Immigration

[Mebeworf]

Oh I know the title of this topic could cause a $hee!t storm, but I know this HM forum is a lot different than the last incarnation.  So here me out:

Over 50+ years ago, my parents and most of my family were happily living life in the tropics of Indonesia, born there and of Dutch descent.  After WWII, Indonesia gained their independence and began to forcibly oust any Dutch Nationals.  My family was a mere few inches away from becoming Australian citizens, when they were sponsored by a local Methodist church in a tiny town in the State of Washington.  The city was abuzz with activity - bake sales, etc. - to raise money for my family, to provide them a home, transportation and ensured my father a job.  All this helped them on their way to become naturalized U.S. citizens.

Is this way of life gone from America?  Why can't a grassroots movement, not necessarily lead by a church, be done today?  IMO, if someone has been here illegally from any country in the world over 10 years, let them on the fast track to becoming legal.  Surely by now, at least one generation has been born here and granted legal citizenship under the 14th Amendment.  Extend citizenship to their parents and let them be legal.  Anyone here under 10 years and truly want to become full time citiznes and not just seasonal workers, send them back to their country of origin, get them started through the correct channels and have them gain citizenship here the correct way.

OR - have a church, community or city sponsor one or two families a year.  Get them on the path to citizenship, provide them shelter and a job.  Help them integrate into the community and schools.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot - teach them English as their primary language.  Dutch and Indonesian and English was spoken inside our home, but English only when interacting with the rest of the world.  By helping one family integrate into society, truly understand the toil and struggle to become a U.S. citizen, they truly appreciate the reward of what hard work will get you and they, in turn, can help to sponsor the next family on the path to legal citizenship.

And if I can put in a shamelss plug, sponsor or help out an unemployed or homeless person - like me.  If there are any churches / Normanites / forumites out there who want to sponsor my wife, dog and me, find us a cargo van or old school bus for shelter/transportation and some solid leads on a job - we'd love to come back to Norman.  If "Joshua " frequents these boards, he has generously offered to help pay one months rent so we can pack up /liquidate what we can before losing our apartment here in Colorado Springs.

[Mr T]

How are you guys going to get back to Norman?  I'm trying to think about all this and what we can do to help.  I think the most important thing is to get here.   ???

[Mebeworf]

You ever hear the saying, "It's hard to be humble when you're a Sooner?"  Well, it's equally as hard to humble yourself to accept charity.  I may very well take up Joshua on his offer to pay one month's rent for us here.  In the meantime, we are liquidating bedroom and living room furniture, pawning what we can and donating a lot.  My wife may not like it and she has threatened divorce, but we may need to tap into her IRA savings so we can rent a Uhaul or put everything into one of those POD things and drop it off at my Dad's house.  Then we can rent a wreck or get a cheap van here and drive down to Norman on a wing and a prayer.

[Mr T]

Will you be able to stay in the house, at least for a while?

[hammondjam]

I know what you're saying Worf but since you're down but still doing what you can to help yourself, I think this is just a matter of you asking for a hand up. Not a handout. Everybody stumbles once in a while. Me and T have been hours from homelessness before. If we can think of a way to help you, I'm on board. I'll NEVER forget the feeling OR the friends that cared!

[Mebeworf]

Thanks all . . . I mentioned in my "HEY TAXIDR" thread that things are starting to gel / come together for us moving back.  Puck gave me the name of neighbor has a humongous cargo van up for sale and I may come down to take a sneak peek at it if I get some more info on it.  Fortunately/unfortunately, it may be home for a while.  The house was cramped with mom, dad and sis (>1000sq ft - 3bd, 1ba) - so we might have to get a bathroom schedule in place or get a "Y" membership.

Meanwhile, back to my original topic . . . . why can't churches sponsor families and get them on the right path to citizenship?  Ironically, they could tap Feredal dollars for their social services - just think, the government paying to help make illegals legal.

[Sir Jeffrey]

http://www.newsok.com/revising-14th-amendment-would-be-bad-move-politically-morally/article/3485825?custom_click=pod_lead_opinion-oklahoman-editorials

The government is toying with revising the 14th amendment. Depending upon the revision I would support it, what are your thoughts?

[RatSass]

In 1996 amnesty was granted to the illegal aliens in the USA.  Now, we have another 12 million or so here.  They should be punished and/or deported. 

[Mr T]

I think you mean 1986.  I constantly say 1996 when I mean 2006.  The new century is very confusing.

[hammondjam]

With PC and and all the other things that muck up the argument for or against illegals, it boils down to leaving the front and back door of our "home" open to anyone and then supporting them after they break in. Not everyone that may come across the river HAS to be a hard working Mexican that just wants a better life for his/her family. All it would take is ONE guy with  a backpack full of plastiques and ball bearings and we could have another bunch of bodies to find in the rubble. Homeland Security is nothing if we can't keep people out.

When they give amnesty,  they should also give a Social Security number so these folks can pay in to the system AND pay taxes like the rest of us. NO NUMBER, NO JOB, NO BENEFITS.

[WhatMeWorry?]

With PC and and all the other things that muck up the argument for or against illegals, it boils down to leaving the front and back door of our "home" open to anyone and then supporting them after they break in.America supports illegals like Oklahoma tax payers support the federal government. Not everyone that may come across the river HAS to be a hard working Mexican that just wants a better life for his/her family.But most are. And they only come here because good ole American citizens will hire them. All it would take is ONE guy with  a backpack full of plastiques and ball bearings and we could have another bunch of bodies to find in the rubble.And yet it hasnt happened. Coincidence? I think not.[/b] Homeland Security is nothing if we can't keep people out.Eliminate demand and it will almost cease to exist.

It is within law enforcements power to control traffic violations like speeding. In Norman it is almost impossible to do so because of the amount of drivers on the road((like illegal immigration in the free market unregulated paradise known as America) but in Stonewall Oklahoma two cops can lock that town down because noone wants to come there so we dont have many drivers to deal with(like in an America where there is almost no demand for illegal labor).

When they give amnesty,  they should also give a Social Security number so these folks can pay in to the system AND pay taxes like the rest of us. NO NUMBER, NO JOB, NO BENEFITS.Think of all the money paid into SS by illegals that is never claimed.