Why does racism run rampant on Yahoo's immigration forum?

Question

It seems that to some degree or another prejudice is involved within most people’s answers. If one is to ask, “Should undocumented workers be allowed in this country?” the typical answer is “No, Mexicans should not be allowed in OUR country." Yes, more Mexicans illegally immigrate into the US than any other ethnic group, but the question obviously encompasses all ethnicities, and is leading the answer to be about immigration reform, not about who’s negatively affecting the country based on personal prejudice.

So, feel free to also include how your perspective or prejudices affect your opinion. We all have prejudices, whether very minimal or not, but an objective view about ourselves and our world will bring better results with REAL conclusions.

Answer 1

Racism runs rampant because sheeple the world over need someone at whom to direct their anger.

Answer 2

Actually, i think the English should be deported, as they were the first Illegal immigrants to this country. The reason Racism runs rampant on the forum is the same reason that countries exist in the first place, xenophobia. Xenophobia, in small doses, can be a good thing. Not all cultures are compatible. People look at themselves as belonging to one group and everyone else as inferior. Don't tell me that they are looked on as "just different", nor should they be. It is partly the sense of superiority that glues people into a society.
Some examples of why different cultures shouldn't be allowed into any country other than their own---extreme sexism, extreme racism, rule of the jungle versus rule of law, their are other reasons too( cannibalism, polygamy etc).
Multiculturalism is not a goal we should strive for, however, persecution of non majority cultures is also bad. We must balance these two so that, non-majority cultures can exist, albeit within the framework of our own culture. That is why borders must be patrolled, and undocumented aliens sent home. If they are not, soon, the culture of the country being invaded by undocumented workers will be the culture of the undocumented workers. If you like that country so much, move their, don't move it here.
Money is not really a factor. immigration always costs the host country money in the short term, but richly rewards that country in the long run with increased productivity and efficiency. History has proven this over and over, so the "it costs us billions" argument is moot, but the, "they will change us into them" argument is a good one, because history again has shown that the dominant culture of any society is made by the people in the majority of that culture. By the way, I am a first generation immigrant, a naturalized citizen and an American.

Answer 3

That is you way of seeing it. I have a feeling you see strong opinions there because people who have those feelings post answers there.

I personally don't care what nationality people are who come to our country. After all my great grandparents immigrataed here. The difference is that they came legally. They were made fun of because they dressed differently and they spoke funny. But.....they learned english. They worked hard and my grandpa had to quit school at 6th grade to work on a neighbors farm (I am NOT saying kids should do this. it is another day and age...but they could babysit etc) Anyhow, he helped feed the family. Eventually the family owned land and had a farm.Then when my grandpa sold the farm he drove a school bus. He had an accent but he spoke english clear.

What is wrong with wanting immigrents to be legal?? Are they above the law becasue they illegally crossed the boarder and then expect health care and houseing? What part of the word illegal don't people understand? Is it becasue someone is from Mexico that gives them a right to be illegal?

I realize we depend on people from Mexico to harvest our crops. Lets call them migrent workers, give them a temp entry to the country.
Build decent housing and a medical clinic. America can't begin to keep paying for middle of the night ER visits by illegals for a childs ear infection. Something needs to change.

And WHY does it mean people are racist if they don't want illegals to take advantage of our country????

I know many people from Mexico who have become citizens. Worked hard. Now the next generation is going to college. They have definatly been sucessful in their move to our country. Then for each of those families who are successful in their LEGAL immigration there are more who come and suck the system.

Not long ago I had a neighbor who had been in this country for 20 years. She was sponsered by a local churth. She still hasn't learned English. Her three little boys barely speak english - but they were born in this country. She got cheep houseing. Checks for her and the boys. Free medical care and medication for her boys who have ADHD and other mental and emotional issues. There are Americans who can't get affordable housing or medical care.

I don't think it racist to ask people to be be legal. If we fallow this logic, then we can say...oh this man murdered the store clerk...but e isn't from our country so lets set him up in an apartment, give him money, food stamps and free health care becasue he is from Mexico.

I am about at my wits end when I go to the store and the packaging is in both english and spanish. Some products I can't even see the english words. What is wrong with learning the english language???? My mother's home spoke swedish until she was 5 years old. But, they expected the children and themself to learn english and learn it well enough to function. They voted without an interrupter.

I am not sure why the country is accepting ILLEGAL immigrents. Why people can't make a plan to keep our boarders safe. Why can't we have migrent workers and take care of them. Why an american can't get health care or affordable housing when an ILLEGAL immigrent is handed everything???????

I just don't get it? Does my opinion make me a racest??? This doesn't have anything to do with liberal or conservative.!!!!! This has to do with the law.

Answer 4

The racism is mainly pointed at mexicans because they are the ones that sneak over in the night and run rampant in our country, placing an ever-growing burden upon our economy more so than other races of illegal entry. The close proximity of our southern border is much easier to gain illegal entry through than those borders of international proximity. mexicans are also quite the nastiest and trashiest race that invade our borders daily, so, that in perspective, helps to explain the racism toward the mexicans. I should say mexican'ts because they don't seem to be able to help themselves unless they find a host country to be a parasite in. Perhaps bringing back indentured servitude to become a citizen would be a viable alternative but that still would not make my hatred towards mexicant's decrease. The mexicant's are the scourge of this nation and I feel that our country will eventually become a 2nd mexico if the droves of illegals keep invading. Our country will soon be as worthless as a peso.

Answer 5

Well, if 12 million americans, regardless of ethnicity, just arbitrarily decided to up and move to mexico, what do you think the reaction would be? I doubt it would be positive...illegal immigration isn't JUST a US/Mexico problem, but that does seem to be the center of all the commotion.

The REAL question is, with all of this energy running around, why Mexico isn't in top gear, getting all crazy with imports and exports(LEGAL ones), and making themselves a global economic powerhouse? I know there's businessmen somewhere in Mexico, I buy stuff and it says 'made in Mexico', so, what gives?
We hear a lot of hyperbole here daily, and most of it has to do with Mexico. The 'fun' starts when it's 'white people so and so and so', bluntly spoken, Mexico's the author of its' own misery, at this point, and it's up to them to take issue with the things that are going wrong in their country, and take care of them, instead of expecting perpetual freebies from the USA based on specious accusations of racism. My view is, there's an awful lot of mexican citizens that are too prone to letting themselves be shamelessly used by someone with an axe to grind with our country, that in SPITE of the fact of billions annually given to Mexico, ALL the leniency in the world being shown to illegal aliens from Mexico over the last 20 years, all for...what, exactly?
It's the 21st century, let's change what's going on, here. Nothing stopping Mexico from making a go of their own country except fear, and good sense. I think when the border fence is built, we'll see it...when america stops being the 'easy out', a lot of people will suddenly realize that 'si, se puede' applies to Mexico, too!
I look forward to it, also, because I've known lots of really cool and mostly honest, hard-working mexican people, and their country's really short-sheeted them over the years.

It all boils down to the same thing, though, greed. People WITH money are loath to let go of it, and that goes double in Mexico.
I like mexicans fine, but the rhetoric is getting old...and an awful lot of it is the exact same lies they've been selling, yes, SELLING, for years and years and years.

What really needs to be ended is the whole entitlement mentality.
Truth be known, tomorrow is promised to no man. Once you incorporate that truth into your life, other answers become apparent. If someone should happen to give you something, say 'thank you', not 'GIMME MORE!!!!'.

I look forward to reading about Mexico in years to come, because I think they DO have a bright future, but the whole thing with getting perpetual help from america has made em dependent, when their economy COULD be taking off like a bottle rocket...time will tell what comes of all of this, time will tell..

Answer 6

This is a very interesting question.

I wonder if your answer to this question (or any question in relation to immigration) would alter throughout the time of the day - esp. in relation to the burden of 'anwerers' who tend to be from the USA or the UK. i.e. people logging in at GMT 09:00 may be a bit more broad-minded, wordly wise etc.

I do think that the answer is to do more with the typical 'profile' of the yahoo answerer. Thats if there is a 'typical profile' I suppose!

I think that for a lot of people who prefer not to think too hard about the world and our own share in, and our own responsibilities, the subject of immigration is all too easy a topic to be very opinionated about and to get all steamed up over.

Answer 7

This is my opinion. Both sides of my family immigrated to this country when my mom and dad were just babies. Unless you are 100% Native American {and there aren't many left} then at some point someone was an immigrant to this country. My grandparents came here LEGALLY with my parents they did what it took and became US CITIZENS something they were very proud of being. Honestly I do not feel that people should be allowed to stay in the US if they are not here legally. The US spends millions of dollars deporting illegals {and I am not pointing fingers at any ethnic group}. Do I hate people here illegally no I do not, do I judge them different no I do not. I feel if they are here to work and make a better life for themselves then they need to go about it legally. I think the thing that bothers me the most other then them coming here to pop out a baby and use up the public assistance we pay taxes into is those that expect you to know how to speak their language and they make NO effort to learn how to speak English. I have lived in many countries growing up and was always made to learn the language even if it was to carry on a simple conversation. I live in America where the "offical" langauge is ENGLISH, if you can not speak it, do not have a desire to learn to speak it then you shouldnt be here.

Answer 8

Racism has nothing to do with wanting to protect our borders. We welcome Mexicans or any other nationality that enters the US legally.

It just happens to be the Mexicans that are overwhelmingly entering the US illegally, and costing us billions.

Some employers gain by hiring them and paying low wages but this adds nothing to our economy and the rest of us pay for it.

There is not another country in the world that is so lax at their border and if anyone enters illegally the punishment can be severe and they certainly do not receive the benefits of the citizens who have paid into the system legally.

To accuse anyone who wants to protect our borders as racist is just plain wrong and to use a worn out phrase, using the 'race card' when there is no other defense.

Answer 9

Well this is such a touchy issue with the American people. I feel that there should not be such controversy over illegal immigrants, after all that is what the work illegal means. Mexico has very harsh laws on their illegals so the Mexican people do know it is a law.

This site is a question and answer site which allows people to express their views as well as their prejudices. Some people however go overboard and make everybody sound like raving lunatics!

Answer 10

I am against amnesty for anyone here illegally. I don't care where they are from or what color they are. If you then ask me where the problems are, I can tell you. Crime, schools, hospitals, identity theft, housing, taking jobs Americans can and will do etc. Then it goes to who. The majority are latino. The majority of the impact in communities, schools and jails is latino. Their group is mentioned most because they are the majority. It is an observation based on facts. Then when you have ONLY the latino community pushing for "bi-lingual must speak Spanish" that is causing problems in communities and schools to the point you have problems in your own country being able to get a job or order a hamburger or sleep at night....it is a factual problem. I do not dislike all latinos.....unfortunatly their group have a very large amount of people saying they intend to take over this country, threaten the "whites" at every move and pull the "race" card everytime anyone disagree's with them. They are the group that is front and center and "in your face" at every move to enforce laws that apply to everybody else in this country. I did not play the "race card". I asked for my laws to be enforced. Period. If it is "their people" that are breaking the law in a higher number than any other group....it is a factual observation. No one is asking them to abide by anything other than the law. It is not a race issue. They made it a race issue. Majority rules and all. Why aren't they picketing in front of a business who hires mostly illegal Chinese? Why aren't they insisting we all learn Polish or Arabic? Why weren't they in an outcry when the plane left for Poland with people on there that were injured from work or seperated from their children? Because they aren't really interested in ALL ILLEGALS. Only "their" illegal. I want ALL illegals out. I'm not "protecting" a special group. I don't care what color the employer is that is using illegals for cheap labor....I want them all punished. I don't care what country you even legally immigrated from.....learn ENGLISH. I'm not saying it's ok if your Irish. I'm not saying it's ok for my kid to learn Chinese instead of Spanish as a second language. I am saying learn ENGLISH in the USA and I don't care what other language you learn, or speak, or speak in your home. They are telling me I HAVE to learn Spanish in an English country. They are telling someone from Poland you HAVE to learn Spanish and also English since it is a requirement for citizenship. I am bi-lingual really tri-lingual but the ability to do that doesn't matter unless it's SPANISH. I am not the racist here. I am not saying your English isn't good enough so you can't have a job. But there are Americans that learned Spanish and are told it's not the Mexican version of Spanish so they can't have this translator job because the Mexicans still don't understand it. I don't want, nor is it acceptable, to have 30 white guys living next door blasting hard rock music at 3 AM but I'm "racist" if it's 30 Latino guys blasting their music, or 30 black guys blasting rap music. Point is we have "housing codes" and "noise ordinances" and "cerfews" and "limits" on parking and a host of things. I don't care if you're black or white or brown or yellow.......if you're not legal or your breaking the law...it has to stop!!! And if "your group" or "your people" that is doing this in the majority of the cases.......IT'S a FACTUAL OBSERVATION not RACISM!!!!!

Answer 11

Your hypothetical question " Should undocumented workers be allowed in this country?" Shows where you stand on American immigration, legal or otherwise. Your choice of words gives you away. There is no such animal as an "undocumented worker", America has employment laws in place to avoid having "Undocumented workers" That is why All American employers must have I-9 forms on file for ALL employees. These legal documents must be kept on file, subject to review by authorized government officials. If you, as an employer, have "undocumented workers" on your payroll, then you are knowingly aiding and abetting criminals & are a criminal yourself, subject to American legal proceedings. Illegal immigrants from any country or continent are criminals. Any who aid or encourage illegal immigrants are criminals. Criminal trespass on American soil from any direction is a violation of current American law. I am only a poor ignorant injun, but I know of what I speak, being a former employer providing contract services to the federal government of America. I also know the difference between right and wrong.

Rampant racism my red butt, stupidity abounds in the name of racism, thats all.