View of an immigrant

[Woodsman]

I just watched this video clip and thought to myself, why do the immigrants understand our system better than most of the native citizens do?

Ann McElhinney at RightOnline 2010 from AFPhq on Vimeo.
">Ann McElhinney at RightOnline 2010 from AFPhq on Vimeo.

 

[Pilot]

I just watched this video clip and thought to myself, why do the immigrants understand our system better than most of the native citizens do?

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You must mean ILLEGAL immigrants. The legal ones, like myself, appreciate what they have here and dont want things to change. Our families left socialism and wanted better, and we dont take advantage of the system.

 

[littletommy]

I'm guessing it's for the same reason that so many other countries hate us. We have it better than they do. I've been to third world countries, and non third world countries, and none I have been to have it as good as we do. Like Ted Nugent said, "there is no such thing as living the Mexican dream" In all other countries, they've only heard of the American dream, and although that has been skewed so bad from what it used to be, it's still "Living the American dream" that makes people want to come here. Living in a dumpster in America is better than living in a house in Dominican Republic. Most Americans take that kind of thing for granted.

 

[gunowner930]

You must mean ILLEGAL immigrants. The legal ones, like myself, appreciate what they have here and dont want things to change. Our families left socialism and wanted better, and we dont take advantage of the system.

I wish people like you were heard more often when it comes to socialism. It makes me sick when people here think its a great idea, and ignore those who have lived through it.

 

[Woodsman]

You must mean ILLEGAL immigrants. The legal ones, like myself, appreciate what they have here and dont want things to change. Our families left socialism and wanted better, and we dont take advantage of the system.

No, I actually meant legal immigrants for the reasons you mentioned. Those families/people who go through the legal immigration process, especially those who come here from Communist countries certainly have a better idea of what freedom means. This thread wasn't meant to denigrate any legal immigrant. My observation was solely based on what appears to be the simple fact; those that put in the effort to belong here and adopt or be adopted by the US seem to have a completely different outlook.

 

[Pilot]

I wish people like you were heard more often when it comes to socialism. It makes me sick when people here think its a great idea, and ignore those who have lived through it.

I dont wish for ANYONE to live in socialism.

I had to go back for 10 days for a funeral two weeks ago. I could not wait to get back here. I have cousins who left Europe and now live in the UK who tell me constantly how lucky I am to be in the US. And I know how lucky I am.

Socialism sounds like a novel idea until you start living it. Then people will be begging to go back to the way "it used to be" but it will be too late.

When i was in college, you rarely heard some kid supporting socialism and communism. Now, you see it openly. Poor parenting if you ask me..

 

[Pilot]

My observation was solely based on what appears to be the simple fact; those that put in the effort to belong here and adopt or be adopted by the US seem to have a completely different outlook.

And your observation is 100% correct.

They come here and want to change things to the way it is "back home" and dont care about everyone else.

As my parents used to tell people; if it was so much better back home, get on a plane and head back.

 

[ammoguy62]

this is crazy

Ok here's something to think about, I work with a legal of 15yrs he's brother was recently deported (he had been here for 20 yrs, never leared english how odd) He's mother has some type of temp residence in which she can collect assistance(she still lives in Mexico with her husband but must come back to the states at least once a year to keep her status)why do we pay for this?

 

[Pilot]

Ok here's something to think about, I work with a legal of 15yrs he's brother was recently deported (he had been here for 20 yrs, never leared english how odd) He's mother has some type of temp residence in which she can collect assistance(she still lives in Mexico with her husband but must come back to the states at least once a year to keep her status)why do we pay for this?

You have the law wrong there. To maintain residence, you have to spend 181 days in the US per year.

Which I still think is crap. If you don't contribute to the economy here and pay taxes... GET OUT!

 

[ammoguy62]

just going on what he told me, but it's still a scam.

 

[Pilot]

just going on what he told me, but it's still a scam.

Indeed it is

 

[ammoguy62]

By the way who voted on or decided we needed english spanish signs to enter and exit?

 

[Pilot]

By the way who voted on or decided we needed english spanish signs to enter and exit?

No idea.. but we have English signs in every other port of entry in the world. Who cares about Bi-Lingual signs.

 

[ammoguy62]

I want to Know who votted on or decided we needed english spanish sign to enter and exit?

 

[ammoguy62]

but everyone talks about the illegal problem but we make it very easy to get around.

 

[Pilot]

I want to Know who votted on or decided we needed english spanish sign to enter and exit?

Why does it matter? Who cares if we have signs in English and Spanish?

I hope Spanish does not automatically equal illegal Mexican in your mind. So what about the Americans who travel to France and speak no French. Should they have to learn French just to travel there?

 

[Blackhawk2001]

A couple comments:

In my 59 years, I've traveled to (in order) South Korea, England, The Bahamas, Kuwait, Iraq, Germany, and (30 years later) South Korea again. No, I'm not a great world traveler, but I will say that nowhere else I have been do folks have the same sort of freedom we take for granted here in the United States. Our taxes are too high, but we are not the most-taxed people in the world (based on percentage of income); we have onerous security restrictions in airports here, but not any worse than other airports I have been, and I've never experienced concern like I felt going through Japanese Customs en route to South Korea.

South Korea is a relatively prosperous country which has built itself up from a primarily agrarian society when I was there in 1975, to a bustling production society when I was there in 2007. They have more goods, more roads, more cars...but they still have Army/Police on many street corners in their cities, and many people in the country live the same way they did when I was there 30 years ago.

Except to visit family or a couple good friends, I don't care to ever leave the US again. I've never felt as safe anywhere else. I realize others may not feel the same; my brother, for instance, has lived in South Korea since 1992, but for me, there's no place like home.

 

[Pilot]

Except to visit family or a couple good friends, I don't care to ever leave the US again. I've never felt as safe anywhere else. I realize others may not feel the same; my brother, for instance, has lived in South Korea since 1992, but for me, there's no place like home.

I am a world traveler by nature. We have always traveled and for me, I cant imagine just taking vacations in the US. I can adapt to almost any environment quickly once I figure out how things work wherever I am. I do feel safe here, but I have felt safe in the Amazon and in Israel.

A few years ago when I used to fly to Mexico City, which is the worlds most populated city as well as one of the most dangerous, I never felt the fear that everyone tried to instill in us. Maybe it was because I speak the language and can understand what is going on around me. I saw blatant in-your-face crime every time I went. But I was not scared or uncomfortable. It just made me that much more aware. I have felt more uncomfortable in South Central LA or Detroit.

Home usually does feel safer because it is what you are used to and comfortable with. I travel to both Japan and South Korea several times a year and feel just as comfortable there as I do here in the US.

Some people are travelers and some are not. I guess having a job that pays me to do it I would be screwed if I feared places I had to go.

Interesting topic too. My cousin and his wife are here from Spain visiting until the 7th. Both said that downtown Indy is a scary place and they felt it was dangerous. Neither speak much English and could not carry on even a basic conversation if they had to. I think it boils down to being out of ones comfort zone.

 

[chraland51]

Our elected leaders do not care what we want. The bammer's crappy and dangerous health care system was passed with full knowledge of how bad the Canadian system really is and that the Brits were getting ready to scrap much of theirs to put much of the power back into the hands of the doctors. Our leaders only want to help themselves and their friends and supporters. Our president, with questionable citizenship, only cares about sucking up to the radical moslems and bringing this country to its knees. I know that I must be sounding like a broken record, but I have yet to see the bammer do the first thing that I think will actually help this country out of its current situation.

Oh, I do support legal immigration and welcome any and all into this country who want to come in legally. I do not even want to see everyone rounded up and deported who are here illegally, but just the criminal element among them. However, I do not want amnesty and automatic citizenship either. If an illegal wants to become a citizen with voting rights, the road to that goal must go through the military or through some other volunteer service to prove that the desire for citizenship is real. Otherwise, a renewable green card is all that you get. I am also not so sure that I want to see automatic citizenship for the offspring of illegal parents that creates an "anchor baby." Just my two cents, whatever that is worth anymore.

 

[Pilot]

Oh, I do support legal immigration and welcome any and all into this country who want to come in legally.

And who will embrace the values and lifestyle without trying to impose theirs on Americans.