June 14, 2008

Saturday Forum

A Reader In Puerto Rico Wonders If Islanders Really Consider Themselves Americans; etc.

From: Roy Sievers (e-mail him)

Re: Today’s Letters: A Puerto Rican Reader Is Tired Of Being Mistaken For An Illegal Alien

I’m an American businessman on assignment in San Juan. My scheduling takes me home to my California corporate headquarters often. I am, accordingly, completely aware of the roiling debate about illegal immigration.

One thing I note with disappointment about Puerto Ricans and naturalized Mexicans.

Both are indeed American citizens.

But, with too few exceptions, neither considers themselves American.

Puerto Ricans identify themselves as Borinqueños and Mexicans, even though they may be citizens, still think of themselves as—well, Mexican.

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A New York Reader Identifies The Latest American Displacement Scheme

From: Mike Mc (e-mail him)

Re: Saturday Forum: A Maryland Reader Says Ted Kennedy Loves Refugees—But Keep Them Away From Hyannis Port!

Since it is unable to pass “Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” Congress has a new scheme to displace American citizens at our own expense.

It’s called “Refugee Resettlement”.

Refugee status is a way for our bureaucrats to grant legal residence to individuals claiming to be victims.

Then, big business turns around to hire the refugees all under the umbrella of legality.

For example, the Wall Street Journal reported that recent Burmese refugees and hired at the Swift meatpacking plant in Texas where they are being paid $12.00 an hour, a rate higher than the minimum wage in my home state.[Burmese Refugees Bail Out Meatpacker JBS Swift, by Miriam Jordan, Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2008]

In this depressed economy, are there no Americans who would take those jobs?

Obviously, refugees are the latest scam—everyone is “legal” and no one is “illegal”.

We may not be getting the jobs but we will be getting the bills to subsidize our replacement’s “resettlement.”

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A Michigan Reader Says We Need More Immigration—Not!

From: Jean Sharpe (e-mail her)

Now that the surprisingly high unemployment and inflation numbers have been released. and gas prices keep rising, let's improve matters with more immigrants.

A recession, nay, even a depression, may be what our country needs to put the breaks on the unending tide of illegal and legal newcomers eager to exploit the land of opportunity. This tide includes all the refugees here to get their permanent handouts.

Or should I have said “the land of dwindling opportunity”, considering that our wheat reserves are down to a pitiful level, and even fresh water may soon be rationed.

But bring in more immigrants! Let's overload the boat even more because our government, run by growth-mad elites, is insane.

Working-class American citizens are really struggling and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. 

But let’s have more immigrants! Please, I insist!  More, ever more, as our democracy disappears and our rule of law and civil society devolves.

Considering the worsening economic plight of the average American, why would a foreigner want to move here?

Answer: we have no idea how bad it is elsewhere--conditions wretched enough to do whatever it takes to escape.

But soon, as Edwin S. Rubenstein predicted in his recent column, we’ll be escaping abroad, eager to leave our wreck of a country behind us.

In the meantime, woe is us.

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An Idaho Ph.D. Says La Raza’s Influence Is Alive And Well Where It Matters The Most—With The Federal Government

From: Robert B. Murray II, Ph.D. (e-mail him)

Re: Joe Guzzardi’s Column: Janet Murguía: Multiple Amnesty Failures Have Unglued Her—Will She Lose Her Job, Too?

Guzzardi’s wrote:

"La Raza’s ‘influence’ has dramatically diminished during the last several years"   

That’s accurate as far it goes. The National Council of La Raza has much less clout in many circles.

But Guzzardi omitted an important point. La Raza has not lost power at the federal level, judged by the amounts of our tax monies that are lovingly given to it each year.

La Raza, which already gets millions of tax payer dollars and an undeserved assignation of 501© 3 tax exemption, received $1.3 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development earlier this year to conduct “comprehensive housing counseling’’ (whatever that may be) for Hispanics, whether they are in the country legally or not.

Now, because of an earmark Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank attached to a housing bill, the radical, anti-American group that advocates the return of the American southwest to Mexico, will get an additional $25 million.

Frank, the House Financial Services Chairman, appropriated for La Raza $5 million this year and $10 million in each of the next two years.

Murray attended Forestry School at the University of Montana (BSF and MSF) and earned a Ph.D. in Plant Ecology at Washington State University. His previous letters about his Senators Craig and Crapo, hiring foreign-born teachers and Cardinal Roger Mahony are here, here and here.

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A Texas Reader Says Life In America Gets More “Bizarre” Every Day

From: Roger Chaillet (e-mail him)

A local Williamson County animal shelter called off a reduced price adoption program that offered fees discounted from the normal $85 rate to $25 for black cats and dogs. The program, called “Black Is Beautiful,” was intended to encourage adoption of black-coated pets that are, according to the shelter, more difficult to place.

But the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People found the promotion offensive. NAACP district president Nelson Linder suggested that the shelter should work to find out why black pets are less likely to be adopted. And Linder objected to the program’s timing, noting that the week of June 14-20^th is also Juneteenth.[ Animal Shelter Pulls Promotion for Adopting Black Animals, By David Doolittle, Austin-American Statesman, June 11, 2008]

How bizarre! The net result of Linder’s stupidity is that perfectly good pets that could have been adopted at a more affordable rate by loving families will now linger at the shelter and face an uncertain future.

Chaillet tells VDARE.COM that he owns two cats, a black and white tuxedo he named Mojo Obama to reflected his “mixed race” status and a gray female tabby who he calls Bandit or, occasionally “Bandito” because of Texas’ increasing Spanish-speaking population.

In 2003, Chaillet was the winner of VDARE.COM’s War Against Christmas competition. His previous letters are archived here.

Joe Guzzardi adds: I have no idea what Linder is talking about. I am a white male who owns a black dog, my three-legged chowbrador guy Hoppy. And I recently lost Lily, another black dog that I loved very much. Both came from shelters. Linder should put first things first—homes for deserving animals come far ahead of perceived slights.

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