Am I being Racist?

I live in Southern California, and over the last few years, I have noticed that there has been a giant leap in how many Mexicans live in my town. Now, this really makes me mad because I know that most of them are here illegally. Did you know that in California, we spend over $10.5 billion annually on their education, health care, and incarceration? WE pay money to put people who aren't even supposed to be here in school and pay for their doctor's bills. I can't believe I am paying to put them in jail. That is just ridiculous!

I just can't believe that we are giving so much money away to people who aren't even supposed to be here. Yes, I know that Mexico is not the nicest place to live, but there is a sytem to coming here legally that they should follow. I have a mexican friend who is just outraged that so many Mexicans are crossing the border illegally. He and his family worked and did things by the book, and now they are US citizens.

See, i have no problem with that. What I have a problem with is that when I got married, I was pregnant and needed some affordable healthcare. I couldn't use my parents' coverage anymore because of my new marital status. Insurance companies do not like to take on someone who is pregnant. So, I tried to get some help from my government until we got on our feet.

I was not eligible for medical because of my income, which by the way was only $20,000. In Southern California, that right there basically just pays for the housing costs. I did get something a little different though and ended up using the county clinics in my area.

When I went there, the place was FULL of Mexican men and pregnant mexican woman. I mean, they all had medical! Why the heck are these people getting help from my government when I, a US citizen all my life, cannot?

They take our jobs. I mean, my husband works as a construction worker, has his own small drywalling business. He is constantly getting out bid by mexican crews and workers. They charge so much less than he does, that my husband just looks bad. My husband has actually been there when a Meixcan worker under bid him by hundreds or even a thousand dollars. Hmmm.... Now, who do you think the employers went for?

So I am sick of it. I want them out, and I want stricter actions and regulations to keep them out. You know, I don't want anyone to think I hate Mexican s because they are Mexicans, no, i would be outraged if Germans, Australians, Hungarians, or whatever were flowing into my country at this rate. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING!

I really don't want to end up hating these people.......

No, you are not racist.

I'm in Southern California as well and I am FED UP!!!! I want the illegals deported ASAP. I don't care if they are Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, African, German, etc. If they are here illegally they need to go NOW. No excuses, no hesitation, just put them on a bus and deliver them south of the border.



Jemison

Thank you. I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way. I know that a lot of people do feel like me but are just afraid to admit it for fear of sounding inhumane or racist. It is easier to admit here though.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it were that easy? Put them on a bus, send them back to Mexico. Ha. Ya right.

And when our political leaders stand up and say, hey, maybe we need to do something about this, they are labeled as racist themselves.

What is up with that?!?!?! Are we so afraid of oh no offending people that we can't even address a serious problem when we see one? Give me a break!

Border patrol is so much better in other countries and they use physical force, like guns. Sooooo, if it works there............

I'm with you guys and I too am sick and tired of being called a racists. It's not the fact that they are mexicans that I write about. It's what they are doing to our country. They do have more rights than we do! As you said, it doesn't matter what nationality they are. It is what is happening. Colorado is 68% hispanic. That is up 48% since 1998! We've had to close some birthing hospitals too. The illegals used an entire years budget in 2 1/2 months!

They will be the undoing of America, just do like the government does....sit back and watch everything being taken away from you.

These illegal aliens must be kept out, we need to militarize the border until an impassable wall is built, and we need to imprison and heavily fine any employer that hires illegals. At the same time, we can start a fair immigration policy that allows legal entry to the U.S. to citizens of all countries (not just mexicans) who would like to come and work in the U.S. in numbers that are needed by the U.S. economy.

Originally posted by MauiStacey Colorado is 68% hispanic. That is up 48% since 1998! We've had to close some birthing hospitals too. The illegals used an entire years budget in 2 1/2 months!

That's surprising.
I didn't think it would be anywhere near that high.

There should be a crackdown in places like Colorado but I can't really see any complaints about California since that was a part of Mexico.

Originally posted by AceOfBase


There should be a crackdown in places like Colorado but I can't really see any complaints about California since that was a part of Mexico.

Okay, well it's not part of mexico anymore is it. California is part of the United States. They should not have free and unhindered access to this country on the grounds that they had it before us. Heck, why don't we all just move out and let them take over. But then agin, then California would become a new "mexico" and they'd problably start immigrating illegally into Nevada, Oregon, Washington......

But really, do you live in California Ace? Do you live in any part of the country that is getting an onslaught of illegal aliens? Do you pay up the you know what to house, clothe, and incarcerate people from another country? My husband and I work our butts off to make a living here, and we pay tons of taxes for that right. Why should we hand over our money to a group of people who are not supposed to be here?

And, it's not just that. If Mexicans were coming over here, leading a productive lifestyle, contributing to society, you know, that would be a little different.

But instead, they come here, take our jobs, our government programs, and I hate to say it, but the prisons in my city are FULL of Mexicans. Not white people, not asians, not blacks, mainly Mexicans.

Originally posted by AceOfBase
There should be a crackdown in places like Colorado but I can't really see any complaints about California since that was a part of Mexico.

LOL, so what??? New York was once part of the Netherlands but my Dutch friends still have to show their passports when they visit me!

seraph5, Im with you....even in the DC we have this problem with illegals from all the globe. They come here on vacation to visit thier friends and families and they just so happen to "miss" thier flight...BS

Well they stay here and get underground jobs and dont have to pay state or fed tax.....but I know it's alot worse in Cali.

Colorado is 68% hispanic. That is up 48% since 1998!

Can you prove this...is there a link you can produce? Not that it's not true, just kind of way up there if you ctach my drift

The United states needs immigrants to maintain its population, and often its armed forces, as that is a key route for immigrants to get out of poverty, they are also the key to cheap labor as they will take jobs that most of us would starve on, and live in places most of us would shun.

The net increase from 1990 to 2000 in the native born population of New Jersey was 2.6 percent, the net increase of foreigners in New Jersey in the same time period was 52.7 percent.
NJ data

Speakers of Foreign Languages
(at home in New Jersey in the 2000 Census)
Spanish 967,700
Italian 116,365
Polish 74,665 (and they all live in my town it would seem)
Portuguese 72,835
Tagalog 66,850
Chinese 66,415
Korean 55,340
Gujarathi 47,325
Arabic 47,050
French 45,675
(Source: Census Bureau report: Language Spoken at Home for the Population 5 Years and Over, April 2004)

The 2000 Census recorded 1,476,327 foreign-born residents in the state. That was 17.5 percent of the state's overall population and an increase of 52.7 percent above the 1990 foreign-born population of 966,610 residents.

( i.e. taxation of 17.5% of the population without representation, these people can't vote)

The amount of increase was the sixth highest in the country. However, the rate of increase in the foreign-born population was not among the 25 highest in the country.

I'll tell you one thing I've noticed, there are a lot of polish and russians in my town, and they all have new cars, often more than one, the houses are being renovated right and left, and the price of a house around here now is on average no less than $350,000 and upwards to $950,000.
They must be doing something right.
They drink alot of booze, if the containers on recycling day each week is any indication.
Heroin replaced weed as the drug of choice in the high school 15 years ago when the Russians flooded in, and I'd say at least half of the kids I see going to that school smoke, so hey they pay ALOT of taxes (about 4.50 in taxes per pack, per day, per person)

America without immigration would be a ghost town, yet, this massive wave of non-voteables is really the issue that is going to crush us. And should there ever be an outcry against this mess, you will be facing immigrants behind those bullet-proof shields and gas masks.

I think that your problem lies not with the Mexicans but with those in your society who are in a position to exploit cheap labour.

Immigrants and economic migrants traditionally work in the lowest paid, lowest skilled areas - typically unskilled agricultural and manual labour and service sectors such as cleaning, fast food factory work.

Clearly seraph5 with your income bracket you are not in a position to exploit these people and you are coming into competition with them.

You need to address the issue of who is benefitting from their prescence.

I can guarantee that it is the industry leaders and factory owners who are gaining the most and as these are the people who bankroll the politicians then change WILL NOT HAPPEN.

It is simply not in their interest to change anything. Would they rather pay $1000 dollars for a wall or $250? Would they rather pay $1.50 an hour for a Mexican in their factory or $5.50 an hour for a U.S. citizen? Your beef is not with the Mexicans but the (rich elite) Americans....

There should be a crackdown in places like Colorado but I can't really see any complaints about California since that was a part of Mexico.

Are you serious?? What kind of arguement is that? Do you also think that slavery is justified as long as it is confined to the South?

Jemison

Originally posted by Legalizer
they are also the key to cheap labor as they will take jobs that most of us would starve on, and live in places most of us would shun.

Well, My part of Southern Cali has a lot of strawberry fields. I don't think I have seen more than a few white people working the fields, just Mexicans. This is a crummy job, I have to agree, and they don't get paid much. However, if we enforced the non-hiring of illegal aliens, these mexicans could not work in the fields could they? Then, the field owners would have to hire some one else(or replace with machinery) and these new workers would probably demand more money. So they would be compensated for working such a bad job and the money would stay IN THE ECONOMY.

About the places we would shun, well, I think that we would fix them up before we moved in, don't you? There are places in my town, hidden from public veiw, where mexicans live. There are dirt rodes, one room houses, shacks built in one day. I can't believe tht there are really places here that look like this. If we rid ourselves of the illegal aliens, the people in this town would definately tear those houses down and build new ones. So the places we would shun are only shunned as the result of who lives there. Wow, tht sounds bad....

Anyways, they don't just take the jobs no one wants. They take jobs away from my famioly, my family-in-law, my neighbors.... and the list goes on. Illegal Alien Workers are cheap. So, many busineeses around here hire them to do work in construction. This is not a botto of the line job that no one wants. This is a job that houses and clothes many Americans.

We cannot compete with Mexican workers. I guess we could hire them ourselves, but then again, why the heck would I do that??!??! That would just be feeding into this cycle, and I want it to stop.

I agree that immigration is a big part of what makes this country so great, but not ILLEGAL immigration.

I still like the idea of the wall all around the US.

Originally posted by mark ten
I think that your problem lies not with the Mexicans but with those in your society who are in a position to exploit cheap labour.

Immigrants and economic migrants traditionally work in the lowest paid, lowest skilled areas - typically unskilled agricultural and manual labour and service sectors such as cleaning, fast food factory work.

Clearly seraph5 with your income bracket you are not in a position to exploit these people and you are coming into competition with them.

You need to address the issue of who is benefitting from their prescence.

I can guarantee that it is the industry leaders and factory owners who are gaining the most and as these are the people who bankroll the politicians then change WILL NOT HAPPEN.

It is simply not in their interest to change anything. Would they rather pay $1000 dollars for a wall or $250? Would they rather pay $1.50 an hour for a Mexican in their factory or $5.50 an hour for a U.S. citizen? Your beef is not with the Mexicans but the (rich elite) Americans....

Well said.

It seems that depsite the fact that most of you are against the illegals coming, you don't see the big picture here. It's our govt and the Mexican govt who are to blame. The Mexican govt TEACHES the Mexicans how to sneak up here, and our govt goes on and on about terrorism while they leave the borders wide open.

Seraph, you are partly right that people in the govt try to do something, but are labelled racist. What you don't understand is that the small number of govt officials who are for this have all the power, so the good ones can't do much. If our prez attacks ordinary people who take it upon themselves to try to control our border, what does that tell you? Meanwhile, he's going on and on about the terrorists.

This is by design, y'all. I live in Texas and I notice the same thing. The govt wants to drive down the wages and create a HUGE lower class population. America won't be a 1st world nation for long. When this happens, the rich will become even richer. Hell, I have heard the head of Border Patrol agree with these assertions in an interview.

Don't think high tech jobs are safe either; those are going overseas to places like India. Welcome to the new America.

Colorado is 68% hispanic. That is up 48% since 1998!

Hispanics (including multiple races) were 18 percent of the population of Colorado.
www.rmpbs.org...

Tech Jobs are going over seas thats for sure. Also they are bringing guys from India over here. Thats right Computer Administrators, that will work for 30,000 dollars a year. They will cut other IT guys salary in half.

I just watched a report on CNN last night on immagration and it was the most biased piece,I have ever seen. Basicly it went like this Hispanics coming in, is great for the country, and anyone agianst it, is a racist. They focused on all the good. Saying this is America way and illiegals are good for community, that they take jobs, Americans do not want. WHat a bunch of BS. Hey I have traveled all over the country ,places where there are no illegals, and guess what those jobs are still being done, by Americans.


The goverment wants the hispanic vote. No one is going to stand up and shut it down. Big buissness wants lower wages. They love it.

You would think since 911, closing the boarders would be a top priorty.

Originally posted by truthseeka

This is by design, y'all.

Absolutely true. Why do you think illegals have benefits in the first place?

Corporations need them here to keep costs low and politicians need corporate sponsorship. Elected officials send mixed messages when they publicly denounce illegal immigration and then put in place laws that are not only easy on illegal immigration, but encourage it.

In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed, but to date, only 13 companies have been fined for hiring illegals. That speaks volumes about how deeply the government cares about stopping the employment of illegal aliens. Law enforcement can continue to round up and send back illegals, but that has little to do with the problem.

Consider this--American companies typically recruit Mexican workers in their hometowns, either directly or through friends and relatives, with promises of jobs and information regarding the benefits they can receive once they are here. The picture that is painted is that they are welcome--all they have to do is cross the border and they are home free. Sometimes these companies even help them get across the border.

So isn't it a bit misguided to focus on the indigent illegal that has been invited to come here by the American company with job offers and by the American government with benefits (provided that he or she can sneak by the border patrol, which apparently isn't that hard to do if you are told how...) It is quite obvious what is going on here to me.

Until employers that hire illegals are punished, the United States government is essentially sanctioning the employment of illegal aliens. Of course, this will never happen.

The spin game of distorting culpability by blaming illegals for being opportunists will continue. Doesn't matter that they were only responding to enticements designed specifically to bring them here---how dare those damn illegals want to take their babies to the doctor?! And damn them for having babies in the first place!! Send them all back to Mexico!!

Ironically, the impact of removing low-cost labor from the workforce will have a detrimental impact on consumer prices in certain sectors of our economy. Agriculture will be the most severely impacted as 50% of all of the crop workers in the U.S. are illegal immigrants. Construction and the hotel industry will also be hit hard. Some companies will relocate their plants outside of the U.S. and some will just close their doors.

So either way, we are going to pay--either in higher taxes to support services for illegals or higher prices for produce, construction/housing and hotels if they are removed from the workforce. There is also a concern that should firms in these sectors face a significantly increased cost base due to a substantial wage increase, they will just go out of business, resulting in unemployment for the remaining American workers.

The economic repercussions of removing illegals from the workforce would be large--and considering that the taxes that we currently pay towards services benefiting illegals would be diverted to some other use (perhaps unemployment and social services for the resulting displaced workers), the increased consumer prices would be even more devastating.

Perhaps this is part of the reason why the government doesn't penalize companies for violating immigration laws.

In any case, the frustration people feel should be directed towards elected officials--not the Mexicans illegals that are just taking advantage of services that are LEGALLY available to them. Politicians owe us an explanation.

And its not as if these people come here and their lives are all wine and roses. Sure they get all of those free government benefits, but think about this:

Would you do your job (or something more labor intensive) for half the pay and work twice as much?

Would you feel comfortable knowing that if you should fall under something heavy at work and get seriously injured, you'll be fired?

If your boss harasses you, cheats you on your wages--or even beats you, or rapes you, you can't go to the police--and you'll probably lose your job?

Not so great, eh? But compared to life back home, America is a holiday.

www.time.com...

You are getting angry at the symptom, illegals. Not the problem, the corporatists that run our country. I think it is by design that the radical right and the rapture right vilify the 'evil brown people coming to take our jobs, our women!' so people don't pay attention to how much money they are making. Their right hand is in you wallet, all the while the left hand is pointing over there, "Look at those evil people! They are not like us decent, hard working Americans!"

Some people feel it is easier to criticize a foreigner than their own government. They need to feel safe. I mean, if their government was really that bad, that corrupt, what have they got? It would shatter their fragile world to accept the truth. So unfortunately, there will be a rise in orchestrated racism, to keep the rich getting richer.

Curme, you can't criticize this government, they will ship you to Gitmo Bay for not bowing down and worshipping Keeny Boy and Haliburton, I mean Bush and Cheney.

Anyways, the solution is deport them to Africa. Not back home, they got here once before they will do it again. Deport them to Africa, or antartica, or some other hellhole far worse then

Please do not bring the race card into this. It has nothing to do with skin color. Really it is not corperations behind this one. Small buisness are the ones who are doing most of the hiring. Corperations will move over sea to do this, they do not have to hire illegals. Locals hire them. Washington does not want to alienate the hispanic vote. Thats why nothing is being done about it.

If you live in California or Texas this is a mjor problem. Raise Hell and get your message out there. Focus on the money and benifts that cost the taxpayer. When it hits home is when people care. Do not forget Senetors work for you.

Yeah the media is going to call you a Racist. The media makes money off racisum. A big attention getter.


It is hard to do and thats why nothing gets done. Washington likes it like that,but when you do, they have to listen,just put the heat on them and be persistent.