Monday, July 03, 2006

What to think?

I saw this comic in the paper and got a good laugh! I am not big on politics but, I do care about the debate over immigration laws. I think that Tee summarized it perfectly in her post, The Great (Immigration)Debate. I couldn't have said it better and I agree that America should be open to all, given that they follow the proper steps and laws to become legal. The freedom that we experience as Americans did not come to us freely. I believe that anyone who resides in this wonderful land needs to appreciate and honor that fact.

Having said that, I was at Home Depot with Sterling a couple of days ago. I had decided to wait in the car while he ran in to grab some stuff. While I was waiting, I saw several families of Latin decent getting out of their cars. As I watched them, I couldn't help but wonder how they were feeling these days. I wondered if they felt like everyone was watching them or judging them. It made me sad because I thought that our country was far beyond the racism issues that we had known in the past. While the immigration debate is not necessarily a racist type of issue, it does deal mostly with one particular group of people.

I just realized that some people have thrown themselves into this debate and perhaps let emotional factors and opinions govern their behaviors. That makes me sad. I believe that the issue is just one of abiding by the legal system that we have established, whether you are white, black, purple, or green!! So, I just wanted to put my little opinion out there and let everyone know that we are all equal in the eyes of God who did, after all, bless us with this wonderful country.

5 comments:

Nettie said...

It really is unfortunate that so many people make the immigration issues into racist ones. You'd think we, as a country, would have gotten past this long ago!

Tee/Tracy said...

LOL - That is a good comic.

Funny you bring this up today. I was just helping a friend of my MIL's with her immigration papers yesterday.

She is here illegal but married an American. She has a little girl with him that was born here. Right now she is under "TPS" (Temporary Protected Status) and allowed to work. She has to renew this Work Authorization card every 6 months - never knowing if/when it will be declined.

Some people think that marrying an American automatically gets you "papers" - but it doesn't. Not anymore. For her to become legal is a very long and expensive process which involves her having to go back to her native country to re-enter legally. Keep in mind - when she leaves she has no way of guaranteeing that they'll let her back in.

Why are we making life so hard for people like this? She works hard, she has a family, she's very kind and has no criminal record - certainly she's not a "terrorist".

It's hard to understand. :(

Blackeyedsue said...

This is a hard one. I wish there was an answer that could please everyone.

My mom is Native American and she says that if this were the case when the white settlers came over, Americans would still be hunting buffalo and living in tee-pees. She is of the pro-immigrant opinion.

I am a fence sitter. I agree that things should be done through the proper legal channels and should have been from the beginning. However, there are many wonderful people that are living here and are productive, kind and generally good. Why isn't there an easier route for them?

This issue stinks!!!

Miranda said...

Hey thanks for stopping by my blog again. I bet you're getting anxious for your baby to arrive. The last few weeks always seem to drag by. Enjoy it though...it's kind of sad when you aren't pregnant anymore.

Evey said...

Just to give you a quick fill in on your question in regards to my immigration interview......

I am from Canada (actually I was born in Scotland) and when Chris and I got married in 2004 we had to fill out all the immigration forms etc for me to get my green card and so on. It is such a dumb and long process (for no reason it seems) but I am glad it is done and over with for the time being.