Letter: Those here illegally shouldn’t get scholarships

Friday, June 13, 2003 | 9:18 a.m.

I was aghast to read Mike O'Callaghan's rationalizations in his June 7 column, where he defended Millennium Scholarships for students who are not legal residents. The American way of life at one time in this country had honor, responsibility and ethical behavior connected to it. I see an absence of this in O'Callaghan's column.

He was talking about illegal immigrants. Illegal means to break the law. We must not reward an illegal act. We must not make wrong behavior right. Anyone who is in this country illegally needs to be deported.

I realize that this country has used immigrants, both legal and illegal, for our own selfish means. The bottom line is almost always greed when money is involved. We have committed a wrong against these people and to minimize our guilt we have bent over backward to provide all kinds of benefits for them. This is not the solution because our guilt just grows and grows and we keep giving more and more to them. Just look at the failure of our schools, the bankruptcy of our hospitals, the crowding of our prisons, etc. This country is being destroyed.

My solution is to deport anyone who is in this country illegally. They must apply in a legal fashion as our ancestors did by having a sponsor, a job, a medical exam, be exempt from welfare for five years, use English as their language, etc. To take these measures would enable us to put the word honor back in the American Way of Life.

CAROLYN SALGO