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October 12, 2004
*Letter to the Editor* Inflammatory immigration
I read with much amusment the so-called “news” article “Who are You Calling an Immigrant?” written by Esteban Renderos. I fail to see how this article can be considered news. In it, the author states that the practice of calling people illegal immigrants is “dehumanizing” to them in some way.
He later criticizes Governor Pawlenty for wanting to enact tougher restrictions on immigrants because they are targeting Latino Americans. While this is most certainly the author’s opinion, I do not see how it can be considered news. News is when a person reports facts that he or she observes in a nonbiased way. Renderos did report the facts (as he saw them) but then proceeded to present them in a way that was about as unbiased as Fox News.
I agree, Renderos, that all Americans are immigrants, but I disagree about the term “illegal immigrants.” My ancestors came to America through Ellis Island in the late 1800s. To enter the country, they had to meet the scrutiny of the immigration authorities. The authorities knew who they were and found them worthy of entering the country. In the case of illegal immigrants like Renderos’s mother, this is not the case. She crossed the Sonoran desert to evade the border patrol and enter this country. She was not invited here and the government did not say that she could live here. She came to this country in a way that is against the law.
Therefore, she is an illegal. This is a statement of fact, not some term meant to take away the humanity of the person that it is applied to.
And as for Governor Pawlenty’s work to tighten the rules on immigrants in Minnesota, I do not see how this is discriminating against Latinos. These rules are applied to all people who now reside in the United States but were not born here. They are applied to Latinos, Russians, Germans, Chinese, Japanese, and Hmong.
While none of the terrorists were Latino, many of them were on student visas that had expired. If the INS had done more stringent enforcement of the law, these people may have been deported before they could carry out the attack.
That would have saved the lives of the 3,000 people who died. The only way that we can know that the people who are coming into this country are not terrorists is to keep records on them.
We have no way of knowing that a person who comes here illegally is just trying to make a living like Renderos’s mother or a terrorist like the Sept. 11 hijackers. To protect the country from terrorists crossing the border, we need more enforcement of immigration law, not less.
Carly Schaps
CLA Student
Editor’s Note: Though the series of NCORE Network articles have been and will be published in the News section, they are not news in the traditional sense. They address issues of race and diversity on campus from each author’s own point of view.
Posted by msveum at October 12, 2004 11:42 AM
Comments
Editor’s Note: Though the series of NCORE Network articles have been and will be published in the News section, they are not news in the traditional sense. They address issues of race and diversity on campus from each author’s own point of view.
i think the person who replied did not read this. Mr. Renderos is entitled to his opinion and to reply saying that his mother was not wanted here is just a reinstatement of the stereotypes of immigration. Carly shaps makes points about the journalistic end of this feature but lacks to understand that this is an interest piece and the fact that it is it makes it newsworthy. in regards to the issues of illegal immigration. In the 1900's mexicans and anyone that would cross that border was incouraged to come because it was well know that they would be laboring to benefit the farmers of the united states. A fact that is still true today. Go ask the hotels around the twin cities and ask them if they have benefited from hiring illegal immigrants. they don't pay them benefits, or union dues and they still pay taxes that go help all of us. As for the term "illegal immigrant" seen as demeaning. of course it is, before it was that it was illegal alien. Until you have been called illegal you cannot say you know how it feels. thefore you cannot comment on it. the governor stated that people could not be asked for immigration id or information if they were pulled over by the police. Now he is retracting his stament and using fear to pass his legislation.
if you don't know about the economic impact of latinos in MN illegal or not i suggest you read this study and then create your own conclusion.
you can ask HACER to provide you with. Learn people.
Questions? Contact: HACER , 330 HHH Center , 301 19th Avenue South , Minneapolis, MN 55455 ,
PH: 612-624-3326, E-mail: hacer@umn.edu
Posted by: Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria at October 12, 2004 05:50 PM
So, you write, your ancestors found "worthy of entering the country", aye? And they were "invited" here?
Carly, you really, REALLY need to go to HUCORE, or at least pick up a book about history other than your own. Take a little effort to actually learn about someone other than yourself.
Posted by: Atwood at October 12, 2004 05:51 PM
How did you even assumed that your ancestors were worthy of entering this country and not others? Do you know who this land belonged to in the very first place? Have you heard about Native Americans??? Check it out it is in US history book. So, technically your ancestors were also illegal to come to a land that they never owned. Anyway, as an international student to this country, your view and looking at things was very bothersome to me and I hope that Hamline’s education and some of the comments that were posted above will help you open up your mind.
Posted by: Shailesh at October 13, 2004 01:23 PM
Carly, you talked in detail about biases and unbiases and I am sure you thought you wrote your article very objectively. Your comments above sounds very objective - objective from the point of view of a very settled, comfortable white American who is at the moment, 3rd, 4th or 5th generation of the people who entered this country and took over not only the land and the resources, but the lives of thousands of natives. It is easy for you to overlook that huge massacre in history that landed you here and criticize others for entering "illegally"! You are talking from the point of view of a person who has never had to deal with issues of immigration, who hasn't been brought or encouraged into this country for cheap labor, who hasn't been explioted in the worst possible way for the sake of the rest of the American population.
"The authorities KNEW who they were and found them WORTHY of entering the country". Worthy because they were white? What made your ancestors worthy of entering this country? If you meant having proper documents, you should rephrase your words because the combination of "authorties knew who they were" and "worthy of entering" makes your statement very negative and biased, almost to the extent of being racist!
Posted by: Tanya at October 13, 2004 08:36 PM
It was wrong to attack Mr. Renderos' family. Each of us has parents and people in our lives who have sacrificed for us. Please consider the fact that his mother made a rational choice that her children would have a better life here in the United States. Leaving your homeland, your family and all that you know is a tremendous sacrifice to make and instead of being denigrated by terms such as "illegal" and letters of this kind, I believe that this woman deserves our admiration. It is people with spirits like hers, full of aspiration and determination, that brought manyo of our ancestors here.
The premise of the letter is that some people are worthy of a chance at the American Dream and some are not... and that those deemed unworthy are not only "illegal" in their existence here, but are also inherently dangerous. There is only one place that statements like this can come from: FEAR. Fear is the great driving and dividing force in our country and in our communities. Fear kills our basic sense of decency and humanity and leaves us clinging to what we know, in hopes of not losing it.
We do not need to be afraid of great women like Mr. Renderos mother. Instead we should fear the seed that has been planted in us that tells us different is dangerous, that some are worthy and some are not, and that division is safer than unity.
Posted by: Amanda at October 14, 2004 12:28 PM
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