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["Cristobal Palmer" <cristobalpalmer AT gmail.com>]

On 1/27/07, Greg Brown <gwbrown1 AT gmail.com> wrote:
> We've got tons of aliens in Youngsville.  Illegial aliens but still..
> perhaps it was a migration bat signal of sorts?

Perhaps you meant "Foreign Nationals" or maybe even "Latinos" since
I'm sure you haven't asked people casually for their Visa status in an
informal poll at the grocery store. Or do you? Do you ask people at
the checkout if they're citizens or have a green card?

Yes, our immigration process is busted in this country. No, it's not
okay to blame it on the immigrants and lump them into an "other"
category, especially if it conflates "illegal" immigrants and those
who are on a standard path to naturalization.

Now, I understand you were trying to make a joke, but stop and realize
that it's not really any better than making a "gay" joke or any other
joke that makes a scapegoat of a minority or disempowered group. Would
you make a joke about the character of black people? Why is one about
foreigners any more acceptable?

I'm sorry, but it sounds like you're complaining about the foreigners,
and that's rather off-putting.

Thanks,
CMP

--
Cristóbal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student -- ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
TriLUG Vice Chair
"There are many roads to enlightenment, and thus many roads back to
the One True Debian" --crimsun