I was grateful to receive the following response to my post on the political luncacy and eccentrity of Nashville Democrat, Congressman Jim Cooper:
The reader wrote ...
"As I'm sure you know, Rep. Blackburn and most conservatives are not "anti-immigrant." They only oppose illegal immigration (with every other sensible citizen, I hope). This is a very important distinction and I hope you were not intentional in your distortion."
June 28, 2008 3:19 PM
Here was my reply, which I extend to everyone, particularly the news media:
I wrote to the reader ...
Thank you for your response and reading my post. I appreciate both.
As to my anti-immigrant note, it was very intentional. I write so based on personal experiences not rhetorical, political claims(rationalization to cover political backsides). The 287(g) program has led to racial profiling of Hispanics here, legal or not. That is offensive, considering that my uncle, now 86, was a World War II hero as a middle gunner on a B-17. He rescued two members of his crew and pulled their parachutes before the plane crashed. He then was hidden by the Dutch Underground.
The 287(g) program has led to the deportation of heads of households of families legally here and children born in this country. The families are left without their main source of income and they're made into single-parent households. There are more personal experiences I could write about that are consequences of policy supported by Rep. Blackburn. But do not take my word for it.
I invite you to come down to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville. For you, I will assemble a group of Hispanic mothers and children legally here. I will let them tell their story.
And if you have any influence with Rep. Blackburn, please ask her to come along. We will treat her with respect, as is a custom of our culture no matter if we disagree with someone. I will bring with me Father Joseph Patrick Breen, pastor of St. Edward Catholic Church. He himself is the grandson of immigrants. And he is very disturbed by the 287g program in Nashville. He also has many personal stories, including appeals from local business owners who want to help the damaged families of their workers.
Please consider my offer to be made aware of the personal consequences of wrong public policy. It always is a benefit when we stretch our boundaries. I did so for several years in speaking to conservative groups across Tennessee and talking face to face about immigration reform. You'd have been surprised at the common ground we found.
Yes, we both were against illegal immigration. But there is a right way and wrong way to address it. Blackburn's approach creates too many victims, which from my upbringing goes against the American commitment to fairness and tolerance. Sen. John McCain has proposed comprehensive reform in tandem with punitive enforcement measures. He tried to establish a path for the payment of a big fine, then continue to work for legalization. He proposed a temporary work program. But his own party blocked his initiatives in favor of only punitive measures.
Again, thank you for your comments, and I hope we can move forward in understanding each other.
With best regards,
Tim Chavez
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4 comments:
The 287g program is also known as the Criminal Alien Program. The idea that is any way racial profiling is just another attempt to bring hate into the debate by the pro-illegal supporters, especially when Hispanic is not even a race. It's not race, it's not hate, it's about obeying the laws and getting criminals off our streets. Anyone protesting the 287g program is condoning criminal activity, expecially identity theft. Anyone who is legally here should not be afraid of the law.
"The 287(g) program has led to the deportation of heads of households of families legally here and children born in this country."
Deported to where? Please provide some evidence of this, or a link from a reliable source. I haven't heard of ANY legal citizen being deported unless they were criminals is some way and lost their right to be here.
John McCain just like Obama are for amnesty. This will not fly with the American people, no matter what party attempts amnesty.
Mr. Chavez,
Thank you very much for your informative response. I was unfamiliar with the 287 (g) program. It sounds as if there have been some terrible abuses. However, after some cursory research, it seems that the law is well-intentioned. I am very sorry that it has been abused and has caused pain for people you love. Your uncle is a hero and I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for his service. However, I want to note that Rep. Blackburn cares (it seems to me) for people who enter this country illegally, but also understands that their presence presents serious vulnerabilities for our nation. Immigration is a thorny issue and I don't always agree with her, but I know that she cares. I also know that the Scriptures are unequivocal in their command "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him" (Exodus 22:21). May God bless all who yearn for opportunity in our nation and may He bless all who love those who yearn. I would love to continue this conversation, sir. I have much to learn about immigration. My email is tutorc@wlu.edu.
Dear dintn,
I tried to go to your blog site to contact you personally but there was no visible name and your profile would not come up.
I hope you are not ashamed to use your real name with your opinions. That is the least we should offer each other as Americans in the marketplace of ideas.
As I offered to the other reader, please meet me at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville so you can meet the people who are part of the story of abuse by 287g. That is the most real evidence I can offer. And we will respect your right to tell these people that they are not experiencing what they are experiencing.
The Tennessean reported earlier this year that most of the people being deported do not have a criminal record. One can rationalize that it is a crime to be illegally in this country, but it is only a misdemeanor with a payable fine. Would we say someone who is stopped for a broken headlight or not wearing a seatbelt has a criminal record, since he or she receives a ticket for a misdemeanor offense payable by fine?
Of course not. Yet 287g was sold to the public as being a program that would only deport people with criminal records. Now, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall denies that truth. We all know better.
Just like with the case made to sell the war in Iraq, you can't make something good come from something wrong.
You do not want evidence; you want absolution for your wrongheadness and your fear of people who are different.
That is not possible. The nation and world are changing. Get used to it. My post on Monday's USA TODAY story shows that your kind of thinking will be overthrown at the ballot box by 2020 at the latest. And rightly so.
Thanks,
Tim Chávez
Why is it that you can't simply respond to the original post without starting a whole new blog entry? You make a whole story about me not posting my real name on the internet like it's headline news? Would you prefer I simply draw you a map to my front door?
Do you really need attention that bad?
How do you think you have the right to my personal information? Unlike you am not a political clumnist or even a public figure that is subject to having my personal information publicized. I am not ashamed by anything I do or say, but I don't feel that you
have a right to invade my privacy or invade my email inbox! What I post is in an open form..not personal emails.
"..you can't make something good come from something wrong."
Really? Isn't that exactly what you are trying to do? It is wrong to invade a country without proper documantation, wrong to steal identities in order to take jobs from Americans, wrong to employ illegal invaders, wrong to destroy our hospitals and emergency rooms by allowing 300,000 anchor babies to be born here with no intention of paying, the list goes on, but you are trying to convince us that we should ignore these "wrong"s?
"...fear of people who are different."?
Different from whom? Are you calling me a racist? You presume to know of what color/ race I am just because I am againg illegal invaders? Again, diferrent from WHOM? You have no idea "catagory" I belong to or are even speaking of. You show YOUR true colors with this one.
"Get used to it"? Wow, again, typical arrogance.
I missed your Monday's USA story, but when I have more time later, today, if I find it I'll read it.
The ballot box. Ah, yes. Anchor babies, teenage Latino birthrates, forged documents. But Americans are waking up to what's going on and I'm confident you will get a real surprise, but since the article was written by you, that's your opinion.
I can only hope more candidates like Ron Paul or Chuck Baldwin gain more attention. I believe way before 2020 they will.
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