2008 Woodie Awards
Immigrant game indicates bigger societal problem
By: Mac Ingram
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Letters to the Editor
After reading last week's edition of The Journal, I couldn't help but feel compelled to respond to Victor Zeiser's letter which attempted to debunk an editorial by Breanna Hershelman about an appalling demonstration of neonationalism at New York University, where College Republicans ran around Washington Square Park trying to "chase the illegal immigrant."
What the College Republicans of NYU, Mr. Zeiser, and many U.S. citizens are missing is that this 'problem' has nothing to do with the destitute people forced to search out a better life, and forced to do that illegally by our country's highly restrictive immigration laws.
Perhaps more blame should be focused on corporations who hire illegal immigrants as a way to avoid paying fair wages. However, no one is playing games to chase down corporate executives or the governor of Missouri.
It's not naive to think that those who want to seek the "American dream" should have an opportunity to do so. It is however egotistical to think that people whose families are multiple generation immigrants are more entitled to employment than someone who just crossed the border.
If U.S. citizens were less concerned about Spanish-speaking peoples becoming a plurality, and more concerned about the well-being of our friends and neighbors around the world, then we could pursue an immigration policy that would allow more people to live within our economic system, and live, work, consume goods and services, and pay
taxes within the American system.
The NYU College Republicans, and other Americans with nationalist views on immigration, should be realizing by now that their 'target' should never have been on poor people trying to make a better life for themselves or for their family (almost all Americans admit that if they had to cross a border illegally to feed their family, they would do so).
Their target should be the public policy which allows companies to save money by not allowing willing immigrants to live here legally. There has never been a job "taken" by an illegal immigrant, there are only corporations who are more concerned with profits than people.
Mac Ingram
Sophomore
Political Science
What the College Republicans of NYU, Mr. Zeiser, and many U.S. citizens are missing is that this 'problem' has nothing to do with the destitute people forced to search out a better life, and forced to do that illegally by our country's highly restrictive immigration laws.
Perhaps more blame should be focused on corporations who hire illegal immigrants as a way to avoid paying fair wages. However, no one is playing games to chase down corporate executives or the governor of Missouri.
It's not naive to think that those who want to seek the "American dream" should have an opportunity to do so. It is however egotistical to think that people whose families are multiple generation immigrants are more entitled to employment than someone who just crossed the border.
If U.S. citizens were less concerned about Spanish-speaking peoples becoming a plurality, and more concerned about the well-being of our friends and neighbors around the world, then we could pursue an immigration policy that would allow more people to live within our economic system, and live, work, consume goods and services, and pay
taxes within the American system.
The NYU College Republicans, and other Americans with nationalist views on immigration, should be realizing by now that their 'target' should never have been on poor people trying to make a better life for themselves or for their family (almost all Americans admit that if they had to cross a border illegally to feed their family, they would do so).
Their target should be the public policy which allows companies to save money by not allowing willing immigrants to live here legally. There has never been a job "taken" by an illegal immigrant, there are only corporations who are more concerned with profits than people.
Mac Ingram
Sophomore
Political Science
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