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Friday, Dec. 25, 2009 | 2 a.m.
In a room full of students coming from different backgrounds and different perspectives, it was clear to see the discussions were going to be anything but dull. The students were very well prepared. Many students had different ideas, but unlike in the current political arena, they resolved the issues in an ideal manner.
Kicking off the morning was the topic of whether professional athletes were overpaid. Some argued they were entertainers and athletes at the same time, and the public watches what they please so they should be paid as such.
Yet almost everyone in the room agreed that although they were entertainers, the amount they get paid seems to border on the ridiculous. Students brought up teachers and even firefighters who train for months and risk injury, yet don’t get paid the outrageous sums like Cristiano Ronaldo or David Beckham.
The discussion quickly moved to technology and whether its uses decrease people’s thinking. Many agreed the decrease in the thinking process would only happen if there was a misuse of technology.
The group seemed to agree there is a need for technology to move forward in the future and should be used as a building block. A student quoted his father when saying that technology has enabled students to “work smarter, not harder.”
Making a sharp turn to the current immigration laws and enforcement, many more students spoke up and gave their opinions. There seemed to be a consensus that immigration reform should proceed and that laws that emerge from a restructuring of immigration policy should be strictly enforced.
The American dream was cited as the primary reason many immigrants risk the dangerous trek to the United States. If our ancestors were immigrants and had the chance at the American dream, why should we deprive this of others?
One student brought up the ludicrous amount of time it takes for a person to request and actually receive a visa. He mentioned that because the visa process takes too long, many don’t even take the chance to apply and just become undocumented immigrants.
The greater part of the group, including myself, agreed reforming current immigration laws should be initiated and the section relating to refugees revisited because many people are fleeing their countries for more than just political reasons.
The current state of the economy is dire and is being felt in the United States. If the United States is feeling the pressure of the economy, Third World countries and their citizens are drowning.
This led to another subject of whether English should be the official language of the United States. An immediate response of the majority was “no!” By making English the official language, the entire notion of America being the ultimate melting pot would be lost because we would be negating other cultures and their traditions and languages.
Restructuring education to better compete in the global community, the current movie ratings, lowering the drinking age, stem cell research, abortion, and even Guantanamo Bay were hot issues that also were discussed.
Many older generations think young students are numb to the issues that surround them, but, in reality, students are more concerned and have opinions that could actually better the community.
The Sun Youth Forum brought together many students from across the valley with different backgrounds and ideals. Despite all of this, a sense of political efficacy emerged within the students and there was a renewed sense of trust. The Sun Youth Forum made teens’ opinions matter — for once!
"If our ancestors were immigrants and had the chance at the American dream, why should we deprive this of others?"
Why? Because 4 billion people would flood into this country, that's why. Because we are not a lifeboat to the Third World. Because you would turn America into a replica of the Third World if you don't control immigration. Because there is no hope of a sustainable future if we don't cap population here.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:11
wandagb is right on target.
Six months ago I had no idea that we treated immigrants in this way,
especially when they are here legally and have done nothing wrong. I
knew nothing about ICE and how they operate illegally
<http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2...>. I was under
the impression that DHS was here only to protect us from terrorists.
And I had no idea of the millions of our tax dollars were being wasted
to imprison people that could be out of detention and have their
family support them until a decision is made in immigration court. I
do not understand why we have to pay our hard earned tax dollars to
house and feed persons that are not dangerous.
When they have to lock up a man who has done nothing wrong, make him
spend thousands in fees, ICE is giving way too much importance to
themselves. How can we turn such educated people away simply to boost
the ego of ICE officers and add another number to the Janet Napolitano
deportation list, so that the Obama Administration can look like it is
doing its job of 'cracking down on criminals?'
Something has to change soon. I feel it is my duty as an American to
let as many people as possible know the truth. I visit the detention
center every Saturday and spend the rest of the week writing letters.
This Christmas, let's do something worthwhile. Let's go back to
protecting the country rather than making up stories to justify the
expansion of a national security complex. Let's end businesses
profiting from immigrant detention and restore our image as a nation
of immigrants.
I am a citizen of the United States and I have a friend that is from
Paris, France here on a student visa to finish his degree. Noureddine
Feddane has been here since 2005. His visa is valid until March of
2010, his passport is valid until 2014, and his I-20 is current. He is
not what people call an 'illegal immigrant.' In 2008, he fell in love
and married a U.S. citizen that just happens to be addicted to
prescription medications. Noureddine knew nothing about this. But he
was arrested due to her mistakes.
He was placed in detention and scheduled for deportation. My friend
has been in detention center in Pompano Beach Florida for 5 months
now. This couple has lost all there savings on lawyers, she lost her
job, and they are in the process of losing their home. All this was
caused because ICE has the wrong person in jail.
I have written many letters to Janet Napolitano, Senator Bill Nelson,
Representative Ginny Brown-Waite and even President Obama. But no one
will listen. What is illegal in this case is the way DHS is treating
this guy, who is 51 and has never had a traffic violation. While in
detention center, they have abused him, denied him food and proper
medical treatment. Noureddine is diabetic and they will not give him
the proper food or medical attention. The phone system is very poor
and hardly works. I suspect that they plan it that way so the
detainees cannot contact their lawyers and family. I fear he will be
next on the long list of persons that have died while in detention.
Until you go to one of these detention centers and see with your own
eyes, you will not believe what America is doing. I was shocked, on my
first visit and after almost 6 months of seeing what happens and how
they have to live, I am still in shock. It is all about the money
<http://immigration.investigativeprojects...>. My friend has never
cost America anything until they locked him up. He is in a private
prison owned by a company called GEO <http://www.thegeogroupinc.com/>
based near Miami, Florida. They are paid very well by our tax dollars,
but the treatment is unbelievable. I wonder how many politicians have
stock in this company. They are doing quite well even in a bad
economy.