why this reaction?

Question

Why is it when someone voices an opinion on immigration reform they are automatically a racist? Granted, considering the large majority of illegals in our coutry are from latin america ( I know they arent flooding in from Canada) the issue is not about race but about law. I feel it is an easy way to try and justify the outrage, by just calling people racist when it reality what they look like has nothing to do with our feelings, but we base it on the actions.

Answer 1

Well, because they don't have a leg to stand on, so to speak! It's like small children, when they do something wrong and are caught in the act. They'll twist and squirm and come up with any excuse in order not to admit they're wrong. Same with these clowns...

Answer 2

I suspect there are two main reasons for this reaction;

1) Racism is real. Many have suffered it and America's racist past is not so distant that everyone has forgotten it. I was born in this country, my parents were not. Because I don't 'look' American I have had to deal with a lot of crap. I'm old enough that I lived through broken windows, slashed tires, my brothers having dirt stuff in their mouth because they spoke in spanish, being hassled by the police (and narrowly avoided a beating only because he knew my boss) only because I look different. Over time people become sensitized to anything that smells like racism; I admit I tend to react strongly to these issues.

2)Unfairness. When I see posts whose solution is totally one sided and ignores the realities of why illegal immigration exists - and I am talking about industries that knowingly depend on illegals; where local law enforcement ignores them during the planting season, and where we extract every benefit from lower priced goods and services that we can -while blaming them for all our problems- then I question the true motives of the people.

To me, either people are incredibly dumb when they view only one side of the issue -and hypocritically derive benefits from this relationship- or they are racists.

Anything less that dealing with both sides of the issue is not only unfair and doomed to failure, but smells of racism. I'd love to see real discussion about the issues but these threads always seem to devolve into ignorant mud slinging by both sides.

Answer 3

The issue is serious, but the affects that people claim to suffer because of illegals is just plain out of scale. I'm certainly concerned about M13 - the Salvadoran gang that's brought illegals to L.A. No one is advocating that illegals should be allowed to bring along their criminal habits from their homelands.

But therein lay the issue. NOT ALL ILLEGALS ARE CRIMINALS. That will get a reaction, but WANTING A BETTER LIFE (the justification for the vast, vast majority) is NOT the same kind of crime as perpetuating gangsterism and violence.

Upshot being that the great majority of illegals actually work for what little money they make because it's better money than they get at home.

Back to my original statement - I strongly doubt that more than 1% of the people reading this have personally experienced any negative affect from having illegal aliens in the country. Hospital wards are not packed with them, and most are too scared to do anything illegal in traffic.

So is the issue real? Of course it is. As a sovereign nation, we need to have a system of border and immigration control that we can trust. And lord know that we have too many people in this country even without illegals (IMHO).

Having said all that, I can answer your question. Many people on this forum who bring up the matter of "illegal Mexicans" (often expressed that way) seem to be like Chicken Littles and would do well to seek treatment for OCD. Of course you'll hate my answer, but it IS an answer to your question.

Answer 4

If the latino community in the United States supported immigration reform the same way that the "white" community does it would not indicate racism. But is this really the case?

Answer 5

Probably because they don't speak english well enough to really know what the word racist means. (when you think your race is superior to any other race) Has NOTHING to do with illegal immigration!!

Answer 6

It's a desperate attempt to make anti-illegals seem "politcally incorrect."

Let's face it, illegal aliens are not a race. They can be classified as a "group" so the actual word they were looking for is 'prejudice' and not racist.

Answer 7

we just call you guys racist to toy around with you can't you take a joke like all we mexicanos take the jokes about us come on show a little backbone!

Answer 8

Because that is the only argument they can hold on to.
Funny you don't see or hear very many other ethic groups speak up on this issue, unless they are just grouped in with whitie.
And then whitie get's the blame

Answer 9

I truly do not think you are racist. lol. but why, and i will ask again , do you think you deserve to be able to live in this great country and not them? plz do not tell me you have worked 4 it i will laugh you right out of the country. And please do not tell me because u were born here that is not fair. and please do not tell me because one person way back immigrated here in your family because they want to do that legally and can't because they can not get approved or don't have enough money or education. I would really like to know your answer. please e-mail me if you have a good strong answer. Just remember we all live under the same god. HOPEFULLY!

Answer 10

Because people can't come up with a proper defence, so they pull out the race card.