ewen21

Explain to me how these centers "reap rewards" if they are overcrowded, overwhelmed and under fire? The people running these places didn't sign up for what it's become. In fact, maybe you aren't aware a great number of border patrol workers are sons and daughters of immigrants from some the places these migrants are coming from. The way you word this it's as though these places are set up to serve a cruel system designed to lure people into their trap for their own person gain. ICE officials actually spoke in congress a couple of months ago outlining the challenges they face. They were the ones talking about this when Trump hating liberals were calling the border situation a "manufactured crisis" If they are reaping rewards shouldn't they be convincing all of us it's "a manufactured crisis"??? The fact that you tie "national pride" in with horrible conditions at detainment centers is an entirely different matter which requires elaboration. You are suggesting national pride cannot exist without setting up what you've referred to as "concentration camps" We can't be humane and have national pride at the same time? Make me understand

We have to pick and choose where to allocate funds to better this country. We also can't pretend that all the money is going to come from taxing the top 1%. I'd prefer helping blighted urban areas with a BIG TIME push which would require anyone earning over 100,000 in yearly salary (me included) to pay .2 of a percent into a federal tax that would address and improve infrastructure, commercial business opportunities and housing in select areas. Start with cities like Detroit and St. Louis. It would require a focus on re-engineering decaying areas with more modern infrastructure. I would also want a focus on offering incentives to prospective African American business owners and construction firms to set up in and near these areas. I would also want trade schools that offer very low tuitions to those living in these areas. It's kind of a pie in the sky idea that I must attempt to develop better, but give THAT rather than what all the democratic candidates raised their hands for in the debate. Let's spend energy on THAT not on giving services to undocumented citizens We need to talk about an initiative focusing on long term poverty stricken areas here rather than are we/aren't we going to provide healthcare for undocumented non-citizens. Lets get our priorities straight.

You are the one saying people who aren't citizens should be entitled to a health care plan by law. By doing that we will encourage more illegal entry into the country and that would exacerbate the already dire crisis at the border. I would say you and your democratic counterparts have questions to answer before you start confronting me with questions. I honestly don't understand how we can have this discussion. Are we going to tax the wealthy to achieve this as well? We are already being promised loan forgiveness, free college, reparations, increased wages and housing. What incentive does this give the bottom ten to fifteen percent to even try? Essentially we are now promising all these things to anyone born and they don't even need to come legally. Why would anyone from Central America at this moment in time bother to become a US citizen? How is it fair that people from Africa or Asia who want to emigrate to the US but must get passports, provide documentation and take tests to become citizens while the people south of the border can circumvent all of it because their geographical advantage? I would imagine the most desperate people from Africa and Asia would crash Mexico and Central America in increased numbers to arrive at our southern border to get theirs. You want to do this and scream about babies drowning? Like that's not going to get WORSE. When you sit down and actually think for a moment about what would transpire you eventually understand it is sheer madness. Where is THE PLAN on how this is executed? It sounds nice, but mandated healthcare for all PLUS undocumented people really is ludicrous because it requires US to foot the bill and I am not into that. I'd much rather shell out an extra 100 dollars to build infrastructure in blighted areas or invest money in businesses there. Seems to me those issues are far bigger and have been far bigger for decades and these democratic candidates are not focusing enough on that. All these promises being made by democrats are is rhetoric and promises that cannot realistically be fulfilled. You should be asking them more questions as to HOW this gets accomplished before you start asking me questions This kind of talk, quite frankly, is not to be taken seriously and it is not putting Americans first. GIVE US YOUR PLAN and stop talking the talk. In theory we all "deserve" food, clothing, housing and we can't even do that! We have NEVER been able to accomplish that. No society has. Now democrats are insisting we fund compulsory healthcare for an exploding population of undocumented people? On top of reparations, loan forgiveness, free college, the New Green Deal, etc?? That debate was a clown show. I actually was hoping someone might surface to compete with Trump for my vote. None of those candidates appeal to me on even the tiniest of levels. They are all hot air

Undocumented immigrants entered illegally and have not achieved US citizenship. THAT is a fact independent of any feeling you or I might have.

Sorry you feel that way.

Carole, it was called paranoid and Orwellian, strange, immature, kinda dumb, the world rolls their eyes at us; the words "under God" was tied into fear of communism, etc....etc Those are not negative characterizations?

You actually "hate" hearing the national anthem at a sporting event? That about sums it up for me. The over-the-top negative reaction to these things I will never understand. It's so innocuous and small yet people like yourself latch onto "hate" for it? I see it as a bonding thing. One nation, many cultures become a melting pot. I guess not, eh? I'm out.

The Pledge is done but no one is compelled to stand with hand on heart and recite it. I am reading so much negative--almost fearful--commentary on it here and that is so not the feeling I get (or see) when it's done daily in my school. I guess you can frame it however you want, but I choose to see the positive because I just don't see anything wrong with it. I was in the same classroom when 9-11 happened and in the months that followed everyone was a little more patriotic and a bit nice. It's a shame that patriotism is being referred to as something robotic, stifling and dated. I don't see that, but hey...to each his/her own. I'm only trying to explain my experience and I not trying to convince anyone to love or like the Pledge

I tell my students it's the one time each day the entire building everyone is doing the same thing. I define words like liberty and allegiance and on the other hand I tell them there is no such thing as "true freedom". That we can't do whatever whenever we want. Laws exist to protect all of us. In all honesty I have had days when I don't stand. What I do require is silence during that time. I had 21 students this year and 8 were Hispanic. Some of them from the northern triangle nations of Central America and a couple of them were the most enthusiastic about learning US geography and history. I think the flag is symbolic of togetherness

I'm not a church goer, but under God doesn't bother me. So you know, the separation of church and state was so that the government wouldn't interfere with the church. It wasn't the other way around. Also, the change to "under God" was not some measure rooted in McCarthyism as was intimated earlier. I suggest everyone read Dwight D. Eisenhower's expressed intent was to make the pledge multi-denominational. I'm fine with the Pledge one way or another and don't get the negative reaction to it expressed earlier

If you were in my class you could have sat through it. I never ask anyone to stand. Just respect the 15 second recitation and keep quiet. If it pained you too much to witness it then I would have worked with you to try to ensure you weren't traumatized. Although, I have to say, I never dealt with any such case in all my years

You guys sure are unique. I have not come in contact with too many people who get this bent out of shape about the Pledge of Allegiance. NY state public schools are very liberal places, as a matter of fact. Even there I don't see people getting all panicked over it like you all have here. A little something about my school district and it was not an isolated thing... When the Trump inauguration was about to happen several hours before we were directed via email not to show it in our classrooms. I showed it anyway. You guys inject McCarthyism, Orwell and Cuba into this discussion on the Pledge. Is this email sent by the administration in my school district to the teaching staff not worthy of a similar designation? Not that I'd call it that, but according to your standards it is

No one "makes them" do it. I already said thet. The fact that you see it as "Orwellian" would make you an isolated minority. If you want to believe that then believe it

The Pledge is done each morning in my school and I do not require that anyone stand or recite the words. I do, however, teach what it is represents to me. I see the overall message as being positive and I try to portray it in that light. Your response suggests the Pledge represents something pernicious. If I am reading you right you're going to have to explain that to me. Also, if you taught in a public school that recited the Pledge would you actually object?

Im sure it's about God

One thing that binds us together is that we are all one nation under that flag. Are we now going to spend more effort defining differences as opposed to operating common ground? What could be the reason for this ruling? I sure would like to know. We know that the flag has become offensive to some, but not me

Please.These are not concentration camps. The conditions are what they are due to a mass migration and they cannot be accommodated due to the sheer numbers. These people were not systematically rounded up and put there. They came of their own volition. I was talking about this stuff when lots of democrats insisted it was a "manufacturered crisis" all the way up to a few months ago. These conditions were not purposely set up to be this way nor were they designed to enslave or imprison these people. Thus, these are not "concentration camps" This isn't to say conditions aren't bad, but make the distinction between WWII internment camps set up for Japanese Americans where they actually were taken from their homes, rounded up and required by law to be there. Don't even try to draw a parallel between this and what happened in Nazi Germany.

Oh and you keep misusing the term "snowflake" You are the one with the standard white boy snowflake takes. If you are doing it intentionally to annoy me it's not working. I actually love the irony that you would use that term. You are the personification of that word

This child's death has NOTHING to do with race. THAT girl was not a victim of white racism. Throw a fit if you have to but it doesn't apply. If you want to debate on immigration you're too late AND this isn't the place I want to do it. You proved yourself to be unaware and unaccepting of certain realities at the border when we got into it in March. You and your friends got lost in the word "illegals" and then you centered on blaming the USA for the problems these people face. You wanted to stay away from the data and the logistical issues this mass migration has on the border. You focused entirely on ways to blame the current administration. You can't have a reasonable discussion on this. I actually TRIED for a few weeks to be patient, but I'm done with the discussion for now. Keep on screaming RACISM! Nobody is listening anymore

I call him CroMag

I think it's disgusting to start playing the race card in this thread. Race had nothing to do with what happened. This idea that RACISM is part of literally every current event or issue is absurd. It is also counterproductive to a great many discussions here. I think the race card, when used mayo-faced white people, means absolutely nothing. There is a hyper-sensitive, intolerant and highly accusatory WHITE liberal mindset and it isn't going anywhere.

This has nothing to do with the GOP or any American citizen. You tapped into the mutual anger a number of people have on this site toward the current administration and you played the blame game. I, for one, do not think illegal immigrants are all criminals. Non documented entry should not be allowed for a particular of people simply because they can walk here. I can't even get into a plane without getting frisked and showing ID and yet these folks can just cross into America, get detained for a moment and the get set free? Without any documentation? It has gotten out of hand. Our system cannot handle this and it is NOT our responsibility as a nation to have an open border for anyone who wants to come here. When you talk about how "unfair the system" is and then ignore the reality that literally thousands come across the border in this fashion daily it merely illustrates you aren't interested in a rational discussion.

I have only this to ask. If the Trump administration is so vile and America elected him why in the world are so many crashing down the gates to get here?

I have to question your motivation here. This is finger pointing at its worst, in my opinion. If you want to blame someone then start with the father. These people accepted the risks (which included putting his baby in peril). I prefer not to play the blame game here, but if we are going to do it as with anything that puts children in peril it begins with THE PARENTS. El Salvador is not the only country with people in dire straights. There are people in Africa facing dire circumstances and they can't jump on a plane and come here. They must go through a process and if they can't provide the necessary documentation they just can't. Why is it these immigrants get to circumvent those laws and African and Asian asylum seekers can't? They don't have the luck of geography? That seems unfair to me and no one ever thinks twice. This story is SAD. However, I don't see where anyone should feel outrage toward ICE, the US government, the Mexican government, Trump or any other combination of targets past the mother and father. The border has been overrun and both Mexico and the US cannot accommodate this massive migration. Who gets the blame here? Trump? ICE? America itself?

This post is amazing. It gets a thank you from me just because John thanked you! You folks are a gas. You are awfully confused about a lot of things, but I enjoy this place.