She was looking into WAIT which gives students a CREDIT CARD for gas to come to school, and into CARIBE which is a special program for immigrants and it pays for child care and all sorts of needs while they go to school or training.
The one student I just mentioned told me she was not going to be a US citizen because she plans to return to the Dominican Republic someday and that she 'loves HER country.'
I asked her if she felt guilty taking what the US is giving her and then not even bothering to become a citizen and she told me that it doesn't bother her, because that is what the money is there for!
I asked the CARIBE administration about their program and if you ARE a US citizen, you don't qualify for their program. And all the while, I am working a full day, my son-in-law works more than 60 hours a week, and everyone in my family works and pays for our education.
Sorry if this offends anyone but this is MY COUNTRY - IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY, SPEAK UP -- please pass this along.
I am not against immigration -- just come through like everyone else. Get a sponsor; have a place to lay your head; have a job; pay your taxes, live by the rules AND LEARN THE LANGUAGE as all other immigrants have in the past --and GOD BLESS AMERICA !
Think about this: If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone -- YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM! It is Time for America to Speak up
If you agree -- pass this along, if you don't agree -- delete it!
Yep, I passed it!
My response sent out yesterday as a "Reply to All" (seems christianists frequently have a problem w/ figuring out the nuance of using the BCC feature):
Since your email told me to, "Think about it!" ... I did – and, boy, did it make my blood boil!
Let’s begin our dialogue with something I’m sure we can all agree on when Jesus said in John 8:32 (KJV) "Know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Given that we’re all for the truth, let’s take a closer look at what this email has to say:
First, it tries to equate all non-citizens as "illegal immigrants" – and then proceeds to suggest that if you’re not a U.S. citizen you do not contribute in any way financially to, nor are allowed to benefit from, the government. Clearly nothing is further from the truth.
There are many classes of people in our country who are not U.S. citizens but are here perfectly legally – for example: refugees (let’s say from Cuba), those seeking political asylum from countries where genocide runs rampant, guest workers, foreign students, immigrants, etc. And these folks are not only here legally like you and me, but they pay our taxes like you and me, they are subject to our laws like you and me, and they are entitled by those very laws to some (but not all) government services like you and me.
Federal education grants and loans such as the Pell Grant are available only – only – to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. They are neither awarded to illegal aliens nor other non-immigrants – even those who are here legally, but only on a temporary basis.
Here’s a booklet from our government’s very own website confirming that, which you can either just open to view or download to keep:
http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/...
The Pell Grant is a needs-based program, so every recipient does not get the same amount; but the maximum for 2008 is currently set at $4,310 per year. Even if this woman were receiving the maximum along with some subsidized housing, it’s absolutely inconceivable that on $4,310 she could pay for her tuition, pay for her books, pay for her college fees, pay for her food – for an entire year – and still have "money left over."
You can learn more about these facts regarding the Pell Grant from our government’s own website here:
http://www.ed.gov/...
And of course since she’s a "dark-skinned foreigner" this email tries to paint a picture of her even blacker by throwing in fallacious things like WAIT (Why Am I Tempted) which in actuality is a faith-based sexual abstinence program designed to "provide key health and youth development messages for middle and high school students" and has nothing whatsoever to do with college or adult education. And it does not provide credit cards to anyone.
And it boggles the mind that it included CARIBE (Career Recruitment and Instruction in Basic English) which is a program funded by the U.S. Health and Human Services specifically designed for Cubans, Haitians and others with refugee or asylum status to help them acquire language skills so they can become gainfully employed and productive citizens.
CARIBE does not pay for child care or anything else. And it is not a college-related program, nor is it available to all immigrants – only refugees, like the Cuban boat people, or those with political asylum status. And you can learn about it here:
http://www.caribeprogram.com/
Furthermore, it defies all logic that this email would demand (and by shouting in capital letters, no less) that such foreign people should "LEARN THE LANGUAGE" – and yet turn right around to mock the CARIBE program which tries to accomplish that very goal.
We learned that by our laws, this woman must at least be a permanent resident to earn the Pell Grant. Therefore she and all her family members are paying the same taxes that you and I do. So she is not getting a "free ride" trying to pull herself up by the bootstraps through availing herself of the same programs that you and I are able to enjoy – she paid for them just like we did!
And yet for this hypothetical Dominican Pell Grant recipient this email uses misleading and blatantly inaccurate rhetoric implying that all non-citizens and foreign-born people don’t work, don’t pay taxes, don’t abide by our laws and are given living and education expenses that are not available to U.S. citizens.
It’s pretty clear that those who repeatedly use immigrants as a means to try and stir up resentment as revealed in this email obviously do not agree with Jesus’ very own words in Matthew 25: 34-40 (KJV):
[34] Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
[35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
[36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
[37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
[38] When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
[39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
[40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Or maybe those same folks who repeatedly use foreigners as a scapegoat for their veiled racial bigotry have a set of their own rules when and for whom "WWJD" applies – and when and for whom "WWJD" does not apply.
It would be good if this starts a dialogue among people actually willing to look at the truth. But if minds remain so closed with hate, then let it serve as a "shot fired across the bow" that truly patriotic citizens of our great nation will no longer tolerate the bilious, vile lies spewed every hour of everyday on talk radio or in emails as a way to foment hatred.
Rest assured, there’ll be no more swiftboating allowed to go unchecked. Time for Change? You bet it is!
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