Racists need all the help they can get in substantiating their claims that race/genetics predispose people to their fate. They have this claim that your material trumps the immaterial. For instance, if you are black, they assume you are destined for crime, low education, and poverty. They make similarly broad-stroked generalizations about Hispanic people. But the only Hispanic people they have ever seen are usually immigrants. And the only black people they take into account are slaves to the civil government just like their great great grandparents were slaves to the plantation.
Immigrants usually get a bad rap. And they usually lend their bad reputation to their country or race of origin. Just think about it: the people who emigrate from their homeland generally do so because they are in dire straits—at the end of the line. These are not the successful people. These people generally have no other options. And when a huge percentage of your population starts to leave, it makes sense that your country, and maybe even your race, would start to develop a bad reputation.
Most nations are not ethnically diverse because most national boundaries are created according to customs and cultures that surround common languages. Inter-marriage usually also happens within the same language, so it makes sense that most countries should be fairly narrow genetically and culturally monolithic.
Unlike most countries, the United States is not like that. Mostly because we are a country of immigrants. And we have always had greater opportunities than most any other country in the world for the destitute to make a living. So the destitute have come to us in the time of their country’s distress. And just to reiterate, their country’s distress is, in most cases, interchangeable with, their race’s distress.
So the Irish race in the States was characterized (mostly negatively) by their large immigrant community. Even though it was really circumstances, like the Great Famine, that forced many Irish people to America, this didn’t change the fact that the poor, destitute Irish that came to America in the 19th century became the butt of racial and ethnic prejudice.
The fact is that they were Irish and also poor. But racists, who are never short of logical fallacies, believed this correlation equalled causation. And they have done this with most every wave of immigrants: “Every Irish/Italian/Chinese/Mexican person I’ve ever seen is poor and desperate. It must be an Irish/Italian/Chinese/Mexican thing.” Do immigrants ever represent the best their country has to offer? Usually not. They are usually down and out, poor, uneducated, etc. But that has to do with their circumstances, not their race.
Illegal immigration is a boon for racists. Just like slavery was. It seems to anecdotally confirm the racist’s prejudices. But these prejudices are dependent on a very narrow understanding of human nature and divine providence. Am I saying that races do not have certain common traits generally speaking? No. But I am saying it is unfair and untruthful to judge an entire race by that race’s most destitute members.
For instance, please don’t judge the human race on the basis of racists. It will certainly make you despair for our survival.
Minkoff, you are a disgusting criminal. Illegal immigrants not only are breaking the law, but they are a slap in the face of all the immigrants that came here legally after waiting in line and filling out countless forms – and that includes my entire family. Round them up and deport them all – that is the only fair solution – let them work the process like everyone else.
If we’re going to ignore illegal immigration on the basis of, “they’re just trying to make a better life for themselves” then likewise we “should” ignore bank robbers and drug dealers who break the law in order to “make a better life for themselves”!!!!
Mexico is a sewer pit because the Mexicans allowed it to become a sewer pit.
Deport the illegals, their extended families and prosecute those who hire or abet their illegal border hopping in any way, shape or form.
outside of turning our country into a police state just how in the hell do idiots like you think we can round up 10+ million people & go through the legal process of deporting them? BTW, who’s going to put back the economy when it collapses if we did?
Give them the same legal process they used to enter the country!
‘Put back’ what economy? Your president has pissed away what economy we once had with his welfare state expanding act of 2009.
Yes, it’s a boon for democrats. That’s why they always want to incourage more illegal immigration.
The illegals may vote for Obummer, but may aid in making the same sewer pit they came from for themselves.
Michael, thank you, I think it is very important that this site printed this article. I have never seen such a large number of ignorant backwards racists in one place as I have in the comments section of this site. I have despaired, as your content is often very good, but because of the seeming tolerance, if not outright agreement with the racism, particularly anti Semitism, I have not been able to refer any one to you. I also, felt I could no longer post links to the articles here. Further, I have heard from some commenters here that they feel intimidated, bullied, even threatened by the more aggressive bigots. I am not intimidated, just repulsed. While I absolutely do not want to see illegal immigration encouraged, that was not the focus of your article, was it? No, it was ignorance, deliberate willful small minded, blind racism. The motive for this is I believe an intense need to feel superior to another, and to transfer all their own belief in their own inadequacy, all their personal responsibility for their own circumstance onto a race of people. An absurd conjecture devoid of reality. The verbal and mental gymnastics I have seen here to justify this hate would be laughable if it wasn’t also true that racists cause so much harm to all of us. I notice that even in the small number of comments posted so far, all have attempted to pretend you were writing about illegal immigration as an excuse to attack your clearly stated position that racism is wrong; is ignorant and is an excuse to hate and ignore history. Thank you. I would ask that you consider posting notice that commenters who cannot make a point or disagree on facts or opinion and instead simply harass and insult other commenters on their (usually perceived) color, race, ethnicity, religion etc, really have nothing to say and are welcome to try gain when they do.
There is nothing intolerant about treating people equally. Like I said, my entire family came here 100% legally after filling out zillions of forms and waiting in line. How can it be racist to send those illegals back home so they can work the process like everyone else. It is the fair thing to do, unless you somehow feel entitled, and you sound like the type that does.
Yours wasn’t a rant and so it deserves a response. Just fyi I have never been on any sort of entitlement. I did not say in any way that I think it is racist to send illegals back home. I think all illegals should go back to start and do it the way your family did and my Irish family did. What I said, and meant was that to condemn anyone for anything based on nothing more than ethnicity is ignorant. Period. As a single mom I bought my house and land, the rental next door, worked 2-3 jobs, homeschooled my kids, have perfect credit and no debt. Nope, I do not sound like the type that takes entitlements. That was unfair. Knee jerk? fyi You sound like some one I would like.
Racism is saying Mexico is allowed to enforce THEIR border and place draconian penalties on the Guatemalans who invade, but they aren’t even supposed to show voter ID after they invade our country illegally and then vote illegally and are parasites on our welfare system because heaven forbid we lose another democratic voter due to enforcing laws. Also Mexico requires voter ID to vote in Mexican elections. Maybe white conservatives should invade Mexico and try to vote and when they require voter ID complain of “voter suppression” and see how well that blows over.
I agree with your comment as well. Thank you it was not a rant. But……………it seems the authors intent has been missed by almost everyone. The subject of the article is not immigration.
I’m confused, this article opens up with “ILLEGAL immigration is a boon for racists”, then you go on to discuss LEGAL immigrants from Ireland and other countries?! So are we discussing good and just LEGAL immigrants or the millions of CRIMINAL INVADERS from Mexico who have flipped the bird at our laws and cut in line ahead of other people who try to obey our laws and applied to enter here legally?!?!
Not sure if you know it or not Julia, so will state it: Illegal immigrates come from all countries. Ireland, Italy, Finland, Hatti, Croatia, China, Mexico and so on… You just hear about the Mexicans because they have the easiest time coming in and therefore probably the greatest number of illegals in the country. Illegals will hide in cargo ships that come to the states after months of being at sea. I had to deal with that type personally (could not figure out how they survived and just how bad does your life have to be, to put up with that trip? Also many illegals come here legally, then become illegal. That happens when they come in on a green card or visa and it expires. I believe the main point of the article was that illegal immigrates are not the cream of the crop from their departed country of origin. So, do not judge that race of people based on the illegal immigrates you may meet of that race.
Ok you seem to have poor reading comprehension skills. I said that the illegal aliens-choosing to mention in particular illegal Mexicans since they ARE so numerous-are criminals. I did NOT label the entire RACE criminals! I labeled the MILLIONS who jump the border illegally criminals! Secondly, who cares what a rough trip a criminal has?!?! Sympathizing with these criminal invaders because they had a rough trip is absurd. It is like if a robber broke into your house and stole your television and computer and someone told you to quit worrying about the thousands of dollars lost in electronics, that you should feel sorry for the thief because he cut himself on a piece of glass breaking into your house!
Julia, before you blame someone for poor reading skills you should become a much better writer and reader.
1) I never stated that you said you are calling an entire race criminals. I stated the article was trying to make a point to not judge that race of people based on the illegal immigrates.
2) I gave an example of the ship as another way illegals come in to this country They come in from all different ways. You would have the reader believe illegals only come in from Mexico. (the comment about how crappy their life most be back home in order to ride in a cargo container for 2 to 3 months was just a point of interest, not sympathy).
3) Your wrote ‘MILLIONS OF CRIMINAL INVADERS from Mexico…”, this tells a reader that you believe all illegals are from Mexico. If you had better writing skills you would know you need to say something like: illegals from other countries such as Mexico… as that would let the reader know that you understand illegals come from more then one country.
The cargo ship as I said was a personal experience. The illegals from Asia sh*t, p*ssed, and slept on my pallets of electronics. It cost me over 10k. The manufacture does not warranty against that type of abuse/damage. So I probably have a lot more in the game so to speak than you ever will. I have no sympathy for an illegal aliens, I was just trying to make sure you understood they are not all from Mexico as your writing would have us believe.
Saying “millions of illegal aliens from Mexico” does NOT negate acknowledgement of illegals from other countries! But you don’t hear constant whining from other races that they are entitled to break our laws and THEN after violating our rights demand the damn red carpet rolled out for them (in-state tuition, welfare, jobs in general, etc).
When you put the “legal immigrates or the millions of illegal aliens from Mexico” its kind of implied…. but points have been made, better things to worry about.
I believe the illegals from Mexico are expecting so much from us, because the bleeding heart left nut job liberals democrats tell them they should expect it. Then add if you support the democratic party and vote, campaign, whatever else, we will see to it you received those things… And yes, the illegals vote, at least in the Chicago land area, hence why the big push to keep voter IDs out of this state. Makes me sick.
This does not give them the green light to ask for it, nor make it OK. I’m just saying, its our own political parties that have made it this way, and because the press is almost all controlled by the liberals, the general public has no idea what is going on.