The Progressive Change Campaign Committee sent an email into Montana asking its list members in the state what they thought of Sen. Jon Tester's betrayal on the DREAM Act. PCCC wondered how taking a baseball bat to innocent kids who wanted to join the military or go to college would play with his progressive constituents.
Here are some of the responses (with permission to use their names):
Ann Karp, from Missoula, Montana grocery store manager and PCCC member
"This saddens me to no end. I have a young friend, whom I was tutoring in English at my local church, whose parents came illegally to the US when he was only a baby. His home is the United States; he does not remember Mexico. His younger siblings are citizens, but he is not. He is enthusiastic, hopeful, hard-working, kind, and ambitious. He would like to be a hospital administrator one day, but doesn't know how to proceed. He strongly desires to attend college in the US but is grasping at straws to find a way. He is not able to work legally, but back in Mexico, he knows no one and would be alone, separated from his family here. I pray that a way opens for him and for all the hard-working, ambitious young people like him who have the potential to make such a difference in the world."
Petrus C, Martens, from Bozeman, University professor, has lived in Montana for 10 years, PCCC member
"I am nauseated by this basically racist stand. I am an immigrant myself. One of my children is adopted from Russia."
Will Kipling, from Great Falls, 20 year old computer worker, PCCC member
"Senator Tester's vote against the DREAM Act is the ugliest kind of politics. He will go down in history as having been on the wrong side of this. I've lived in Montana my whole life, and to the best of my knowledge my family has been around here since before it was even a state. I do know many immigrants, some legal and some illegal. The one thing they all have in common is that they love this country as much as any who was born here does."
Jeff Smith, from Missoula, Development Director for a nonprofit organization, lived in Montana for 34 years, PCCC member
"The guy is a former teacher! How does he sleep at night? We need educated people and this would have given immigrant children a way to get an education. It's shameful he voted against it."
Roger Sherman, from Whitefish, 13-year Montana resident with Masters Degree in education, PCCC member
""I have been a contributor and supporter of Mr. Tester and I can't imagine he would vote this way. These people are here and have proven themselves. They are college grads and military...they want a better a life and have the HUNGER to achieve it. I have lived in Montana for 13 years. I have a Masters Degree in education with 35 years of experience. I have four friends who have immigrated here and have college graduate degrees. They have contributed to our state immensely.""
I can't think of anything more shameful than punishing children for something they did not do. Those who do can rot in hell.
If you live in Montana, share your thoughts as well.