 21, 2008 6:10 PM | Link to this

Thank you Hutch for bringing some rationality to the conversation. No one condones illegal immigration, but the popular, albeit ignorant, view that all illegal immigrants are bad people is polluting our societal values. It’s not racism if someone doesn’t want to live next to an illegal, but it is a form of hatred. I don’t know why hate is becoming so prevelant. I guess it’s easier to hate than to help. And we call ourselves a Christian nation! I don’t think God would be proud of the woman who is happy to see people made to feel unwelcome. At least, I know the God I pray to has more compassion than that.

It is imperative to our national security to know who is in our country, but I am sad to see the human aspect leave the immigration debate. Most of these people risk their lives and leave their families and homes out of desperation. They just want to lay low, get paid ridiculously low wages for jobs most Americans consider “beneath” them, in order to keep their families alive. I don’t think they should be given anything b/c they have broken the law, but when did we stop seeing them as people? To be honest, I am disappointed in America.

And just for the record, almost half of all illegal immigrants are visa overstays from Europe, Africa, and Asia. It’s not just Mexicans, people! (or those of Latin descent)

By Loaiza

April 21, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this

Nobody has any clue as to what is like being an “illegal alien”, before you make any judgment try humanizing these people and think about the real reason why they come here. Not all the mexicans are illegals and not all the illegals are mexicans. Most of them are good hard working people. Takes a lot of courage to risk your life to provide a better life for you and your family, I wonder how many of you would do it. You would never understand unless you were in their situation. It’s so easy to blame them. It’s a shame that some people feel their job threathened by an immigrant that does not speak the language and does not have the education. Hard work can go a long way. They don’t speak the language? force them to learn english as a condition to get a work permit. They abuse the system? let them pay for health insurance as a condition as well.. they’re unneducated? teach them the conduct rules and civility as a condition… they don’t want to learn? they can leave.. and whoever commits a crime losses their chance to be here. There are solutions if you really want to fix it. No matter what, Mexico will always be just south of the border as well of all latinamerica. Turning an eye blind will not do it. And if you say that they are law breakers, I guess you have never broke the law..

By BurningAtlanta

April 21, 2008 7:24 PM | Link to this

Oh, please. More myths, more misinformation.

Fact: About 60% of illegals snuck across the border. That carries a civil and criminal penalty. It’s a federal misdemeanor. About 40% are visa overstays. That’s a civil offense but every illegal that reenters after being deported, carries false federal documents, such as a bogus Social Security card or visa, is committing a felony. How many felonies does one need to commit before we can call them criminals?

About 57% are Mexican nationals. Another 24% come from other Latin American countries. The rest come from everywhere else. Also, only about 5% of illegal Mexican nationals didn’t have jobs before coming here. (Again, Pew study. 2005)

The “Oh, boo-hoo. They’re just poor starving immigrants trying to feed their families” is, in large part, a myth. What, we don’t have poor and needy in this country? A better analogy would be the Klondike Gold Rush.

Very simply, if Canada offered Americans 5-10 times their normal salaries, and all we had to do was crash the border, I guarantee there’d be plenty of Americans in Canada.

The simple truth is that this country cannot absorb the world. Even now, we allow over 1,200,000 in with permanent status, which they may convert to citizenship status if they go thru the right steps. No nation on earth allows more legal immigration than the USA.

Illegal aliens are people that have shown a total disregard for our borders, our laws, and a contempt for this nation. The worst of whom believe they are doing us a favor by being here and are entitled to citizenship. If they were such “good people” they wouldn’t be here, they would have abided by our laws.

Thankfully, this country has risen up in opposition to the invasion. The “Welcome” mat is getting pulled up and it’s working. Illegals are leaving localities that have passed tough laws.

They got here on their own and they can leave on their own. They didn’t get here overnight and I don’t expect to see them leave overnight.

And if Congress thinks the last amnesty attempt was rough, they ain’t seen nothing, yet.

By hutch

April 21, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this

burningatlanta,

please explain what you mean when you say that “‘They’re just poor starving immigrants trying to feed their families’ is, in large part, a myth”. all of the illegals immigrants i know are here to work and earn money. if they didn’t think their lives were better here, they wouldn’t have come. how is the above statement a myth, other than the fact they might not have been starving in their native countries. but then again, you’re the only one who mentioned that word, so you can create your own myths that way.

“Very simply, if Canada offered Americans 5-10 times their normal salaries, and all we had to do was crash the border, I guarantee there’d be plenty of Americans in Canada.” Would you blame them? But you also have to realize that immigrants also recognize the high degree of freedom we enjoy here. they don’t have that in their home countries.

invasion. yeah. they’re coming to hurt us somehow. why do you think the welcome mat needs to be pulled out? how have you arrived at the conclusion, nay the simple fact, that this country can’t absorb these people? if we give them a tax id and let them pay taxes, we’d knock out 90% of the complaints people have mentioned: the fact they don’t pay taxes and their illegality.

By BurningAtlanta

April 21, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this

Hutch, You’re being totally dishonest. If you haven’t heard the typical rhetoric of “They’re just poor starving immigrants trying to feed their families,” more than a few times, then you have you head in the sand.

In short, as you alluded to, “It’s about the money.” Which was the reason for my to my Klondike analogy and mention of Canada.

“Hurt us somehow?” Tells me you are totally out of touch. Would you like to talk about the number of people that die, needlessly, at the hands of illegal aliens? Did you know that 1 in 10 illegal crossers has a criminal record?

Would you like to tell me how repeating the monumental mistake of the 1986 IRCA is a smart thing? Would you like to explain how rewarding bad/criminal behaviour is a good thing? Would you like to bring any credible facts to the table?

I suggest you go to my site, though I haven’t updated it in a while, and get a little education. Then, you can bring any FACTS that you’d like to argue to my blog. I’ll put up a thread just for you.

Consistently, I’ve found that people like you are long on talk and short on facts. And if you haven’t figured it out my site is BurningAtlanta.com. The blog is linked on the top of the first page.

By Jed Clampet

April 21, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this

I just as soon live next to a bunch of Illegals as to live next to my wifes kin folks.

By Brent

April 21, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this

There are MANY neighborhoods in Norcross and Lawrenceville where I would LOVE to be able to see vacant houses too!!!!

By Cactus

April 21, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this

First of all would someone please tell me how to send 12 million people back to Mexico (or somewhere else). Should you be able to send them back, who will make the beds in hotels/motels, clean your house, lay bricks, finish concrete, etc., and the list goes on. They need to learn english and should be helped and paid for by their employeer. They should be issued a card so they may pay taxes and social security. You can’t build a fence tall enough or wide enough to keep these people out. What ever the Mexican earns here in the US is a fortune as compared to his earnings in Mexico. Has anyone noticed that there is an influx of canadian doctors into the US, Canada has a “fereral” health care system so doctors can make more here in the US than in Canada. So why would not a Mexican come here to earn more $ for their work.

By Salvador

April 21, 2008 11:35 PM | Link to this

The majority of the american citizens are so naive Because they believes everything they read or heard. They seldom do their own research. They have a big lack of knowledge in a particular field ‘illegal immigrant’. Why to denied a fact. They are already here and somehow or other they get jobs. Therefore somebody is taking advantage of this situation. I will be concern if we talk about one million of them, but when we talk about twelve millions of them; something else is wrong. not just the ‘illegal immigrants’. We need to look at the whole picture. I am just saying!

By crawdaddy

April 22, 2008 12:09 AM | Link to this

How is this country any more racist than any other? Are not all nations founded on some form of discrimination? I think that if the Mexico government wants us to ease up on the borders they should do the same. Also, the US did not “steal” Mexico’s land. We bought much of it and we won the rest in a war started by Mexico.

By Michael

April 22, 2008 12:29 AM | Link to this

We need to kill these illegal raiders that sneak into our country. If they were from Iran we would be shooting these illegal raiders so it would be bigoted for us not to treat them the same.

By zeke

April 22, 2008 12:36 AM | Link to this

Hell yes! Get rid of the illegal criminals NOW!! Arrest all of them and excort them out of the USA, NOW!!! If legal immigrants are available to fill those home, that is good! But no illegals! They are not immigrants, so, quit promoting them as such to meet your own specific agenda!

By dgfdsgsd

April 22, 2008 12:37 AM | Link to this

I can’t wait until that house that used to have 20 imigrants in it is abandoned and 20 homeless pieces of trash move in that don’t care about you or eash other. I also can’t wait until your bigoted azz is paying $5 for a head of lettuce once all the Juan’s are gone. Y’all can get out your hooded robes and do a dance in the street about how successfull your bigotted actions have been. I can’t wait.

By Bitter EX democrackkk

April 22, 2008 7:07 AM | Link to this

Wonderful! Deport all the ILLEGALs or RUN them OUT of your neighborhoods, so Americans can have their jobs back!!! As a landlord, I REFUSE to rent to ANY ILLEGAL!!!

You people who call it RACISM are FOOLS…STRIVE to be SMARTER than a filthy democrackkk…

By Bitter EX democrackkk

April 22, 2008 7:12 AM | Link to this

Liberalism is a Mental Disorder

Language, Borders, Culture! Preserve them!

By Fair and Balanced

April 22, 2008 7:51 AM | Link to this

Come on people. The question is loaded to begin with. The author of this article or his/her boss made sure of that. What if the question had been something like “Empty Houses, Full Houses, or No Houses at All?” I bet the range of answers may have been a little more diverse. How many of you have thought about the occupations of our Georgia elected/appointed ones. How many of them are in some business associated with construction, housing, real estate…Where does that line of thought take you? The next thing you know, we’ll be back on the topic of immigrants taking all the jobs in the chicken processing business or the carpet industry or the residential construction industry or the landscaping industry…Then, we’ll be talking about how wages have been suppressed because all these jobs are taken by illegal immigrants — not just plain old run of the mill immigrants — who are willing to work under slave-like conditions. Then, that will just lead right back to talk about all those greedy business owners and executives making millions and millions off of the backs of others. Then, we’ll be talking about one group wanting no taxes and another wanting you to sign over your life to the tax man. Anything to keep you from focusing on fairness, striking a balance, a little more equality and a lot less greed. Where does it stop. Does anyone in government have the answer. They claim that they do — every time we get close to an election. Isn’t that where we started. Re-elect NO ONE.

By deb

April 24, 2008 12:59 AM | Link to this

I think it would be great to see a cleaned out neighborhood of illegals in our neighborhood. They should all be deported back to Mexico where they belong. They have taken enough of our jobs away from the Americans! They have been killing too many Americans since they have been here! Send them All back to MEXICO FOR GOOD!

By VA Resident

April 26, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

The reason illegal aliens are here is, they say, to send money back to their families. I just read an article in the Washington Post that elderly people in Mexico are impoverished. But why? Why doesn’t Mexico provide basic services for its citizens like our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and free education for the kids? This is Mexico’s problem, not ours. Illegal aliens have no right to be here, and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Foreclosed houses should be opportunities for lower-income American citizens to buy into the American dream. Prince William County is doing exactly the right thing. I hope all the rest of Virginia’s counties join in as soon as possible.

By Jill

May 6, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this

Come visit us in Mexifornia. It’s not an illegal family living in the neighborhood, it’s multpile houses with 20 unrelated men living in one house. They make little rooms with drywall, and then you have 15 cars parked out front. No permits are obtained. They pave over their lawns for parking. Your kids can’t play outside, because you don’t know who is living there. Are they sex-offenders? Drug sellers? They operate outside the system the rest of us all have to abide by. Racism? You mean I shouldn’t get mad when someone gets freebies and doesn’t have to follow the rules I must follow? I have had my identity stolen, my business defrauded and went into preterm labor after being hit by and illegal with no insurance. Our schools our 47-49th depending on grade. Why do you think that is?

By chris c

July 20, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

Being illegal is a crime plain and simple, aiding and abetting an illegal is a crime, renting or selling a house to an illegal is a crime, transporting an illegal is a crime, hiring an illegal for work is a crime, in Va. drivers’ licenses for illegals is a crime as it should be. In state tuition should be denied to illegals and those that are not legally domiciled in the state where they apply for those rates. Fines should be raised for those who hire illegals, as well as businesses seized as well as transport vehicles. Immigration law states most of these laws. Enforcement of these laws can be done by the state or local governments as well as Federal agencies. Those who tell you it is only a Federal matter are liars. LOL