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The Immigration Debate

Jun 08, 2009

^{_{Editor's Note: John's commentary on the immigration debate drew strong response from viewers. Below are their comments, followed by John's commentary in its entirety:}

Letter #1:

John,

Your Commentary on illegal Immigrants hits pretty close to home. Here in NC we see them all over the place displacing lots of American workers I haven't lost a job to them myself, I'm self employed, but I know of some folks that have been pushed out of work by these illegal workers.

   Yes they are just trying to improve their lot in life but, you folks that hire them just because they will work for less and live 37 people in a 2 bedroom house need to wake up and realize that you may be hurting us all.

  These folks are Illegal that means they aren't paying any taxes they don't have insurance to pay for doctor visits they are sending their Illegal children to schools they aren't paying taxes to support, lot's of them are standing in the welfare lines gathering up more tax dollars paid in buy fewer and fewer working Americans. They are also a large part of the jailhouse population, more tax dollars at work.

   I could go on but by now I think you get the point. I'm sure you will keep working them as will the farmers, contractors, restaurants, furniture plants etc. around here. But I don't think you should make it sound OK on your farming show.

   Think about this. These folks are breaking the law every day of the week just by being here illegally. What if everyone was allowed to break the law everyday and get by with it? Maybe some will chose to drive 100 MPH everywhere they go some will chose to drive drunk, maybe some will decide they want to steal whatever they want. Is there a difference? All are laws, all are being broken. I believe hiring an illegal is illegal itself is it not?

   I'm not a farmer though I was raised with them all around me I worked in tobacco as a kid. My wife and I do try to raise a small garden each year along with some apples and blueberries. I don't own a tractor but I do work on some on occasion. I like your show especially the old tractor segment and will keep watching even though you condone law breaking. Mayhap you will change your views but it's not likely. Just some early morning ramblings from an old Southern boy.

Mike Wilson

Letter #2:}

^{The issue of immigration has about run its course. Considering the condition of the U.S. economy and Global Warming is creating drought or flood conditions for farmers, there won't be many farms soon to operate, anyway. Those farms that can sustain all these negative conditions, will not be able to keep up with the coming demand for food.}

^{As the economy falls, consider the impact on farm machinery. If John Deere and others like them fall, as the Auto Industry is, what are farmers supposed to do? Go back to working the land by hand? (Probably)}

^{Tomatos are already $4.00 a pound in parts of Arizona. It's getting a bit too late to care about Mexican Citizens coming to America Illegally, without getting in line and doing it LEGALLY, as folks from other nations do. Illegals have added debt to the National Debt, while individuals have profited from the practice ... it doesn't matter any more. - We'll all be working the land soon, or we'll die off.

Watch in the coming years what happens in cities where food can't be grown. Chances are, city folks will come to the rural farm areas ... and they'll be hungry.}

^{Good Luck,}

^{Bob

JOHN'S WORLD COMMENTARY:

_{I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS AN AVID HOCKEY FAN. WHILE I DON'T GET THE GAME, I CAN APPRECIATE HER INTEREST AND ENJOY HER EXCITED COMMENTS ABOUT THE PLAYOFFS.}
_{RECENTLY SHE JOKED THIS YEAR'S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF BETWEEN THE DETROIT RED-WINGS AND THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ACTUALLY RESEMBLES A GAME BETWEEN SWEDEN AND RUSSIA, RESPECTIVELY.}
_{IN THIS ASPECT, PRO SPORTS INCREASINGLY RESEMBLES SOME PARTS OF AGRICULTURE, THAT IS, HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN WORKERS.}
_{AFTER MUCH SPECULATION, THE NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS FEDERATION RECENTLY RELEASED SURVEY RESULTS THAT SHOWED OVER FORTY PERCENT OF DAIRY WORKERS WERE FOREIGN BORN - VIRTUALLY ALL FROM MEXICO.}
_{I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO A TOBACCO GROWER FROM KENTUCKY WHO THINKS OF HIS HISPANIC WORKERS AS FAMILY, AND CONSIDERS THEM HIS MOST VALUABLE BUSINESS ASSET. EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE COMPLICATE THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION THAT SEEMS SO CLEARCUT TO MANY OBSERVERS.}
_{JAN AND I HAVE FOREIGN-BORN DOCTORS, OUR CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT BY IMMIGRANT PROFESSORS, AND I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND WHOSE DAUGHTER ANXIOUSLY AWAITS OFFICIAL STATUS IN ENGLAND SO SHE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK AND LIVE THERE.}
_{TREATING IMMIGRATION AS US VERSUS THEM NEGATES THIS IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE - LABOR MOBILITY. ALLOWING PEOPLE TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST WHEREVER THEY CAN IS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY AND IMPROVES OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS.}}

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COMMENTS (9 Comments)

Anonymous
I'm a third generation coal miner's daughter who now works with farmworker children. Thank God my grandfathers did not have to deal with being called 'illegal' on top of being called Hick, Inbred, Fat Lazy Stupid Mountain People, Rednecks (we actually don't mind that one), and worse.
Doesn't it seem strange that the two most dangerous, necessary occupations in the WORLD are plagued by an absolute disrespect for those who help provide?
I think it's a terrifying example of the darker side of widespread media campaigns to desensitize us to the conditions of people we MOST need to survive.
Besides, today they are Hispanic - yesterday they were Africans and white Irish Potato Famine workers...tomorrow?
9:31 PM Jun 12th

Sal
There are a job's market...it's so simple. America is competing with a lot of countries globally in so many ways. Need cheap labor for be so competitive. In current conditions...it's almost impossible to defeat China.
Illegal alliens pay taxes, and consume inside the country almost 70% of their earnings.
It's the same old tale talking about drugs...if you don't like illegal allien working there, close the job's demand for them. (It's so impossible in most vegetable, fruit and other areas), so if you don't like drug producers and dealers...don't consume that, the same story about alcohol ban in Chicago, I've heard about corrupt inmigration officers, they let pass alliens for US 2,000 each one in certain hours and dates, of course in a very discreet way.
To get more info and understand so better hispanic inmigration phenomena, please visit http://pewhispanic.org/.
And Yes...I'm an Mexican farmer...letting know my point of view. Respect for anyone from my american farmers in this hard times for both, we're so dry in our white corn fields in central mexico too. I know that my english doesn't so good, but try.
1:46 PM Jun 9th

Delaware Bob
I can't say the ILLEGAL ALIENS are completely to blame for the shape of our economy, but they are a BIG part of the problem. The ILLEGAL ALIENS send BILLIONS upon BILLIONS out of this Country every year, money we will NEVER see again. Does this help our economy?

How about the BILLIONS the American taxpayers fork out for the ILLEGAL ALIEN BABIES, the schooling of them, the medical care and the list goes on, and on, and on.

How about the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS paid to jail ILLEGAL ALIENS for the crimes, then the cost to deport them. Does this help our economy?

Then you have these activist groups, the Catholic Church and the ACLU that want AMNESTY for these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It would be absolute suicide for this Country if AMNESTY were granted to the 20 million or so ILLEGAL ALIENS. We have more and more people out of work everyday and they want to add another 20 million to this Country? I say, "NO"!

If AMNESTY were ever granted to these 20 million ILLEGAL ALIENS, you can bet big money that 3 years from now, there would be ANOTHER 3-5 million ILLEGAL ALIENS demonstrating on our soil for AMNESTY.

An end MUST come to this illegal immigration. The perfect tool we have so far is E-Verify. It MUST be used by ALL businesses and Government Social Services. EVERY employee must be checked! If they are illegal, they are to be dismissed!

I believe it is time for all 50 States to pass a State law, like Arizona, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and a few others. It is time for these ILLEGAL ALIENS to go back to their home Country and get out of this Country. The problems they are causing will not go away until the ILLEGAL ALIENS are out of this Country.

It's time for ZERO TOLERENCE with these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It's time for these ILLEGAL ALIENS to get back to their own country where they belong. If they want to be part of this Country, apply to come in LEGALLY!
11:01 AM Jun 9th

gary - wisconsin
we run am dairy farm near a metropolitan area.we hire hispamics not because they work for less but because they show up for work and do an excellent job.they buy cars, groceries,and rent some of the surplus apartments in the area.if one is sick or needs time off,they get someone to cover for them.they are very appreciative of their job.
9:07 AM Jun 9th

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