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twitterVegas figures prominently in Hispanics’ growing clout
CNN and a federal agency director looked west for input on a burgeoning segment of U.S. population
Sam Morris
A panel fields questions from the group of Las Vegas Valley residents who viewed a preview screening of CNN’s “Latino in America” report last week at the Springs Preserve.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Alejandro Mayorkas, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, greets reporters before a news conference last week at the Winchester Cultural Center.
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- An audience member talks about the importance of remembering others still struggling with immigration.
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- An audience member talks about not being marketed to.
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- An audience member from Rancho High School shares her thoughts on the documentary.
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Sun Archives
- Schools give Spanish-speaking adults primer in own language first (9-29-2009)
- Why Nevada protects workers here illegally (9-15-2009)
- Suit raises illegal immigrant rights issue (8-31-2009)
Sun Coverage
Beyond the Sun
- CNN.com: Latino in America
Two very different gatherings happened within 24 hours last week in Las Vegas, each at high levels in their respective worlds, each involving Hispanics.
In one, a heavyweight member of the national media sought input from valley residents on a major production, “Latino in America.” In the other, a top federal official gathered input on future legislation that would affect many of the nation’s Hispanics.
Representatives for each event said they came to town because of the large population of people here with Latin American heritage, about 28 percent. They weren’t the first to include the valley in their plans for that reason. The most noteworthy of recent examples was the Democratic Party’s decision to hold an early presidential caucus here in January 2008, in large part because of the Hispanic electorate.
Last week’s events provided the latest evidence that the Las Vegas Valley’s future cannot be divorced from the future of Hispanics as a population, and is unavoidably linked to immigration.
That seemed clear Thursday night, when CNN made the Springs Preserve the first stop on a tour of at least 15 cities for advance screenings of “Latino in America,” set to air Oct. 21 and 22. Patterned after last year’s “Black in America,” the show is an exploration of the role of Latinos in today’s — and tomorrow’s — United States.
The event brought out about a hundred local Hispanic movers and shakers — university department directors, casino executives — as well as everyday people such as Boy Scout troop leaders.
In an hourlong discussion after the screening, audience members asked CNN producers and a panel of four local figures about interpretations of Hispanic identity, their place in local and national history — and the elephant-in-the-room role immigration plays in the daily lives of most Hispanics.
The next morning, for the first time since the federal government created the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2003, its director came to town to talk with the local press, mainly about the possibility of “comprehensive immigration reform” under the Obama administration. Director Alejandro Mayorkas also met separately behind closed doors with local figures including immigration lawyers and law enforcement officials, as he will in other cities, to take their pulse on the issue, a sort of town-hall meeting.
Mayorkas, only six weeks on the job, was politic when asked how likely reform would be in the near future, especially amid a crumbling economy. “I don’t know,” he said, hastening to add that the idea remains “a priority” for his agency and the president.
Of course, politics is the point. The last time a comprehensive immigration reform bill was brought forward in Congress, in 2007, it stalled. Some immigrant advocacy groups have begun pressuring the Obama administration because they are worried that their issue will wind up pushed aside by the president’s many other domestic and foreign policy concerns.
Estimates of the number of families with mixed immigration status in the United States — meaning they include people in the country illegally as well as residents or citizens — go into the millions. And that means many, if not most, Hispanics nationwide, and in the Las Vegas Valley, would be directly affected by any change in immigration law — particularly if it includes a pathway to citizenship.
For Francisco Menendez, a member of the panel that fielded questions from the CNN screening audience and chairman of the UNLV film department, that pathway was a more simple one — he fell in love with and married a U.S. citizen.
Menendez spoke at the screening’s close of his own experience migrating from El Salvador amid a civil war two decades ago, not exactly the best place and time to pursue his goal in life, making movies, he dryly observed.
Since coming here, Menendez has not only realized his dream of directing films and helping form future filmmakers, but also witnessed the Hispanic population’s growth in the valley, with a population that is now seven times its 1990 tally.
He says a confluence of events is occurring, locally and nationally.
“For better or worse, times are changin’ ... and Las Vegas is in that change. It’s a time of great fear for Latinos because of being demonized,” he said, referring to the growth of Minutemen-like sensibilities throughout the Southwest and South.
“But, it’s also a time of great hope,” he added, pointing both to such media breakthroughs as CNN’s show and to the possibility of change in immigration laws, which would affect not just the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants nationwide, but also their millions of family members.
Menendez points to “Latino in America’s” clever device, profiling different “Garcias” across the nation. Garcias, the program posits, are now this country’s Smiths. Like Smiths, the filmmaker notes, the millions of Garcias range from the most successful to the poorest.
Several members of the audience last week offered a divided response to the screening: Thank you for telling the stories of some of those Garcias, but please remember not to focus only on the troubles that have come with migrating illegally, or adjusting to a different culture and language, or living in poverty. Please, also tell our triumphs, so the rest of the country knows we have them.
One mixed-background Realtor with the unlikely name of Joe Roosevelt stood up and asked for more stories in all media, including television, about people like him — six-figure salary, English speaker, Latino.
In the program’s defense, producer Kathy Slobogin responded that only 45 minutes of the four-hour program had been screened, and some of those stories are told in the unseen portion.
But the point lingered. On the one hand, as Ray Garza, audience member and founder of The Hispanic Agency, observed, there’s “an inevitability” to the numbers behind the Hispanic population — 28 percent of the valley’s population, according to Census Bureau estimates, younger than the population as a whole, larger families.
So representation in public life must follow, he and others at the screening say — in the media, in politics and so on.
On the other hand, there’s a desire on the part of many Hispanics for acceptance, a sense of being recognized by the rest of the country for occupying an important place in today’s America.
Which is where we circle back to immigration.
The scheduling of the two events in Las Vegas last week was “coincidental — but not without meaning,” Menendez said, adding that the film screening became “more significant” in light of the immigration director’s visit the following day.
“We’re on the verge of something,” he said.
And with the current economic crisis, “the American dream of greed has vanished.”
He figures Hispanics will be key to shaping what he calls “a new American dream,” one that puts less emphasis on materialism and more emphasis on quality of life, family and culture.
This, he said, will be a dream that “makes it more meaningful to be here.”
CORRECTION: This story was changed to reflect that a comprehensive immigration reform bill was brought forward in Congress in 2007, not 2006. | (October 1, 2009)
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There is nothing we as citizens can do about legal immigration in our state even though it impedes our citizens who are unemployed from getting work that they deserve.
Martin Luther King had a dream, a dream for equality and fairness for all of our legal citizens.
Mr. Menendezs' dream should be taken back to his country and brought forth to a reality there, to the citizens and government.
I am a citizen of the USA, and Mr. Menendezs' dreams are my nightmares. Which american citizens could even start to agree with Mr. M? Does he think this propaganda sits well with those citizens who are unemployed at this moment? Does he think his propaganda sits well with citizens who are scared to death that losing a job now in this economy could send them to live in a tent city? This man should go back to his country of origin and help its citizens fight for their rights there.
He married an american citizen to get his citizenship, that must have been a struggle.
Our country is in real bad shape right now and it doesn't look like it is going to change drastically for the good any time soon.Mr. M if you have any dreams on how to rid our country of our illegal alien problem, please, don't hesitate to let us know. Otherwise keep your other dreams in your own country. We citizens are trying to find ways to better the USA, your dreams won't help a bit.
"Representatives for each event said they came to town because of the large population of people here with Latin American heritage, about 28 percent."
They may only be 28% of the population but they are a majority of school children in the Las Vegas Valley.
The big question will be whether their anchor babies will be contributors or detractors to society. The jury is still out.
This all sounds very, very racist to me.
LA MIGRA! LA MIGRA!
"It is good to know something about the customs of various people, so that we can judge our own more sensibly and do not think everything different from our own ways ridiculous and irrational, as those who have seen nothing are accustomed to do." - Descartes' Discourse on Method
I feel for Americans who are out of jobs, but I think their resentment is misdirected. My father had a blue collar job that was unionized but because of cheap labor from illegals businesses could get around the cost of union labor. Basically it is the blue collar jobs where illegals have made inroads into the American economy and it was made possible by American businesses hiring illegals to lower labor costs. Businesses benefit, stockholders benefit but the displaced American worker does not.
I am currently serving in Afghanistan with an Army Combat Unit. I entered the United States Illegally, lived that way for almost five years. God gave me a great opportunity to finally obtain my Permanent Resident Visa. About five years later I became a US citizen. My pay here is lower than what I make back at home. I am doing this to thank my great country for all the opportunities that I have been blessed with. I still only speak Spanish at home and celebrate cultural events of my native country. I don't think that makes me Anti-American, it fortifies my identity. We have one common goal of living a prosperous life in the US. Why are people so afraid of us? Because I don't resemble a white person? It always comes back to torment the Hispanic community and blame us for all the problems the US is facing. What about all the illegals from Caucasian countries? It saddens my heart to know that there can be so many racists people in my community. The place I call home and hope to raise my children to adore our Country for the Freedoms we enjoy. They must however, never forget who they are and where they come from. The personal identity of an individual is what characterizes their morals. God bless Diverse America!
Hey jt1899-
If even a simple majority of the IAs contributed half as much to society as you this article wouldn't even be in the paper.
If the IAs in this country lived within their means and didn't have 4+ kids on 20K salaries this wouldn't be an issue.
The big problem in the black community is lack of jobs. IAs take away entry level jobs (cooks, landscaping).
I think we just need to get rid of all illegals and celebrate those people who actually came here the right way and got their citizenship. Thats the real american dream. To do it in a lawful manner.
The commentator who says he is a military member and is bashing native born citizens for being anti-illegal is totally wrong in his perception.
This country is a nation of laws and legal immigrants as well, and those that are law-abiding are welcome here. Those that are lawbreakers, get your hind ends out of our country.
The bigotry on display here is disgusting.
"Martin Luther King had a dream, a dream for equality and fairness for all of our legal citizens."
fremma -- you missed the point on that one. To "equality and fairness for all" add that droned-on clause in the Pledge of Allegiance "and liberty and justice for all." NOT just "legal citizens."
These and much more are just confirmations of the promises made by this country's founders, enshrined even in the Declaration of Independence. Consider the fact that it had to be imposed on all the states by the Reconstructionist laws and amendments to the federal Constitution, including the 14th Amendment, yet it took the Civil Rights stuggle of the 1950 and 60s, speaks volumes of what it takes to force government live up to its promises.
jt1899-
THANK YOU for your service to this country. You're a true American hero.
KillerB-
Thank you as well. Our Founding Fathers and Mothers were "illegal aliens", as they stole this land from the Native Americans. If we really want to "deport all the 'illegals', we might as well start by moving ourselves back to Europe and Asia.
And finally, no human being is "illegal"! These people contribute to our society, doing the jobs that we don't want to do and adding to the rich tapestry that is our multicultural scoiety. Again, if we want to "deport the illegals" we should start with ourselves. Otherwise, let these people live their lives.
atdleft -- I hear you!
Certain bedrock principles, like "all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights," is sure to fall on deaf ears here. Their problem, as long as they stay away from me and mine.
jt1899: Great to hear you came into our country the Legal way. And your service is greatly needed. But in no way does your service excuse the invasion of the country by illegals of any color ignoring our laws and sneaking into our country. We must protect our borders from these invaders. They have invaded and are now occupying our country. We must act swiftly to remove these invaders and we may need your help to do so.
He figures Hispanics will be key to shaping what he calls "a new American dream," one that puts less emphasis on materialism and more emphasis on quality of life, family and culture.
...Coming to a neighborhood near you...
Look what happened to Los Angeles...
When one walks through and/or lives in a part of town associated to this article, and is looked at like, What do you want here?, or, you really don't belong over here... Then one gets the picture of the "quality of life, family and culture" is a one sided American pipedream...
...And yes, I live on this side of the railroad tracks......
Back in 1989, I was sent to Boston to build a shopping center. I grew up there, and I was amazed at the number of illegal Irish working on my job. Because in the 60's, before I left, the Irish were bitterly complaining about not being able bring their brothers and sisters to the States. Speaking with the immigrants in the 90's, I realized that the Irish said "To hell with the immigration laws, we need a job". So over they came. My bricklayer foreman was outed by the Union goons, and sent back to the old country. But he was back 5 months later-not an easy task from Europe.
My point? Immigration is not a Mexican problem. For example, I grew up in Jamaica Plain, but now it is mainly Dominican. Lived on the South Shore, too, which is filled with Brazilians, many of whom are illegal. So before you Rednecks bloviate about Mexicans, realize that we have tons of other people here. For good.
jt1899, well said! My family made it a point to speak spanish in the house, too! my dad (who is a teacher) knew I would learn english at school with my peers. He reinforced this philosophy so I can be bilingual and communicate with non-english speaking families.
Some poster state families should only speak english, but if that is the case, why do we offer french, german, and spanish classes in high school?
invaders? please stop watching lou dobbs and restating his rhetoric! lou is married to a mexican woman and is financially benefiting from hate-speech.
Of course no-one is "illegal", physically. But politically, definitely.
TO BE HONEST ABOUT THIS, ALL THAT MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, WHEREVER THEY COME FROM, ONLY WANT A PAYCHECK TO SEND HOME. NOTHING MORE.
AND I DO MEAN NOTHING MORE.
$$$Billions are sent out of this country every month in remittances. (One country, A FAILED COUNTRY, uses remittances as it's SECOND biggest source of income, OIL being its first source.)
I get so tired of the bereft chearleading by the propaganda artists on this immigration issue.
Tell me, then, propaganda artists, what happened to all of the mixed-race "round eye" Vietnamese left behind in Vietnam after we pulled out. Hmmm..? Most of them were severly beaten, and if allowed to live, basically had to eat garbage for the rest of their sorry lives.
Where is your "no-one is illegal" drivel then.
Tell me about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), signed in 1848, that set up that now (in)famous US BORDER that's ridiculously unprotected, and now crossed by vicious DRUG GANGS and HUMAN SMUGGLERS to make BIG MONEY off of the US.
That surely qualifies as "no-one is illegal", doesn't it?
Tell me about the THOUSANDS of politically "illegal" people rushing and invading a major US border crossing each and every week as witnessed as far back as 1989, running up the wrong side of the interstate highway ON PURPOSE (they now have been given MAPS and phony-baloney Matricula Cards to use).
Where's your "no-one is illegal" dung now?
Have you even BOTHERED to ask the LEGAL immigrants, those who took years to study, who prayed, who sweated, who kept their noses clean, who SWORE an allegiance to the United States and its Constitution...?
Of course you haven't. You pimpin' money grubbin' propagandizin' illegal-alien-pushin' FOREIGNERS (the nice word).
I was in another city a few years ago in a "yellow-skinned" area of town, on Memorial Day, in bad weather. Ya wanna know what these LEGAL PEOPLE were doing..? Huh..? Do ya..?
They were holding their hands over their Hearts - and Raising The American Flag.
That's what they were doing.........
adrian said:"jt1899, well said! My family made it a point to speak spanish in the house, too! my dad (who is a teacher) knew I would learn english at school with my peers. He reinforced this philosophy so I can be bilingual and communicate with non-english speaking families.
Some poster state families should only speak english, but if that is the case, why do we offer french, german, and spanish classes in high school?"
------------------
Tell us, please, what language is spoken in a school or classroom where 28% of the students are Spanish speakers? What language gets spoken on the playground or athletic fields? To count only on schools to provide English language instruction these days is a very, very dicey business. Furthermore, considering the very high drop out rate among Hispanics and their failure rate at passing exit exams in English in States such as California, well, not encouraging kids to speak English every chance they get is also a bad idea. By the way, your father was a teacher and presumably pretty well educated, but many of today's illegal aliens have less than grade school educations and are illiterate even in their own language much less in English. Some even speak Spanish as a second language after an indigenous language. So even their Spanish is likely to be, shall we say, not the educated language that will be a help to their kids in school or business.
KillerB wrote:"The bigotry on display here is disgusting.
"Martin Luther King had a dream, a dream for equality and fairness for all of our legal citizens."
fremma -- you missed the point on that one. To "equality and fairness for all" add that droned-on clause in the Pledge of Allegiance "and liberty and justice for all." NOT just "legal citizens."
These and much more are just confirmations of the promises made by this country's founders, enshrined even in the Declaration of Independence. Consider the fact that it had to be imposed on all the states by the Reconstructionist laws and amendments to the federal Constitution, including the 14th Amendment, yet it took the Civil Rights stuggle of the 1950 and 60s, speaks volumes of what it takes to force government live up to its promises.
----------
There is no "right" in the Constitution for anyone who is not a citizen of this country to come here. All other of the rights in the Constitution are subsumed by that one.
As for "civil rights", those, by definition belong to CITIZENS of a country. Illegal aliens are not only not citizens, they're not even legal residents. Furthermore, counting them for the purposes of allocating Congressional seats and budgeting is a violation of MY civil rights.
You are correct about the low graduation rates of Latino students, and that is also true for Black, Native Americas, and Southeast Asians. These communities have been affected by systematic racism and the treatment, equivalent to second-class citizens.
I encourage people to read: Critical race theory printed by the news press in 1995
The "illegal" label doesn't make sense. Most if not all users of the term fail to realize it's grammatically incorrect. It's more of a childish epithet than an affiliation or identity. It would be mature of us to stop using it.
http://realmediaethics.com/2009/03/01/th...
"And with the current economic crisis, "the American dream of greed has vanished."
He figures Hispanics will be key to shaping what he calls "a new American dream," one that puts less emphasis on materialism and more emphasis on quality of life, family and culture."
---------------
Funny thing--"immigrants" outdo Americans in greed, hands down. Except for a handful of refugees, most immigrants, especially illegal aliens, are here for a "better life". What is that, if not "greed"? The Pew Hispanic Center found that most illegal aliens from Mexico had jobs before they came here. And despite the fact that Mexico is a wealthy country, #13 or #14 in GDP, half of all Mexicans would prefer to live here. If quality of life and emphasis on family are so important to Hispanic culture, then why leave home (or why is "home" so unappealing that you'd leave)? Why leave your family behind, as illegal aliens often do?
By the way, OUR CULTURE and OUR FAMILIES are important to US, which is why we oppose illegal immigration and amnesty.
Scottsdale wrote:"The "illegal" label doesn't make sense. Most if not all users of the term fail to realize it's grammatically incorrect. It's more of a childish epithet than an affiliation or identity. It would be mature of us to stop using it.
-------------
The US code dealing with immigration has the legally correct term "illegal alien". Illegal alien is the correct legal term. Now, what's nonsensical is the term "undocumented immigrant" or "undocumented worker". Most illegal aliens have plenty of documents, usually stolen or fraudulent. Plenty are not workers. Nor are they "immigrants" which is a term that refers to someone who is legally admitted for permanent residency in the U.S.
illegal alien dehumanizes the individual same as the term ni**er, ki*e, sp*c, dirty mexican, g*ok, and so on. Unfortunately, the Mexican community does not posses the same political strength as other communities.
Adrianhu wrote:"You are correct about the low graduation rates of Latino students, and that is also true for Black, Native Americas, and Southeast Asians. These communities have been affected by systematic racism and the treatment, equivalent to second-class citizens.
I encourage people to read: Critical race theory printed by the news press in 1995"
----------
Actually, the drop out rate of Latinos exceeds that for Blacks. As for racism, well, you find places such as Washington, DC, and Prince George County, Maryland, which are heavily Black, yet Black students still don't do well. DC spends more per student than most places. PG County is very affluent. So, don't blame it all on "racism". Latinos bring with them the values of their homelands and they don't include a value for education. Their parents also bring with them from their homelands a lack of skills and education and THAT FACT is what condemns them to poverty here just as it did in their homelands. Plenty of Asians, Chinese and Indians, for example, even those from poor families, do extremely well in school and in life here, while Latinos struggle.
Furthermore, many Latinos are not only not second class citizens, but they're not citizens at all. I'd say it's more than nice of us to provide them with an opportunity at an education, considering that it takes away resources from our own kids.
"illegal alien dehumanizes the individual same as the term ni**er, ki*e, sp*c, dirty mexican, g*ok, and so on. Unfortunately, the Mexican community does not posses the same political strength as other communities."
----------
Illegal aliens is NOT a RACE. That you and Hispanics try to make it one is your attempt to make obeying the laws of this country an optional extra for one particular ethnic group. I'm Arab-American and have taught overseas in the Middle East. I see no reason why any ethnic group should be able to claim exemption from following our laws. And if my students have to follow immigration laws and pay high foreign student fees, I see no reason why those here illegally should profit from breaking our laws.
By the way, Adrian, HISPANIC is not a race either. It's an ETHNICITY. In fact, the richest man in Mexico, one of the richest men in the world, is actually the son of Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. Ditto, many so-called Hispanics in other parts of Latin America. When my grandparents came here from Lebanon, many others were heading to Canada and Latin America. If Hispanics want to be accepted in this society, they can begin by setting aside the idea that they are "special", that their experience is different from that of other immigrant groups and that they are entitled to impose their culture on the rest of us. Heaven knows, they've done a heck of a job in Latin America imposing Spanish culture on its indigenous peoples and on the many immigrants from other areas, such as the Middle East, Japan, and Italy.
systematic racism is real, and fortunately it does not impact the white community as it does non-white communities.
Mexicans do value education, however they do not possess the social capital necessary to navigate the educational system, or know of their rights as parents.
Where are you securing your facts? Because my knowledge is based on my research on Black and Latino communities.
Lastly, I am Latino - so do I automatically get treated poorly until I display my U.S. passport? Race does play a factor!
By the way, Adrian, since you're so hot about "racism", check out a column that appeared this week in the Huffington Post about racism in Latin America. I think the author's first name was Veronica. You'll find that it's racism in those countries that drives immigrants here, especially illegally.
thanks ali for circumventing my points and introducing a topic not focused on another country.
systematic racism is real, and fortunately it does not impact the white community as it does non-white communities.
Mexicans do value education, however they do not possess the social capital necessary to navigate the educational system, or know of their rights as parents.
Where are you securing your facts? Because my knowledge is based on my research on Black and Latino communities.
Lastly, I am Latino - so do I automatically get treated poorly until I display my U.S. passport? Race does play a factor!
-------------
First, "Latino" is not a race. It's an ethnicity. As I pointed out above, the richest man in Mexico is Lebanese.
My facts are based on publicly available figures from the U.S. Census, etc., as well as my graduate research with Arab immigrants.
I also find it odd that my Lebanese grandparents were as discriminated against as Latinos, as in fact, as my Mexican-American sister-in-law, but that THEY and Lebanese in general have managed to far exceed Mexicans in terms of accomplishment, to the point where we've had one of ours (Ralph Nader) run for President. And I can promise you, my grandparents and other Lebanese started out no richer or better off than Mexicans. My grandfather, like many Lebanese, was a peddler when he first came here as a teen and learned English on the job. Yet, Lebanese families made it a priority to make sure at least one of the kids in the family was able to get an education and often to become a professional such as a doctor or a lawyer. And they did that under conditions far worse than today's Hispanics have it--without Headstart, school lunch programs, etc. To get "social capital", Hispanics have to stop thinking of themselves primarily as Hispanic and reach out to the AMERICAN community. That's where having large concentrations of Hispanics is problematic--Hispanics who don't have to learn English or how things work here because they can remain in their own community will probably do just that.
Frankly, I believe it is Hispanics emphasis on "Hispanic" identity (at the cost of American identity) that keeps them back as well as a "victim" mentality that I've even seen among my students in the Middle East--that when they don't get what they want, it's because they're discriminated against rather than because they simply didn't work hard enough or aren't as smart as they'd like to think they are.
Ali999:
Your flourish is very sweet to read, you rebut many posts and I do enjoy the read.
You say you are Arab-American, were you born in Arabia or in the USA?
What is your mother's language?
I use the term Hispanic/Latino due to its common use, I find the term rather pedestrian.
So, you conducted research on Arab immigrants, how does that connect to Latino issues? The melanin in peoples skin does impact their treatment in the U.S.
I did not see a commercial stating Latinos as a special population, again racism is a salient issue in the U.S., and if you are not willing to accept that fact to maintain a colorblind mentality you are as ignorant as the rest.
Please consider reading this study produced by Ohio State University Kirwan Institute
http://www.eraseracismny.org/html/pdf/po...
US Immigration laws forbid illegal aliens. It's that simple. They need to be deported on sight.
Latino? Hispanic? Why are all there restaurants called Mexican then?? Ive never seen a Latino Restaurant!
Those monikers were bestowed on a segment of the American society by the US census bureau in the 50'-60'--70' when they tried to label the group as a whole.
bigb: your friend is lucky he didn't lose a foot or a leg. Those areas are still infested with anti-personnel mines.
adrian: are you a latino or a latina? There is a big difference. Me, I'm an American and damm proud of it. My wife is of Mexican-Yaqui ancestry and she's also damm proud to be an American. Why don't you join our team? I think we should round up all the folks who don't want to belong (Whites, Blacks, Browns, and Yellows) and swap them out for people who do.
Question for the English only America advocates: at the time of the birth on our nation/ constitution what was the reason behind the First Amendment. How do you reconcile the one language for those who created America; Dutch, Germans, French, and other Europeans, all of who where a part of the framers and libertarians fighting for American freedom, then not allowing them to use their choice of language to communicate or conduct their private busies. You don't, the only reason the constitution was written in English was, so it could be recognized by the British. America doesn't have a national language, it is not like other countries in many ways, but people keep trying to usurp our constitution.
Ali999:
Salam Alikum
I'm not trying to put you in the corner; I'm just wondering how you come to think that you are hyphenated as an Arab-American. Yes I know we use terms unwittingly at times. I like how people say or use American to only identify USA, when in fact it correlates to all the Americas, meaning that Mexicans too can be referred to as Americans.
Let's examine the Arab term, or do you mean Asian? Isn't Asia the correct term to refer to the people of the Asian cotenant? You mentioned that you Grandparents are Lebanese and came to America long ago, so help me to understand, wouldn't that make you just an American period. Your wanting to use the term Arab-American doesn't fit, nor does it fit your argument that others shouldn't use such identifiers, if you want to use it for yourself.
"There is no "right" in the Constitution for anyone who is not a citizen of this country to come here. All other of the rights in the Constitution are subsumed by that one."
Ali999 -- it's one thing to be ignorant. It's quite another to brag about it.
You proved here you know nothing about the Bill of Rights. It applies to ANYONE under U.S. jurisdiction. Including "illegal" immigrants (they're entitled to at least due process) and people accused of being terrorists (including the guarantee of habeas corpus, despite Bush's attempts to suspend it). Several recent decisions from the Supreme Court have made it clear executive power is NOT a "blank check."
Do we have immigration laws? I haven't seen any enforced.
Sure seems to be a lot illegals hanging around on the streets these days.
Let's get one thing straight. You can not blame a poor person/family who lives in Country A and who lives next to rich Country B from going to Country B WHEN they see 1) Country B seems to not give a damn and actually welcomes their arrival, makes it easy for them to enter. 2) Country B offers them the opportunity to give their children a much higher standard of life in the most advanced society on planet earth, free education, free health care, free housing in many instances as well as free food. 3) Country B will only send them back home if they break a law, even then, it will be easy to go back and reunite with the rest of their family in short time. 4) Country B has banks, like BofA, who will give them a bank account and credit card EVEN THOUGH they don't have a SSI number. They can also BUY A HOUSE in the USA even though they are not citizens. They see the laws make it easy for them to live here, and that implies they are welcome.
You see folks, blaming people from a poor country who come here is somewhat narrow minded and ignorant if you put yourself in their shoes. Let's turn the table and image that Mexico discovered 1000 times more oil than they now have plus 1000 very rich gold mines and they decided that they were not the wealthiest country in the world, and like Alaska, they decided to pay everyone who lived there $2500 a year (just to live there) plus promised everyone a good paying job of $50,000 or more, free health care, free education, and free housing until you could get your $150,000 a year job. How many here would put on their hiking shoes and sneak into Mexico to get some of that "good life" they had to offer? Be honest. If you could go under those conditions, and get this and that free and a job that paid you 4-6 times more what you made in the US, would you go? What if Mexico did as the US does and made it easy for you to enter illegally, as we do, wouldn't you think to yourself "they don't care if I come un-documented, they want me, need me"?
Looking at the big picture always brings things into perspective. If anyone is to blame, it is the politicians and policy makers who do not secure our borders! Hold them accountable! Refuse to vote for anyone who does not vow to fix the problems! Blaming the SMART people of Mexico who realized they could bring blessings to their children by taking the change and going to the USA, that is wrong. Simply wrong, and narrow minded. Oh yeah, blame all of the business' that hire them and need them and make it possible for them to live here. In other words, don't blame a poor person if they keep a bag full of say $20,000 laying on the street unattended and they don't turn it in to the authorities. Blame the person who left the money there for the taking.
Well excuse me... with liberty and justice for anybody on earth who wants to enter our country illegally and take work away from legal citizens.
Probably won't hear any complaints when we bring in 20 to 30,000 more immigrants and give them a path to citizenship. Right in the middle of our recession/depression. This will benefit our citizens 100%. While we are at it why don't we just get rid of our immigration laws seeing we are letting the people breaking our federal laws and our federal authorities aren't doing a thing about it. But wait, the North American Union, now here's a plan every one of you americans will go for. We'll make Canada, the U.S.A. and Mexico one nation, yeah! No border north, no borders south. No more United States Of America, no national anthem, we won't have to worry about voting because our leaders will be appointed by big business. All our laws will be rewritten to fit the scope of the NAU.
Better yet let's form the New World Order....
Maybe we should just keep and strenghten the good old USA, we haven't enforced our immigration laws for a long time. When do we start saving ourselves before it's too late?
Labels are so cliche. NWO. NAU. Why try to label it? The fact is, this country was founded by Freemasons who intended from the beginning to create a new world order. Freemasons worship Lucifer. Freemasons are satanic, perverse, and anti-christ by nature. Thus, the USA has been and will continue to be "the great satan". The good, god fearing Christians who are now a majority in this country are starting to be put in their place. Anyone who claims the "constitution" gives them this or that right is now labeled a potential terrorist. The middle class has been outsourced. College educated people will be forced to do menial work as they do in countries like Cuba and Russia. This is the desire of our evil rulers. They put us into checkmate without a shot being fired, without even a mass protest or complaint. Our 200 years of freedom, that was just a temporary illusion. Freedom was given enough rope to hang itself due to the greed and rapacious nature of man. Whether you realize it or not, we already live in a new world order. When the bastard son of Malcomb X can be placed into the highest office of the most powerful country on earth, you know it's all over. The rest is all pomp and circumstance to amuse our kings, seen and unseen, who laugh at our misery and look forward to our continued demise.
http://sparkoflifemedia.com/?tag=stanley...
Why are Christians always so stupid?
Amazing Christians ever learned to walk upright.
Sergio, you are a wacho.
Glad to see a new demographic gaining in Nevada. The Tea bagger crowd is embarassing.
Sergio meet Nick. You two belong together.
Nick -- what's a "wacho"?
I think for the most part people integrate. But illegal immigrant? no. This really shouldn't be an issue. Any Goverment in any country in the world should be responsible for it's borders. It should have the best interests for it's citizens at heart. Of course anyone should be allowed entry, what ever race. But through the correct procedure and requirements and back ground checks and that is of the up most of importance. And anyone who argues with that and wants open borders,remember this.There are many people out there who hate America.
I am a perfect example of immigration. English is not my native language. My parents came her documented when I was very young. I flunked 1st grade because I couldn't speak English and back then, they didn't just push you through. I worked hard and mastered the language while still speaking Spanish, got straight A's at Gorman and College (actually few B's in college). Went on to become successful in business (have owned a few) Yet I was not born here. Most of the morons who post here were born in the US, yet they took things for granted. Look at my arguments vs some of the US born citizens. I pone the fools and their own words expose them as ignorant. I forget more in one day than the local trailer trash will ever learn. I have 2 educations, one formal, one I learned "on purpose" myself. I've learned about the occult, the Masons, secret societies, even the Sumerians and the ancients. I don't waste time looking at porn, I don't drink, never used drugs. I spend most of my free time with my family, yet find 2-3 hours a day to read and learn new things. Yet I was not born in the country.
America has become a slave nation, not because of undocumented immigrants, but because it's people as a whole are a whole a worthless pile of dung, a lazy lot who feel entitled without to financial freedom. Take this as my latest revelation.
I was interrupted by my boy and my last sentence is a typo. It should have read ...", a lazy lot who feel entitled to financial freedom without having to any work."
On last thought. I donated to the Minutemen. I do not believe that our borders should be open because I foreseen this "train wreak" years ago and I knew those illegals would just become a drain on society when not even the born and bred natives would be able to find work after the housing bubble burst and the economy sank. I also predicted a lot of those illegals turning to crime. So far, I don't know if that part of my prediction has come true, I don't believe so. I think most former "workers" are holding on to the hope things turn around soon. When they don't, heaven help the natives. Won't be any fun when the Rabbit's got the gun.
NY Times/CBS Poll dated April 22-26, 2009; 65% would like to see undocumented immigrants legalized.
http://documents.nytimes.com/new-york-ti...
Pew Research Center Poll: 63% of Americans Favor Path to Legalization for Undocumented.
http://immigration.change.org/blog/view/...
An April 30, 2009 ABC News/Washington Post poll finds 61% of Americans support Path to Legalization for Undocumented
http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit...
Comptroller for the State of Texas;
"The absence of the estimated 1.4 million undocumented immigrants in Texas in fiscal 2005 would have been a loss to our gross state product of $17.7 billion. Undocumented immigrants produced $1.58 billion in state revenues, which exceeded the $1.16 billion in state services they received."
http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/specialrpt/un...
Francine J. Lipman
Professor of Law
Courses Taught: Federal Income Taxation and Corporate Tax
http://www.chapman.edu/law/faculty/lipma...
Taxing Undocumented Immigrants: Separate, Unequal and Without Representation
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?a...
The Undocumented Immigrant Tax
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?a...
Crime decreases in most L.A. Sheriff's Department areas
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-...
Crime in Los Angeles and many other parts of Southern California fell in 2008 for the sixth consecutive year.
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/01/...
New York City had more murders in 1961 than 2008.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2...
US Department of Justice, homicide rate 1900 - 2004.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/hmrt...
US Department of Justice, violent crime rates graph; Violent crime rates are now lower than 1973.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/vior...
"Noncitizen men from Mexico between the ages of 18 and 40, which the study indicated were more likely to be in the country illegally, were eight times less likely to be in a "correctional setting,"
http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/cacount...
On Sunday, April 19, 2009, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary JANET NAPOLITANO went on CNN's "State of the Union" and proclaimed that crossing the border is not a crime.
"crossing the border is not a crime"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqim4Se7...
you can blame companies that want this cheap labor, you also can blame the catholic church for making sure all their followers breed like rabbits, who else is gonna keep them in business.
Soon it will be Press 2 for English and we will need a translator to help us read their billboard's.
deporte's!
We citizens don't want ignorant, 2nd grade educated, low class illegals in Vegas any more than we want the H1N1 virus in the schools.
hey afvet, you're ignorant and probably have less than a high school education, can we deport you back to europe?
adrian: my Yaqui-Mexican wife wants to know when her people will achieve justice in your Hispanic culture.
hey mike, i didn't know that i had complete control over people, thanks!
So, I am responsible for the action that occurred 200 years ago? I didn't rape, kill, coerce communities those were the Spanish and the White Europeans.
"Representatives for each event said they came to town because of the large population of people here with Latin American heritage, about 28 percent."
I WONDER WHEN THE PERCENTAGE REACHES 51 DOES THAT MEAN THE EUROPEAN-AMERICAN "IMMIGRANTS" WILL GET THE BENEFITS OTHER MINORITIES HAVE ENJOYED ALL THESE YEARS.
No, it means you will become a second class citizen and have to eat burritos breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Maybe Obama will make the white people clean homes and cut grass when this country becomes communist and everyone is deemed "equal". Payback baby, payback.
Sergio_the_Prophet
I am surprised they let third graders post comments. Good luck with 3rd grade little dude.
Listen adrian, If it wasn't for the nasty europeans you and yours would still be 200 years behind in advanced development. Please enlighten us all of the technological advances that have been cultivated from the fine country of mexico! O.K., The tortilla and the.............
Architecture"..
EUROPEANS did not bring civilization here (actually, they came here and destroyed civilization in the traditions of the Germanic tribes which had brought destruction upon Roman civilization.).
GW Engineering Doctoral Candidate Jose Hernandez-Rebollar Creates an Electronic Translation Device for American Sign Language.
http://www.gwu.edu/~bygeorge/041503/aslg...
http://inventors.about.com/od/famousinve...
Fiber Optic Camera
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/...
Ok, I wasn't going to go there, but if you must know, Mexico taught the world (Europeans) to bathe, prior to their invasion, Europeans never bathed, they only put on perfumes or flowers to hide their true sent of person. The Native tribes of Mexico (Aztecs, Mayans etc..) would bathe regularly, everyday for that matter, they knew better than to just try and hide the stench. That stench is where all their diseases came from, so there you have, and they taught them how to wipe their "
This is not an attack of that culture just a rebuttal, albeit true.