PDA

View Full Version : Here's Where I Have A Problem



Schnook
12-21-2005, 04:31 AM
Basically, it seems the Mexican government is upset because their citizens are going to be 'discouraged' from illegally entering our country.

Block Border Wall Plan By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer
Wed Dec 21, 1:11 AM ET



MEXICO CITY - The Mexican government, angered by a U.S. proposal to extend a wall along the border to keep out migrants, pledged Tuesday to block the plan and organize an international campaign against it.


Facing a growing tide of anti-immigrant sentiment north of the border, the government has taken out ads urging Mexican workers to denounce rights violations in the United States. It also is hiring an American public relations firm to improve its image and counter growing U.S. concerns about immigration.

Mexican President Vicente Fox denounced the U.S. measures, passed by the House of Representatives Friday, as "shameful." His foreign secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, echoed his complaints on Tuesday.

"Mexico is not going to bear, it is not going to permit, and it will not allow a stupid thing like this wall," Derbez said.

"What has to be done is to raise a storm of criticism, as is already happening, against this," he said, promising to turn the international community against the plan.

At least 10 million Mexican citizens are believed to be living in the United States. U.S. authorities believe about half of them do not have papers.

In 2004, Mexican migrants north of the Rio Grande sent home more than $16 billion in remittances, according to Mexico's central bank, giving the nation its second biggest source of foreign currency after oil exports.

Some stretches of the U.S.-Mexico border are already marked by fences, but in some heavily trafficked sections walls have already been erected by the United States, often using 10-foot-high sections of military surplus steel. Those sections, which typically run several miles, can be found in southern Arizona and California.

It's hard to underestimate the ill-feeling the proposal has generated in Mexico, where editorial pages are dominated by cartoons of Uncle Sam putting up walls bearing anti-Mexican messages.

Many Mexicans, especially those who have spent time working in the U.S., feel the proposal is a slap in the face to those who work hard and contribute to the U.S. economy.

Fernando Robledo, 42, of the western state of Zacatecas, says the proposals could stem migration and disrupt families by breaking cross-border ties.

"When people heard this, it worried everybody, because this will affect everybody in some way, and their families," Robledo said. "They were incredulous. How could they do this, propose something like this?"

Robledo, whose son and mother are U.S. citizens, predicted the measure "would unleash conflict within the United States" as small businesses fail for lack of workers.

He said many Mexicans felt betrayed by the anti-immigrant sentiment.

"We learned to believe in the United States. We have a binational life," he said of Zacatecas, a state that has been sending migrants north for more than a century. "It isn't just a feeling of rejection. It's against what we see as part of our life, our culture, our territory."

The government is scrambling to fight on two fronts. On Monday, it announced it had hired Allyn & Company, a Dallas-based public relations company to help improve Mexico's image and stem the immigration backlash.

"If people in the U.S. and Canada had an accurate view of the success of democracy, political stability and economic prosperity in Mexico, it would improve their views on specific bilateral issues like immigration and border security," Rob Allyn, president of the PR firm, told The Associated Press Tuesday.

Jose Luis Soberanes, head of the government's National Human Rights Commission, suggested Mexico go further.

"I would expect more energetic reactions from our authorities," Soberanes told local media. "It's preferable to have a more demanding government, more confrontation with the United States."

Mexico has also said it is recruiting U.S. church, community and business groups to oppose the proposal.

And the government has stepped up its defense of migrants, airing a series of radio spots here aimed at migrants returning home for the holidays.

"Had a labor accident in the United States? You have rights ... Call," reads the ad, sponsored by Mexico's Foreign Relations Department, which has helped migrants bring compensation suits in the United States.

The sense of dread connected with the measures is hardly restricted to Mexico. Immigrant advocacy and aid groups in the United States are worried about provisions of the House bill that upgrade unlawful presence in the United States from a civil offense to a felony.

"It would have a horrific impact on immigrants right organizing and immigrant communities" in the United States, said Jennifer Allen of the Tucson, Ariz.-based Red de Accion Fronteriza.

The mistaken belief that the proposals are a done deal — they must still be submitted to the Senate — have caused "just complete fear and shock" among some activists and immigrants, Allen said.

The House bill, passed on a 239-182 vote, includes a proposal to build 700 miles of additional fence through parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. It would also enlist military and local law enforcement to help stop illegal entrants and require employers to verify the legal status of their workers.

Mexicans are outraged by the proposed measures, especially the extension of the border wall, which many liken to the Berlin Wall. Some are urging their government to fight it fiercely.

"Our president should oppose that wall and make them stop it, at all costs," said Martin Vazquez, 26, at the Mexico City airport as he returned from his job as a hotel worker in Las Vegas. "More than just insulting, it's terrible."

____

MOP
12-21-2005, 08:46 AM
DON't Blame Them! We can only blame ourselves and our elected officials!

Now before I get into my gripes, my daughter in-law is from Costa Rica, and like many I have a lot of friends and associates from south of the border I also intend retiring down there. So my feelings are a mixed bag! Bonnies son employs a dozen or so guys from south of the border. Over the summer due to him being in a bind and me being an old tin knocker I worked with some of his crews, they were hard working honest good people. Michael will not hire anyone without papers and takes out income taxes, more on that later.

I don't know if the wall or other crossing restrictions will do anything to help the situation, I think our law makers need to look a greater issues.

1. Them not being on the books and not paying taxes, sending millions of dollars south is one that hurts us all. We pay all the bills they take/send home all the $$$$!

2. Health care, I being self employed went for many years without health care. Fact if they get injured or become sick they get treated for free. They cost us many millions of dollars a year, I have friends in the heath care industry that say many with serious costly problems come here just for the free heath care. We pay for that!

3. I have quite a few SKILLED friends, some construction, machinists, mechanics, painters and on & on. They can't get a decent paying job anymore as the Border crosser's work for less. How many clerks or attendants are there that you have one hell of a time understanding, God forbid if you need directions now is that not a smart move on the employers part, a prerequisite to work with the public should be fluent English. Don't you think that does not cost us in time, frustration and dollars.

4. We have to admit we are to blame for most of this, employers who let these things go on should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The laws should be much stronger then they currently are with much higher penalties.

Between putting people out of work and not paying taxes no one can say they are not hurting the US and hurting it bad.

The language thing also really ticks me off, my daughter in-law took English as a second language. To me that is a joke, we as American have to learn Spanish. Almost everyone I know that has staff has learned Spanish because ALL staff has some people from way south. ALL of my ancestors had to learn English to become citizens, that is no longer true.

If this issue ticks you off do like I have done and will keep doing, bitching to my Congressman ans Senator, this is a very wrong situation that needs fixing. If left alone it will continue to hurt this nation deeply! It is high time we woke up and forced our elected officials to act more strongly

Phil

pmreed
12-21-2005, 10:27 AM
Build the Da*m well already. It's long overdue.

Phil

Oh, and mine around Florida with signs in English that tell you where they are:cool:

Chili 18
12-21-2005, 10:59 AM
I think that if we eliminated the automatic citizenship for children born here. Eliminated the free health care, and free education.............


The issue would mostly disappear.


Hell, why wouldnt they try coming here as it is now. Cant really blame them for trying. I'd probably go south if the game was reversed.

I say loose the perks... Loose the problem.

Schnook
12-21-2005, 01:40 PM
It seems that my point has been largely missed. While I do believe that a problem exists with illegal immigrants taking advantage of the benefits of our country without contributing their share, what's really got me fired up here is that the government of a foreign country is professing their indignation at a decision made for America, in America, by the American Government, and following it up with a statement that they will not allow this to happen. This to me shows a complete lack of respect and utter disregard for the sovereignty of our country. We can't nuke 'em (too much left over evidence) and we can't protest to the U.N. (too much like pissing in the wind), but I believe that this issue needs to be addressed strongly. The fact that there is a group of honest, hard working people (for the most part) who want to come here to try to make a better life for them and theirs is fine with me, but they can't expect to come to the party if they're not going to pitch in for the beer!