<p>
I was really hoping that someone would notice and appreciate my use of hyperbole, but reading some of the spelling/grammar around here, “brokest” doesn’t stand out. Woe is me.</p>
<p>Whatdamcfudge.</p>
<p>Hmmm…you’re here illegally, and I see that you’re trying to go to UT or Tex A&M. those are both schools that are hard to get into. I see that you’ve also been awarded the Longhorn Opportunity Scholarship.</p>
<p>So, not only will you be taking someone’s spot, you’re getting a scholarship that really should be given to someone who is legally here. If that scholarship is tax-payer funded, it shouldn’t be given to illegals.</p>
<p>
Exactly. And I would add get out of the U.S.</p>
<p>Zoosermom,</p>
<p>English is not my first language (which you probably can tell from my posts), but I noticed the use of the “brokest” and thought that somebody would eventually point it out! I was not sure if you did that on purpose or not though.</p>
<p>
Thank you for noticing! I was so pleased with it, too.</p>
<p>(Thread detour: Am I the only one who sometimes skips posts by specific posters because of difficulty in understanding? I hate that about myself and wonder if others sometimes have trouble?)</p>
<p>mom2collegekids,</p>
<p>the problem is he or she does not see it your way. He or she thinks that the legality of their status does not matter.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, I think they probably do feel more entitled to your money than undocumented students. I know that probably makes you feel defensive and glad you are not giving it to them. It makes sense to a lot of people to expect fellow citizens to take care of each other when in need, before taking care of those who have their own fellow citizens to care (or not) for them. The countries from where these outstanding students hail can provide college scholarships, and probably do. All of those countries have universities, too.</p>
<p>mathmom, close enough for me</p>
<p>Bay,</p>
<p>I think there should be distinction made between private money and tax-payer money. Whatever a person does with their own money (unless they are supporting illegal activity) is their own business and nobody should feel entitled to those money.</p>
<p>
I totally agree. I just hope that people really think about the consequences of their choices.</p>
<p>I know it is private money, and I agree that people are free to spend their own money any way they want. But that does not mean others don’t have a right to an opinion about how it might be better or more appropriately spent.</p>
<p>I’m not talking about the people being exploited crossing borders. I’m not talking about open borders. I’m talking about their innocent children who live here, grew up here, and know no other home. I’m talking about those who have studied in our schools, excelled, and are competitive enough students to take someone else’s spot on the merits. Life is competitive. That’s the American way. I like it that way. These people would make great Americans just like many existing Americans would. </p>
<p>On this board, I’ve read posts by undocumented students or their parents from Latin America, Canada, Western Europe and Asia who know no other country and have been raised as Americans, for better or worse. Most have parents who overstayed their visa or screwed up the paper work so that their status is in limbo. There was a woman from Western Europe in Florida who owned a home and started a tax paying pool cleaning business who was undocumented was trying to figure out how her daughter could go to college in the states. </p>
<p>ZM, for you it’s all about the people you work with. I understand where you’re coming from. But I can’t hold the sins of the parents against the children. </p>
<p>My grandparents generation came through Ellis Island, were exploited in the garment industry beyond belief, lived in cold water tenements in NY and built a life. My great grandmother was killed in a Russian pogram in 1902. You can hold the Russians responsible all you want, but no way my grandparents weren’t better off being exploited here then persecuted there. And there is no way that America isn’t better off also. </p>
<p>These people are not all leaving.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>From my years on CC, I know there are lots of college applicants who wish this weren’t true. But it is - chances for admission and affordability for every applicant really depends upon the choices their parents made.</p>
<p>
I thought I noticed some racism on this thread. But I didn’t know until this day that it was from those in favor of the scholarships.</p>
<p>There are assumptions, I guess we could label them racism, though that’s not the word I would use, on both sides of this argument.</p>
<p>On the one side is nationalism, and a desire to keep “them” from having any benefit.</p>
<p>However, on the other side is the assumption that the home countries these immigrants come from should not be held account and can not be “expected” to create a world for themselves like our own. There is a sort of arrogance in this thinking, really.</p>
<p>I understand both sides, really, but it is undeniable that the countries the immigrants come here from ought to be held to account, at least as much as our own, if not more so.</p>
<p>
Is that what you really took from what I said? Very sad.</p>
<p>I’ll try again. It’s not about holding anything against the kids, it’s about making sure that no more people are forced to cross the border against their will and endure suffering and misery in order to gain a life that may be marginally better, but still not anywhere near the standards they deserve. It’s about making sure that people who want to stay in their countries and live their cultures can do so in the expectation that their human rights will be honored in their own countries. People are not commodities. I’ve never used the word deport or implied it in any way in terms of my position, because it isn’t. I think there are plenty of things that can be done to force the hands of the home countries, to make it less palatable for them to toss out their neediest citizens, and I think we all have a responsibility to do so. Saying “I don’t want to penalize kids” is such a cop out.</p>
<p>Maybe I am reading this wrong, but are some of you addressing human traffic-ing?</p>
<p>
Some of it definitely is. People who know they are doing the wrong thing (maybe they have an illegal maid who they pay less than minimum wage and provide no benefits) and donate money to make themselves feel better.</p>
<p>There are definitely many people who believe with sincere hearts that they are doing the right thing and that is commendable. I believe some of the posters on this thread fall into this category and I respect and admire them. I also hope they will think about different outcomes and solutions, and I hope they won’t be among those who are eager to level charges of racism against opponents of illegal immigration. Which is why I chose that word, which is among the ugliest in the English language, in the hope that the shock of it will make people stop and think.</p>
<p>“It’s about making sure that people who want to stay in their countries and live their cultures can do so in the expectation that their human rights will be honored in their own countries.”</p>
<p>A first step might be to dry up the drug markets here. The drug cartels would be out of business if they couldn’t sell their stuff. And whenever the U.S. gets involved with governments to try to interdict trade in the host countries, it simply drives the price higher (and the cartels make more money). (Sometimes I think that’s exactly the point of U.S. policy).</p>
<p>At any rate, illegal immigration is really off topic here. No child immigrated to this country to take advantage of this college scholarship opportunity. (not that I particularly mind threads veering off topic ;))</p>
<p>
I certainly am. Because current laws and opinions create the climate for human trafficking to flourish.</p>