My blog is not a political blog but I could not help myself. So I hope you don't mind the detour.
President Barack Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, says she's done nothing wrong by illegally living in the United States for years and is therefore deserving of amnesty. "If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen," Onyango, 58, told Boston's WBZ news.
In her first interview since Obama was elected president, Onyango described how she came to America in 2000 from her native Kenya, fell ill and was hospitalized. Upon her release, Onyango told WBZ, she was out of money. So rather than return to her homeland, she continued to live in the country in violation of immigration laws.
After stints in a Boston homeless shelter, Onyango was eventually put in public housing and began receiving disability payments. In 2004, an immigration judge ordered her to leave the country, but Onyango remained. However, she noted that her story was less about intentionally flouting federal immigration policy and more about its ineffectiveness. "I didn't take advantage of the system," Onyango said. "The system took advantage of me." Onyango says that she received no help from Obama as her case was reviewed by Judge Leonard Shapiro, who ruled in May that Onyango could remain in the United States.
Anyone but me see anything wrong with these statements? "If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen," and "I didn't take advantage of the system," "The system took advantage of me." From some one who was here illegally receiving medical care and disability payments and the kindness of public housing and from a homeless shelter. I guess she has a different definition of being taken advantage of than I do.
At the same time this week Barack Obama spoke at the UN on Human Rights and called the State of Arizona abusers of Human Rights because of the 1070 law. While he asked countries with much tougher and strict immigration laws (who have actually violated Human Rights)to sit on the United Nations panel for Human Rights and to judge us for our so called crimes to humanity of just trying to enforce the same federal law that the federal government refuses to enforce. What about the rights of the people who are legally here? Why do I have to give an increasing amount of my hard earned money so others can come here and take advantage of our kindness and then insult us by saying we took advantage of them? While my state goes bankrupt under the pressure of federally mandated services that we must provide to illegal immigrants, while my state can no longer provide services to the citizens that are here legally? Ask the teachers and state employees who have been laid off in my state how they feel. Ask the people with land along the border in my state that have had their property damaged and stolen by the parade of immigrants crossing their land how they feel. Ask all the people who have had a car accident with an uninsured illegal and are just plain out of luck. Ask the children of the police officers who have been killed by illegal immigrants in our state (80 percent of police officers killed or wounded in our state are by illegal immigrants)how they feel about being called human rights abusers by our own President who refuses to protect us.
The illegal alien population in Arizona makes up half of the state’s total foreign-born population
(945,226), and 8% of the state’s total population.
• Half of all illegal border crossings into the U.S. occur along the Arizona border with Mexico.
• From 1999 to 2008, an average of 1,375 illegal aliens a day were apprehended in the
Arizona border sector. DHS does not know how many illegal aliens successfully entered
Arizona each day during that period.
• Between 1996 and 2009, the illegal alien population in Arizona increased 300%.
Illegal aliens make up 10% of the workforce in Arizona. Many are working under the table for wages that are below minimum wage. Undercutting the ability of a citizen who would have to be paid minimum wage. Unemployment in Arizona in March 2010 was 9.6%.
• Over 10% of children enrolled in public schools (K-12) have parents who are in the U.S. illegally.
• Illegal aliens and their children are 37% of the uninsured population in Arizona, and the cost of uncompensated care for illegal aliens in Arizona is approximately $510 million annually.
• The total education, medical, and incarceration costs in Arizona due to illegal immigration are over $2 billion a year. We as a state have a deficit of more than $3 billion. In 2007, Arizona found that 11% of its prison population was Mexican nationals and 10.5% had ICE detainers. Causing an increased economic burden and overflow to the already struggling judicial system.
• 22% of illegal aliens sentenced in Maricopa County in 2007 were convicted of felonies.
10.6% of those sentenced for either murder or manslaughter were illegal aliens, and illegal aliens were found to be responsible for 16.5% of violent crime in the county, while they are only 8% of the population•
The Government Accountability Office in a 2005 investigation into the criminal records of over 55,000 illegal aliens nationwide revealed:
• An average of 8 arrests and 13 offenses each per individual.
• 45% were arrested for drug or immigration offenses; 15% for property-related
offenses such as burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, or property damage;
12% were for murder, robbery, assault, and sex-related crimes. The rest of the total
included “such other offenses as traffic violations, including driving under the
influence; fraud — including forgery and counterfeiting; weapons violations; and
obstruction of justice.” Phoenix has the second highest kidnapping rate in the world behind Mexico City. People who are willing to break one law (illegal entry of my country)are more likely to be willing to break other laws.
• In 2008, there were 368 kidnapping and 337 home invasions in Arizona, a 61% increase just since 2005. The city of Phoenix formed a police taskforce in 2009 to combat the rising levels of violence, and still recorded over 300 kidnapping that year. The city of Tucson formed a similar taskforce in 2008 as a response to 150 home invasions.
• A Phoenix police spokesman estimated that the number of reported kidnappings
represented only up to a third of the actual cases. Because kidnapping victims are often tortured and threatened with death, many victims are hesitant to go to the police because they are illegal.
• The Border Patrol has found that criminal gangs, such as MS-13, are drawn to Arizona because of the predominance of drug trafficking and human smuggling there.
Hey what about my human rights? They just raised my taxes to deal with this in the middle of tough economic times. Is the government responsible to protect and serve it's people before the people of another country? This is not a race issue. This is not a human rights issue. This is a economic and public safety issue. And is about the rights of the citizens that should not be compromised at the expense of the rights of people who are breaking the law by being here. Who by the way we did not force to come here they do have a choice. If we are such abusers why do they continue to cross the border to take the abuse?
Oh and by the way I have nothing against people who come here legally and live by our laws as I do. I have many friends who are legal immigrants, and they are proud to be citizens or legally working immigrants and most are happy to prove it if asked to and do not feel it is a human rights violation but instead a service that protects their safety, freedoms, and rights.
Qh yeah, we must close the borders and stop treating illegal immigrants as citizens. Our ancesters came her the legal way, and worked hard, not sneaking in, hiding, and then all but demanding "rights" and citizenship. I could go on, but you know the rest.
ReplyDeleteGo burn a Koran. And while you're at it, throw all your useless Grateful Dead tapes on the fire.
ReplyDeleteWow! How do you see it does not fit my world view. Jesus was not about breaking laws. He said give to Cesar what is Cesars. What about this is so offensive to you. Every country in the world has immigration laws and most are much more limiting than the Arizona law. The Arizona Law only mirrors the federal law that is not being enforced. Why would I burn a Quran? Oh and by the way, how ungrateful for all the music I'm sure you have come to get without thanks. sorry you have to put up with my own view that you have the freedom to not read if you like on my own blog. Don't come back what will it hurt me? see any adds? I am kind enough to share for nothing. What sad venomous and bitter people. Could,nt you just logicaly debate your view?
ReplyDeleteOh and as far as Africans being brought to america illegaly. It was not against the law of that time. But it was against the will or choice of the Africans. And that is a sad fact of history that no one can go back and change. But it really has no bearing on a debate of immigrants choosing to enter a country by unlawful means. I guess your anger has clouded your ability to use logic.
ReplyDeleteOh yes one more thing. Offensive language. Why? Name calling. Why? Why can't you just use your superior intellect and make me look bad by showing with facts how wrong I am? Think international organizations should be called on by our president to tell us what laws we should have? Maybe the president should condem the majority of the countries that have much tougher laws first such as Mexico. Instead of having the president of mexico condem us from the white house lawn for an immigration law that is loose compared to Mexican immigration law. Now that is hypocracy!
ReplyDeleteBy the way. Where is your blog that you pour time into sharing music and photos? You feel entitled to come here and tell me "shut up and play the music". Oh and I will leave that post up it shows the world the hate that there is for Christian beliefs. Nice!
ReplyDeleteHmm, if you're so law abiding, I wonder if you've ever smoked marijuana? God help us all.
ReplyDeleteSomething is happening and you don't know what it is, do you Mr. Jones?
ReplyDeleteHeeren. I am confused by your view. I'm not right wing at all. I'm not against people coming here. I'm against the way it is being done. Heeren. When was the last time you went to Mexico and did maintenance on an orphanage and feed the poor? well I have. I'm against a president giving over a state to a international body for judgment of our laws. We have our own govenment and judicial system and as the leader of the country he should be a part of that system and not work outside of it. I'm against someone who came here illegaly recieving govenment housing and aid and thinking that they were taken advantage of. Whos taking advantage of who? By the way I'm a registered Democrat. And Sarah Palin is an idiot and not a qualified candidate. John McCaine from my state is a fool to have picked her as a running mate. It showed poor judgment. Have you read SB1070? Or have you just listened to the spin? The law is not what people are being told. It is this simple. It is the same law that is already on the books at a federal level, nothing more. It is certainly not a human rights violation as Barack Obamah in his grandstanding has called it. Both parties are wrong in their political wrangling. The system is broken plain and simple. Anyway Heeren you are welcome to express your view here.
ReplyDeleteTo Machette. thanks. I think it sucks that people who are doing the right thing get messed with. SB1070 says that the only time a Police can ask for ID is in a normal stop for a justafiable reason (traffic violation etc.) I have to show my ID in that case so why should someone else be offended by it? The law was giving the police the power to enforce a federal law that is already in place at a state level because the federal govenment has failed to take care of a problem. Is it the right way to fix the problem? Probably not. But it is not a form of Human Right abuse that should be turned over to the United Nations for scrutiny by the President of the United States or un-united in this case so he can grandstand during an election year. Racisim is wrong and I'm sorry to here that people are treated that way. Breaking the law is wrong and it's not helping the racisim thing. The things I stated are a part of the economic problem. That is why my state took action to force the federal govenment to relize the economic impact. Our state is forced by the federal govenment to provide services to people who don't pay for them. And the cost is disproportional in our state in regards to the rest of the country. And my taxes go up and my friends loose jobs. As far as being painted a certain way because some who appear to be like you are doing the wrong thing I understand. It happens as a Christian every day to me so I know and feel for your loved ones who are misstreated and lumped into judgment because some people who look like them are doing the wrong thing. It sucks! Machette thanks again for sharing your view in an open way. And my apologies to those who I offended. I was just tired of the political spin on this issue and it being used to perpetuate the same old political divide
ReplyDeleteWhat part of "illegal" Do people not understand?? If you don't want to enter the U.S. the right and legal way, stay home. And if our laws are too strict, then why would you want to come here. Again, do it legal or stay home.
ReplyDeleteKeep rolling the tunes. BTW The Dead are not my favorite band but a lot of people enjoy them. But you do have plenty more bands to choose from, and for that my friend, I am "grateful"
Perhaps you should focus your anger on the American business owners who hire the Illegals to save paying higher wages to us. don't you think that If most Americans knew they could go into Mexico and make 10 times the pay that they earn here they would do it come Hell or high water. P.S. you're blog is great keep it up, Thanks
ReplyDeleteI agree that the problem is really Employers who break the law. If there was no work for immigrants they would not come. Thats a whole discussion of it's own. I just couldn't believe that our President went to the United Nations with it. In his speach he accused others of grandstanding on this issue while he did it himself. Did you know people of his administration spoke out against the law before they read it. What does that say about motives
ReplyDeleteGrifftrain. Now thats funny. This has gotten more response than a rare concert or a great recording. People are on edge over this issue and we are the un-united states it appears. As my blog is Arizona Jones. I was tired of people boycotting my state and calling us nazis that don't even know the law. Are they going to boycot mexico. It's law is tougher. How about the US? It has the same law. While countries like North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Cameroon are being asked as a part of the United Nations to make a judgment on human rights for my state by my President. Maybe they will come up with some sanctions against us for checking ID at a traffic stop.
ReplyDeleteHi AZ,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say thanks for a reasoned discussion of what's going on in Arizona with the immigration law. Here in Canada we tend to hear only the racist/anti-immigration spin and not much of the stats you quoted that show what a severe problem it has become for the state and its people. I am pro-immigration but I am also pro-"people following the rule of law." It's a tough line to balance but it must be done so that all have fair access to the system.
Thanks for the music you share, and thanks for the viewpoints. I may not agree with them all (I am 99% atheist with 1% agnostic to hedge my bets :-) but I respect everyone's right to their religious views and it's always good to hear from a wide variety of sources so that you can hear a variety views and make up your own mind.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Andy (Hrothgar)