Get real, America! Becoming a "legal" immigrant is NOT easy!
EXCERPT: As a fellow journalist and immigrant, I've always felt a connection to the issue of immigration and the plight of undocumented immigrants. I've spent a good part of my career reporting on these issues, and reading Vargas' article reminded me how truly uneducated the general population is in regards to immigration and how that needs to be changed for this conversation to move forward.
Read more in ¿Qué más?: Is the new STARS bill better than the DREAM Act?
When I first realized this, I couldn't believe the amount of people that are so uninformed/misinformed about how the immigration system actually works in this country. I mean, it's obviously not a requirement for anyone to know this information, but if you're going to have an opinion about the issue, you should at least get informed. Unfortunately, the mainstream media--where most people go to find information--is hugely responsible for perpetuating the unfounded myths that abound regarding immigration.
One of the most common misconceptions is that the process of becoming a documented or "legal" immigrant is simple and everyone should just follow the rules, get in line and get a green card. My reaction to that one is always the same: if it's so easy, why wouldn't every single undocumented immigrant do just that? Do people seriously think undocumented immigrants like living in the shadows? Living in fear of being discovered and getting deported from the only country they've ever really known?
MORE HERE: http://articles.mamaslatinas.com/...
My Two Cents Worth: I can't help but envision the world’s human population as one. I know people are very territorial, just like the other animal species, and I suppose it’s an important part of the evolution and perpetuate the species process to feel these innate gut-responses of THAT’S MINE NOT YOURS. Life forms must protect their territories in order to have a somewhat safe haven to bring forth new generations. I saw this in action the other night; the many birds that live in trees on my property let out a certain shrill, come sundown. When I heard their screeching sounds I knew there was danger in the vicinity for these feathered creatures. Sure enough, there was a huge owl lurking in the tree camouflaged and looking like a part of it. The screeching got louder and soon the owl spread his mighty wings and landed on the ground with small birds’ dive bombing it. The owl was out to dine on, no doubt, one of the adult bird’s fledglings and he wasn’t about to leave the scene hungry. The smaller birds were very upset with this intruder but could do nothing about it but alert each other to the impending peril.
When it comes to humans, the so called territorial space is a whole country, and for some their actions are very similar to the birds. They feel as though this real estate cut from the Earth’s land masses, where they were born, belongs to only them and no one else should intrude upon “their” soil.
I realize there has to be laws protecting one’s space but the immigration laws the Republicans are trying to shove down our throats are barbaric and without thought. They are based upon people’s unfounded fears but what else is new? The Republicans are masters at using fear to get what they want. Fear is easy.
I just came across another thought provoking article written by Fareed Zakaria a good read that will give you the facts on what is happening in our country regarding immigration and it is nothing to be proud of. America, thanks to the right-wing is fast becoming a cruel place and a Second-Rate Nation. Those of us who are not influenced by the fear mongers must try to put a stop to this downward decline of our image and America itself. Its win at all cost for for the GOP, they have proved this time and again. The sad thing is, that it appears they are unstoppable, they have got the momentum; they have a land full of ignorant people who refuse to read and research the many misleading “facts” that are spoon-feed to them by the callous leaders of their party, who feel no shame. thinkingblue
Broken and Obsolete
Posted by Fareed Zakaria on June 8, 2012 · Leave a Comment
An immigration deadlock makes the U.S. a second-rate nation
By Fareed Zakaria
As the American economy sags, the race for the presidency gets tighter—except in one dimension. Hispanic Americans continue to support Barack Obama by an astonishing 61%-to-27% margin. Were Obama to win, it might well be because of his attitudes on one issue: immigration. But it is an issue on which he will be unable to enact any of his preferences, let alone those policies that many Latinos support. The Republican Party has taken a tough stand on the topic. Democrats have their own bright lines. That means America’s immigration system is likely to stay as it is right now—utterly broken.
We think of ourselves as the world’s great immigrant society, and of course, for most of the country’s history, that has been true. But something fascinating has happened over the past two decades. Other countries have been transforming themselves into immigrant societies, adopting many of America’s best ideas and even improving on them. The result: the U.S. is not as exceptional as it once was, and its immigration advantage is lessening.
Would you have guessed that Canada and Australia both have a higher percentage of foreign-born residents than the U.S.? In fact, in this respect, America—which once led the world—–increasingly looks like many other Western countries. France, Germany and the U.K. have only slightly fewer foreign-born residents than America (as a percentage of the population). And some of these countries have managed to take in immigrants mostly based on their skills, giving a big boost to their economies.
Canadian immigration policy is now centered on recruiting talented immigrants with abilities the country needs. Those individuals can apply for work visas themselves; they don’t even need to have an employer. The Canadian government awards points toward the visa, with extra points for science education, technical skills and work experience.
The results of the system are evident in Vancouver, where American high-–technology companies like Microsoft has large research laboratories and offices. The people working in these –offices are almost all foreign graduates of American universities who could not get work visas in the U.S. They moved a few hours north to Vancouver, where they live in a city much like those on the American West Coast. Except, of course, that they will pay taxes, file patents, make inventions and hire people in Canada. MORE HERE: http://fareedzakaria.com/...
In a world proud of the prosperity and profundity that a global village creates, it seems odd that there is so much discrimination and resentment. Might we, as a larger community, realize that times have changed, technology has altered our reality? Nationally, or internationally, we are all connected.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
“Populists (and 'national socialists') look at the supposedly secret deals that run the world 'behind the scenes'. Child's play. Except that childishness is sinister in adults.”
~ Christopher Hitchens ~
PS: I changed the title from "We Are Americans - Just Not Legally" to "The Painful Reality of Being An 'Undocumented' American" because it characterizes what I am trying to express about a situation here in America THAT SHOULD NOT BE. thinkingblue
THE SADNESS CONTINUES:
Undocumented teen suicide — Consequences of the failed DREAM Act vote in December 2010
by Dee Dee Garcia Blase on Nov. 27, 2011,
Failed DREAM Act Vote Rears Its Ugly Head
By DeeDee Garcia Blase
Co-President of the National Tequila Party Movement
May the death of Joaquin Luna not go in vain.
DREAM Act student, Joaquin Luna, recently took his life in Texas. At 18 years old, he had aspirations of becoming an engineer. He was one of ours. He
took his life because he felt as an undocumented immigrant he had nowhere to go. He relied and was hoping for the passage of the DREAM Act in December 2010 that could have been passed with only a handful more Senate votes. I knew there would be dire consequences to the failure of the December 2010 DREAM Act vote, but it is getting tougher and tougher to swallow news like this when we hear of children who feel they have no other option. It’s heart wrenching. Just think, if the DREAM Act would have passed last December, we would not have to witness this precious life go to waste, and I’m told Joaquin is not the first.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/...