Why are a lot of Americans so racist against immigrant (illegal or not)?

sonyack

First, in every country in the world and any time in the history of the world, immigrants are accepted so long as they are not very visible and numerous. When their numbers increase and they become visible, the problems arise. They are seen as intruders and "not us" and the human tendency to divide people into "us" and "them" and to fear outsiders comes into play - xenophobia is a genetic thing with all primates, including humans.

The difference between humans and other primates is that humans have the capacity to overcome their genetic disposition in this regard. But most don't have it together enough to do so, and they let themselves be driven by this primitive genetic program.

They will give "reasons" for their opposition to immigrants, but in reality, these "reasons" are just rationalizations for their primitive drives - they are just finding excuses for their irrational behavior.

You will see so many people covering up their xenophobia and racism with the blanket of illegality, and at the same time you will see them complaining about how they don't speak English and how everyone of them harrasses them and oogles them and are generally churlish and on and on with the stereotypes and disinformation.

So that is what is going on here: immigrants are between the cracks; they are no longer invisible, and at the same time they are not yet familiar enough to natives that the natives are comfortable with them.

Add to this the rabble-rousing of the Compassionate Conservatives, and we have this unseemly brouhaha.

Outlaw 1-3

Christopher Columbus was from Italy. Check your facts or you will get eaten alive here.

Next, you CANNOT lump illegal immigrants and legal immigrants together and expect to get an honest answer. Lumping them both together is an attempt to trick people into saying they are for immigration thereby lending legitimacy to the illegal immigrant movement. It is intellectually dishonest.

If you look at the vast majority of posts regarding the illegal immigration question, you will see that most people are in favor of legal immigration. Legal immigration has made our country what it is. Legal immigrants have made great contributions to our society.

Most people are against ILLEGAL immigration because it violates our laws. If an American citizen violates the law, they risk jail time or probation or civil fines - in other words, the punishment prescribed by law. Illegal immigrants, by definition, violate American law with the first step they take on our soil. To even consider amnesty for illegal immigrants is a slap in the face to EVERY immigrant who has done things the legal way.

I don't care WHAT they have to say. I understand most of them are merely trying to make better lives for their families. But so are a lot of criminals. What you are arguing is that the ends justifies the means - and that is a patently absurd idea. They have chosen to break our laws and need to be deported.

To be against illegal immigration is not racist. It is not about race - it is about principle. Anything worth having is worth working hard for and doing right.

WELL BORN HERE IN 70'S AND MY PARENTS MIGRATED HERE TO THE US FOR SO MANY REASONS LIKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEM AND TO GIVE A BETTER EDUCATION TO MY SISTER WHO WAS ALSO BORN IN SINALOA MEXICO. YOU ASKED A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND MY ANSWER IS THAT. BUT TO SAY THAT THOSE THAT COME HERE TO WORK AND LIVE BETTER ARE WELCOMED. TO ALL NOT JUST MEXICANS!

greenie

I don't know. I am an immigrant since 16 years and lived in all parts of the country. I met only one person so far that discrimintated against me. Can't call that discrimination really.

To your question though...It has nothing to with race, it has something to do with illegal people taking advantace of the system "american's" pay massive taxes for.
It's simply theft. And thats why you see "discrimination"

Joe

Who decided when all the europeans illegally landed on the American continent that the were legal?

girafflady

I agree with Mishka! It is not that a lot of people are racist as much as it is that Americans are not receiving the same respect and assistance that many deserve. Our elderly are going without their medications in order to buy food or pay rent. Chidren are without medical help, families are torn between leaving their adolescent children unattended because both parents have to work and their are no other ways. United to means all races! it is just that our Government has forgotten how to take care of the hard working, stuggling families already here that upset most of us.

Yo!

We're not "so racist against immigrant (illegal or not.)" We want people from all nations all skin colors all religions all sizes and shapes to come here legally and partake of what the nation has to offer without being a drain on society. What part of that do you not understand? Our immigration policy is put into place for the good of the nation...not for the good of the immigrant. If you climb on a sinking ship you will go down with it...if you climb on a ship that only allows the amount of people it can handle at a pace it can handle, the ship will not sink and neither will you.

L.T.

Columbus was NOT the first to set foot in the new world.He was NOT spanish,but Italian.Please learn what your talking about.

sacolunga

They're not. I'm not. We're not. Get over it!!

Look at the bigger picture. Look at the harm that is being done to us by massive ILLEGAL immigration, regardless of their race. Do you not see what is happening??

xo_hippie_xo

let me tell you one thing that happened yesterday an you tell me if Christopher Columbus ever did this, a Mexican robbed an Hurt an elderly old man yesterday for a couple bucks he had in his wallet and asked pacifically where his s.s. card was and took it..and n e ways c.columbus did all this before we made laws. get over yourself,this is the present ,that was the past,k so grow up..you cant use that crap to make it ok for illegals to be here it happened aloooooong time ago..

kimberly0627

I am the daughter of an immigrant. I have not a thing against immigrants. I have a problem with illegal immigrants.

hippyfairychild has got a great point.

Cristopher Columbus was not Spainish. Spain was the only country to fund his trip.

trinitytough

I know why they come here, and they are welcome to come, so long as they show respect for our laws by doing it legally. It has nothing to do with racism. I have nothing against Hispanics, I've worked with and been around them my entire life. I do, however, have something against people who show a blatant disregard for the laws and customs of their host country. Would you break into someones home, take their money, do some house cleaning and claim you shouldn't be arrested because you needed the money for your family and you worked some? Of course not, breaking and entering is breaking and entering - period. That is exactly what illegal aliens (the legal term for them) are doing.

BTW, Christopher Columbus was Italian, not Spanish.

I guess people should know that in order to come to the UNITED STATES legally, like some said above there are some procedures that follows:
1 - to immigrate to the USA legally you have to be a professional with a major degree
2 - if you have a degree, you don't have to come to the USA, sure its nicer where ever they come from and wages are better for professional...
3 - if you try to get a visa, you have to have a good financial status, therefore if you "have money" you would not be cleaning McDonald's floor and bathrooms...
4 - Next time you step into a burger king's bathroom, imagine if one of your American friend would be cleaning it for minimal wage...
5 - next time you spend 45 mi nuts mowing your lawn instead of watching college football on the TV imagine"how nice is to have illegal immigrants!!! "
6 - think... you pay your taxes and don't depend on welfare "good for you" but your parents should have thought you that " we are to help the less fortunate" that's life... one day it may be you in Chile, Canada, Iran, Germany, or someone from your family and as good Americans " we expect to be well treated" and so we should since we help so many...
7 - that's all ... do good and don't expect nothing back...

Imaginer

I haven't figured that out yet. I am not predujiced at all against other races. My only predujice against Rednecks. I live in NC and there are many racist people here. I don't understand their hatred.

Mari_18

well first of all just let me tell all of you something we definitely don't steal your jobs at all the thing is that we are better workers... all we do is the job you don't like to do and we also do it for a minimum wage that you won't do it for....And yeagh a lot of Americans discriminate a lot i just wish that all of you were in their shoes so that way you could change your mind about all of them and yeagh i agree that a lot of people come here for other things and do crimes but how about those who only come here for an apportunity an opportunity for a better life an opportunity for the "American Dream"
And i'm glad that you asked this question and i thank you because you are some of the few that understand...
All i can say is that we are already part of this country and you have to face it one way or the other....
I also come from immigrant family...but i also understand those who come here ilegally they do it for a better living what harm are they doing nothing really all of you are just afraid that were superior than you and that we do the jobs you don't want to do face it because it's the true...You say that your capable of doing the jobs we do okk maybe you are but you won't work the same way we do yeagh you might do the work but you don't move as fast as we do you might do the work but you would also need long breaks but we don't need breaks at all.....And you say that we don't even try to learn the language well you are darn wrong cuz we do try i believe that you are the ones who should start learning the language tooo!!!!Cuz you know the mayority of us are Latinos and all of them speak spanish so might as well learn the language.....And yup this country is built on immigrants....

johnsharp1uk

they bully and threaten the rest of the world, so why stop at home

baq2cali

Christopher Columbus was an ITALIAN who was contracted by Queen Isabella of Spain.

â™¥SA-Spursâ™¥

you go girl!

EB: I love your answer, you got it RIGHT!!!!

i don't know i am AUSTRALIAN so i can't answer for AMERICANS
but i find that they seem ok to me.

RTM

No Columbus discovered Jamaica

Victor

I should ask you the same question.

amissybell

Because RACISM=FEAR. We fear what we don't understand. We are all the same, just different flavors so to speak. I like different cultures. I enjoy seeing how other people live and what they eat and what they believe in. That doesn't mean I have to do it. I am african american and I do believe we were brought over by slave traders and it was SLAVES who built this country. Also INDIANS and MEXICANS.

Jessica

Illegals draw welfare by stealing people's social security numbers and identities. That means there are a lot of people being directly hurt by these people as well. Innocent people are having their credit ratings ruined, having IRS problems, and social security problems. If someone who has had their social security number stolen gets married, if either spouse dies or become disabled then they can be denied their benefits.

My family moved to the US before WWII. Those of my family that didn't make it over got killed by the death camps. Our family assimilated to the American culture. We didn't expect the Americans to change to suit us. The illegal immigrants from Mexico are not civilized like that.

They not only changed the National Anthem to Spanish, they changed the words. They already burn our flag and hang our flag upside down. They waved the Mexican flag during a lot of their protests. Some schools have stopped hanging the American flag and forbidden students from wearing clothes with any part of the American flag on their clothing all to keep from offending the Mexicans. It's nothing short of an attack of our country, not only by the illegal aliens, but those who seek to appease them.

I am tired of the stereotype that Americans wouldn't do the work that illegals do. Illegals do all kinds of jobs for less than minimum wage which drives the wages down for U.S. citizens. Construction jobs are an example. There are lots of illegals doing construction jobs that Americans used to do because the companies can keep more of the profits if they pay less for the workers. All that does is make companies wealthier and Americans poorer. Illegals are stealing jobs that Americans have done for years.

If you go to a country and refuse to assimilate, continuing to speak your own language then you are really not an immigrant -- you're a colonist ... and that's what the Mexicans are doing, they're colonizing the American Southwest as part of their "reconquista" Read about mecha in the link I provided and you'll see what the Mexicans real agenda is.

http://www.americanpatrol.com/MECHA/MEChAindex.html

Mishka DragonFaery

I am not against immigration as long as someone does it legally ... to think that many or most Americans are against immigration is ludicrous because unless you're a Native American you're a product of immigration. The USA has had many hispanics that have contributed a lot - Texas was brought into the Union by Tejanos (Texas Mexicans) ... watch PBS they have some interesting histories going on right now in regards to Mexican immigrants and their contributions.

Again I'm against people immigrating illegally ... whether they're hispanic, polish, russian, etc.

orangevike

Number one, most Anericans do not have a problem with LEGAL immigration. Number 2, why has no one asked Native Americans what THEY think about a tight immigration policy? Number 3, Columbus was not originally from Spain but Italy. Try doing some fact checking next time.

mthtchr05

I am not racist against immigrants at all. In fact, I encourage people to come and live here in the United States. Our nation does in fact offer many services that other nations do not offer. And yes, our nation, as well as a lot of people, are from immigrants that came from overseas.

But here is the dilema though, and why a lot of people are "upset" that so many immigrants are coming into the U.S.
1) A lot of them take the jobs that American's are just as capable of doing. Why should foreigners take the jobs in America that belong to Americans?
2) The illegal immigrants don't pay taxes to the government. They should be paying taxes, just like everyone else living in the United States.
3) The illegal immigrants get free Healthcare. Yes, as in they don't pay a dime for a $500,000 brain surgery. Any other American resident would have to pay for that procedure. Why don't immigrants have to pay, when American's who live and work here, have to pay?

drlzrdmn

Because they don't understand.

jamescowan0

What is your evidence to back up your question? And Christopher Columbus didn't discover America, it was originally discovered in 1000AD by a Viking seaman called Leif Ericson. America was named after an Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci who got credit for the discovery of the continent.

sandhsand

I think the way that immigrants respond to us is a mirror of the way we treat them first. They want to have a better life and that's why they're here. However, if we treat them like they are the disease, then they'll act like it. If they don't speak english, then let's teach them. If they whistle and make rude comments, then let's let them know that they're better than that. I also think that Americans are afraid of losing what they have to someone who isn't even American. Then we as Americans need to get off our butts and get to work. Do you know how many people are on welfare in our country? Yes there are many minorities on it but there are a lot of us white folk on it also. Why? Anyone can find a job if they just try. We are so self-centered because we always are getting our way. We are the "super power". Why not use some of that power for the good of society instead the good of ourselves? We can learn so much from our immigrant brothers and sisters. Or are we afraid of even that? I totally agree with you!

DAR

I saw a bipartisan poll last night that I can't find now. I don't want to discuss it too much until I have it in front of me again. However, even the Hispanic sub-group polled was against continued illegal immigration.

I think you might want to rephrase the debate to something like 'we're here now - what ever happens to the borders going forward, those present are different than those not here yet.'

I really, really recommend that. Weird things are happening.

fiddle mike

Jenny , you are completely uninformed. Illegals come to the US, take jobs from citizens and drive down the amount of money you get paid for doing a job. The fact that they enter illegally shows that they have no respect for the law, and when the commit a crime they just 'run for the border'.

Hispanic is the term they us to get unfair advantage when applying for govt jobs or scholarships. Its not a race.

You would change your mind if you knew them.

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