Comments on: freeSpeech: Lou Barletta

Pennsylvania Mayor Speaks About Illegal Immigrants

[jamaggio1]

ILLEGAL ALIEN IS THE CORRECT TERM. BARLETTAS' FAMILY CAME THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND. THEY DIDN'T SNEAK ACROSS THE BORDER, WHICH IS JUST AN EASY WAY SINCE LAND MASSES ARE CONNECTED. THEY ALSO CAME FOR THE SAME REASONS OF OPPORTUNITY. THOSE PEOPLE MADE THIS COUNTRY WHAT IT IS TODAY, THROUGH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, WW1, WW2, KOREA,. THEY ALSO SPARKED THIS NATIONS LABOR MOVEMENT, ie. UNIONS, WHICH IS ANOTHER MATTER COMPLETELY, THAT IRONICALLY, HAS ALSO BECOME "DISTORTED". (THE LATTIMER MASSACER, LOOK IT UP.) THEY FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THIER RIGHTS. THIS IS MUCH THE SAME BUT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE. ILLEGAL INTRUSION INTO THE UNITED STATES WILL EVENTUALLY DESTROY THIS NATION AND TURN IT INTO THE COUNTRY FROM WHICH THE ILLEGALS CAME FROM.

USAF VETERAN FROM HAZLETON,PA OF ITALIAN, RUSSIAN, CZECK AND POLISH BLOOD

[godshorn]

RE: cheyenne 16

Why are your people still on the reservations? Where is your freedom? Spanish or Mexican. There were people who lived in North America whose lands were invaded an stolen. Getting back to Mayor Barletta's comment on violence, the United States (not America) has always been a violent country. You need to recheck your history. The true history of America.

[jdeltoro1]

RicB, I hope you never get to the point of desperation where you have to do whatever non-violent "illegal" action or the sake of your family. While many imigrants look for work in the US, it is not a simple decision easily made. Would you would voluntarily choose to separate yourself from friends and family and put your life at risk to provide for your family who live in a place where there is little hope in the future? After that discussion, we could go into another one over the products you use that are produced in other countries. (maybe blue jeans, coffee) We could discuss how the majority involve workers who receive far below what would be considered a "just" wage, a wage that is far below living standards. (And who actually benefits from their situation) And so coming to the US, they accept a job which is still way below US standards, yet way above the standards of their native countries. I pray you and the people you care about never find themseves in a situation like that. Fortunately, we have been blessed in being born in a country that allows for opportunity. For all the undocumented immigrants who come to this country looking to get out of a situation our country has helped create, I pray for them even more.

[ricb6]

Mr.oaxaca5
This is in reply to your uninformed remarks about Hazleton. Are you dumb enough to tell the Federal government,"Hey! I just hired an illegal alien"? Since most illegals are hired "under the table" when sending tax money to the treasury what do you think you would be doing? Before you get writers cramp, I shop on Canal Street and know about New York bookeeping.

To address your slur about skin color, it is a flat out distortion. I know this for a fact! My family has lived in the area more than 100 years BEFORE Barletta's family left Italy. The American Indians let us farm their land and traded with us. While living there Ilived with and among most every ethnic group you can imagine with the exception of Blacks. None were in the Hazleton area.(My neighbor here in Florida is black.) My wife is Asian and had no problems with color, language or race while we lived there.

Now as to benefits and welfare try this. An illegal working on a farm gets hurt badly. Since he "aint" a resident he goes back to Mexico for treatment. Sure he does! Mexico is now called the Hazleton State General Hospital emergency room. Pulling out his roll of $100 bills he pays for treatment. YUP! And Tinker Bell takes you to Never-Nerver Land today. One point you did make - not all illegals are crimminal TYPES. The point you didn't make is they are ALL criminals- law breakers!
Ric B

[borntwice-2009]

The gate that leads to eternal life (John 10: 7-9) is called narrow."This does not mean that it is difficult to become a Christian but that there is only one way to eternal life with God and that only a few decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven, because he alone died for our sins and made us right before God. Living his way may not be popular, but it is true and right. Thank God there is one way.

Matthew 7: 13-14. "You can enter God's kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and it's gate is wide for those who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few will find it."

[cheyenne16-2009]

Several comments:
1. Thank you mayor Barletta, for doing a wonderful job. We applaude your words and your efforts wholeheartedly. I only wish every other mayor in this nation had your integrity, intelligence, and courage.
2. RE: RachFTG; The USA Dept of Homeland Security, Immigration Enforcement (INS) defines foreign nationals who enter the USA illegally or overstay a legal VISA as "illegal aliens", NOT "migrants"and NOT "undocumented". Call it what it is.
3. RE: godshorn; Apparently YOU need to learn about the history of America. The US southwest was the land of our US native American ancestors, NOT "mexicans", prior to the arrival of the hispanics from europe.
The US southwest under Spanish rule was NOT "mexico" it was Nueva Espania, and until the Spanish came here, there were no mexicans here, no meztiso, no aztec.
The Spanish invaded our tribal lands, bringing mexican indios in. Few mexicans ever lived in what is now TX, CA, NM, AZ or CO prior to statehood. At the time of the signing of the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo there were fewer than 2000 mexicanos living in Texas.
There has never been any tribe living north of the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers called "mexican", or "aztec" or "mayan".
We US native American indians are offended and appalled by the overt acts of some subversive groups (like MEChA) attempting to erase the existance of our US tribal history and replace it with such nonsense as the "aztlan myth", which is being touted as fact, but in reality is fiction.

[joeshields56]

I support what Lou Barletta, mayor of Hazleton, Pa is doing. He has no choice.

You know opening up all the borders and having free trade is fine if the door swings both ways. Right now it's only swinging in. Give some of the unemployed up here in the States the opportunity to go south of the border to spread a little Yankee ingenuity and maybe Mexico wouldn't be so bad that everybody wants to leave.

[frankly6]

Illigals don't pay taxes. You have to have a social security # to pay taxes. We simply have to inforce the imigration laws that are already on the books while making allowances for the needs of industries like agriculture. We also need to monitor and be honest about the affects of imigration on the quality of life for legal citizens of this country. The wide open border free for all is simply not good for this country. As for the history of much of the land that we call the USA, sure it's true it was stolen in war from the Mexicans. But the Indians lived here before the Mexicans or the Americans. If were talking about really doing justice, then they've got the only fair claim to this land.

[godshorn]

Mayor Barletta should research the true American History. Not the history of the United States of America. If he did, he would understand that the mexicans were in California and Texas and other states prior to the pilgrims or immigrants landing on the land of America. The immigrants were the ones who cross the Mexican's borders and basically stole their lands. Prior to becoming states this land was made up of different countries who eventually banded together and became the united states to fight those who already resided here and to steal their land. Why do the so-called Native Americans have to stay on reservation?. When Abranoff, Delay and Ley stoled 32 millions dollars from the Indians, why didn't someone go into their bank accounts return the money stolen from the Indians. If you want to talk about dangerous, what did the Negroes suffer at the hands of the Caucasions. I That is another part of history Mayor Barletta needs to research. Who gives Mayor Barletta the right to push out those whose ancestors resided on this land and were indigenous to this land as well as other cultures prior to any white man or immigrant coming to North America. In addition, Mayor Barletta needs to research his own history.

Shalom,

[oaxaca5]

Lou Barletta as a mayor of a city, I know that you know better. The "illegal Aliens" do pay taxes and they don't get any benefits from doing so. They don't get social security, they don't get SSI, and they can't get welfare, and if the people of your town are afraid of brown skin people they have the problem, you can't tell me all the "illegal aliens" are criminal types, you know that's not true. You should be ashamed.

[rachftg]

No one,not even the greatest advocate for immigration,can deny that the undocumented put some strain on this country's resources.That Barletta uses the term illegal alien,though,is sensationalism;the phrase holds an incredibly negative connotation.It is dehumanizing and carries with it an arrogance that is associated with stereotypical white America.As someone who was born in this country and is part of "white America",I resent that Barletta epitomizes this stereotype.The tone and phrasing he uses make him appear nationalistic and individualistic,two qualities for which the United States is criticized.He spoke vaguely about the services being denied to the citizens of Hazleton because of the immigrants living in the town.What he fails to mention are that these so called "illegals" are not eligible for many of the programs in which his citizens participate;they cannot enroll in welfare,nor can undocumented adults receive anything but emergency medical care.Barletta also failed to note immigrants' contributions to American society.If they go shopping in Hazleton,they pay sales tax,and three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security tax.It is proven that America relies on the participation of immigrants in the labor force.All I can hope is that Barletta stops using the phrase "illegal aliens".There is nothing more disappointing than watching the powerful display ignorance.