There are plenty of illegal Hispanics (particularly children who came here with their parents and young adults) who have assimilated themselves into the culture and speak the language. How would you differentiate a Legal Hispanic from an illegal Hispanic? (and I mean in passing on the street, not in the system). On the flip side, there are many new legal immigrants who still have not adapted to the culture and still have not learned the language, how would you differentiate them from the illegals? Answer: You can't. So instead, you have 65%+ of the Hispanic population (here legally) who have to put up with the bigotry of the non-Hispanic community. It turns into a racial issue. Need I remind you that there are many illegal Ukranians, Irish, Russians, etc.? Hispanics are just the majority.

To quote you "hate born out of paranoia". No need to look at Palestinians, we have it in our own borders.

I am not arguing the viability of the policy, just the fact that it is passing the buck, and not fixing the problem, simply promoting discrimination. They are proud to have "run illegals out of their town", but in the process EVERY (Hispanic) immigrant, legal or not, feels the hostility of the environment.

If the government took a stance, IN ANY WAY, then at least they would all be deported, or some of them would stay and others would go, but in essence whoever was left would be legal. This way, you are giving carte blanche to discriminate against ANY Hispanic, on the suspicion that they are illegal.

So, when I married my husband (who is South American) and he first came to this country (legally), and did not know the language or had not yet had the chance to assimilate to the culture - - would it be ok for him to be discriminated against? Assumed Illegal? Should he have pulled out his green card every time someone gave him a sideways glance for speaking Spanish? It is preposterous. "Walk a mile in my shoes..."

I'll give you one better. I've walked a mile in his shoes. While living in southeast Texas, I got all the sideways looks you can imagine. I was once refused to be allowed to use the restroom (They said it was out of order), because it was thought I was Mexican. But I wasn't Mexican so I had no recourse. Now if you ask me not allowing someone to use a public restroom is discriminatory and probably violates some other laws.
But what we are talking about here I think comes down to profiling.
Some are against it. I am for it.
When the law went into the black community and actually found the two boys who killed some people at a Florida rest area, a lot of people got upset because the officers "profiled" by starting at the black community.
O.K. they were looking for a very dark black male about sixteen years of age. And I think the other guy was light skinned African American male about early twenties. So what were the law supposed to do -put up a road block and stop everybody-because that would be fair-or go where their common sense told them they might find the kids??
Same thing if you are trying to catch illegal Hispanic looking criminals. Do you waste your and the tax payer's time throwing out a net over the area to include Chinese looking people and Black people and Caucasian? No. You target and rid yourself of some criminals.

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Give me Liberty! or give me marriage!

http://saltwn.blogspot.com/

And you think a law that promotes that kind of behavior is okay? Well then I guess there is no point in arguing any more,

I pity the legal immigrants who feel threatened by the invasion of their illegal counterparts. However, I see no need to stop the criminal invasion of our country to spare their feelings. If they are legal, they have nothing to worry about and they should be more than willing to assist in the identification and removal of those who are causing this "hostile" environment in the first place.

Any law that promotes this kind of behavior should be frowned upon by the average citizen IMO.

SPLCenter.org: Immigration Backlash: Violence Engulfs Latinos

I guess the hostility goes a little farther than the environment. Again, walk a mile in "this man's shoes", and tell their families what you can do to "spare their feelings". The government needs to do THEIR JOB and find a solution.

As with so many other problems, the states and communities have stepped up to the plate and enacted or enforced the law to address their particular area's problems.
And it appears to be working.

__________________


Give me Liberty! or give me marriage!

http://saltwn.blogspot.com/

The solution is simple, but the outcry from those who wear their hearts on their sleeves would be deafening.

When an illegal gets arrested, deport them. When an illegal is stopped in traffic, deport them. When an illegal cannot show mandatory identification to sign a lease, deport them. When an illegal shows up at the hospital for treatment, treat them and then deport them. When illegals report for school, deport the family. Let Mexico start figuring out it's poverty problem instead of sending their problems here to the US.

Fine by me, but that would mandate nationwide FEDERAL regulations. If it is only done in ONE town, it promotes racism and bigotry. THAT IS MY POINT. I don't know how to make it any clearer.

Yes, and they enact these anti-illegal immigrants regulations in one town, and it just makes the next town angrier to see ANY Hispanic. If it were this way in EVERY town, then it would not be an issue.