October 11, 2013

Letters to the Editor

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No letters were printed this week; here is the letter from last week:

We need to enforce, not change, immigration laws, reader says

I would like to respond to the letter from the Sisters of Providence that appeared in the Sept. 13 issue of The Criterion.

First, those who are here illegally are not immigrants, but are illegal aliens. To call them immigrants gives them a “belonging” they do not deserve since they have not followed our laws to get here.

It is interesting that the sisters started by mentioning St. Mother Theodore Guérin, and how she and the other sisters learned the language of their new country. The illegal aliens, in too many instances, do not do that.

I am third-generation American, and when my grandfather was asked why they did not speak Italian at home his response was, “We are American, and we will speak the language of our country.” I wish I could have met him.

To reflect the best of our values means we should remind all immigrants that our country became great because our laws were not ignored. Respect for law begets respect for all people, and encourages hard work and esteem toward others.

I do not see our immigration policies as being unjust, but that is a matter of opinion. We want to help people of the world, but we also want to help ourselves stay the great nation we once were.

As far as “restoring due process protections,” I believe our immigration laws are not now and have not been enforced for almost five years. Not only are Mexicans coming across the border, but there have been occasions when terrorists come through Nicaragua to Mexico and into the U.S. That is not good.

May I suggest a book by the late Spiritan Father Patrick Bascio, On The Immorality of Illegal Immigration: A Priest Poses an Alternative Christian View, as a possible problem to be faced before we change immigration laws that have stood our country in good stead for generations.

- Barbara L. Maness, Vevay

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