<p>I clearly know so much more about both mathematics and the Constitution than the poster Zester does, or may ever.</p>
<p>Btw, the subject of birthright was never a subject of discussion on this thread before this page, ever. Doesn’t matter if zero babies are born to undocumented visitors/would-be residents. Numbers are numbers, and for those numbers, any sovereign nation (and this is still not Mexico) has a right to create & enforce its own laws about immigration, not to mention change those laws. Don’t preach to me. You’re out of your league.</p>
<p>Zester - nice emotional points, but really, just more neo-Marxist dreck. The US has exploited Mexico? Maybe. But even if so - and what is exploitation to you might be economic competition to some - but in any event, the worst form of exploitation now is being undertaken by the narcoleptic entity known as the Mexican government. They, again, are not a poor country, yet see little need to adopt social programs that responsible nations do, or open up their economy responsibly to investment, or inculcate the rule of law so basic property rights and regulation regimes - you know - those things that help everyday people. We ought to quit being their social safety valve - and to imply that Mexico is not capable is the most racist sentiment of all - and one that the Left often does imply. This is 2008 - Mexico and its government is capable of doing better and we ought to insist they do so. </p>
<p>The NEA is all wet here - but of course what they really want are more warm bodies to fill their classrooms and promote the iron rice bowl that exists in their constituent bureaucracies. They of course promote their platform with gooey emotionalism - but that is no substitute for policy. </p>
<p>Here’s an education issue for you - our universities attract world class students all over the world. Reform our immigration laws so we have a preference for education and skill above all else, and some of those bright students from overseas can stay - and create human capital and jobs - all things in our national interest. By the way, an immigration system that vastly prefers skill is hardly unique - Mexico has some of the harshest immigration laws in the world - that must be a result of our “exploitation”, huh?</p>
<p>I gleaned from some of your other posts that you are not a U.S. citizen, nor do you have permanent residency status. Therefore, that puts you in the “international” category of college applicants. Have you talked to your parents about your dilemma with respect to working/driving/paying for college here in the U.S.? Unless your parents were somehow forced to move here, they are the ones with the responsibility for your future.</p>
<p>“Unless your parents were somehow forced to move here, they are the ones with the responsibility for your future.”</p>
<p>…(and your present).</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree more with the raw truths in post 122 – truths that undocumented Mexicans living here refuse to acknowledge. No, it’s more fun to spew venom at U.S. civilians for daring to want to speak English & learn in English in their public classrooms for which they pay with their equally hard-earned money as any illegally arrived visitor/employee.</p>
<p>Who is responsible for the massive, entrenched poverty in rural Mexico, that pre-existed NAFTA by decades? The Mexican government. Who is responsible for the restricted economic mobility of the non-wealthy classes in Mexico? The Mexican government. Who is the most exploitative of illegal immigration to the U.S., by virtue of the direction of cashflow from those workers, southward? Who wants to sustain poverty both north and south of the border, because it benefits them? The Mexican government. </p>
<p>The <em>origins</em> of the plight & status of undocumenteds lies with Mexico, in Mexico. The sustenance of their plight lies with the Mexican government. Not with the U.S. gov’t., not with Anglo schoolchildren needing to learn to read & write in their own native language, not with CC posters, not with the U.S. public in general. </p>
<p>No. The MEXICAN government. Your civil and human rights to earn a respectable wage, enjoy the fruits of the modern, industrialized era have always lay, and continue to lie, in your native land, in the corrupt, neglectful, selfish, greedy (i.e., hateful) hands of those who have governed you. Not by some fictional “hatred” of the majority of mostly compassionate U.S. citizens.</p>
<p>It is a waste of time blaming anyone, anything for the situation at hand. What we have are people who are living in this country without legal status. What should we do? We have people coming into this country illegally because it is beneficial to them to do so. We have people wanting, planning to come into this country, again, illegally, because it is beneficial for them to do so. We need to do something to address the situation. Instead we are arguing about the issues that arise because of the situation, and fixing those little snippets here and there without addressing the cause of all of those problems. To continue to give rights, privileges, benefits to those who are illegally here without addressing the problems of the illegality is just intensifying the problem.</p>