Originally Posted by grasscircle
if disenfranchised means to be deprived of rights then illegal aliens are not disenfranchised.
it seems to be absurd to break the law to get here and then claim it's your right to have citezenship.
That's patently wrong. Red-light runners, tax evaders, murderers all have rights that are respected, it's part of what gives society the ability to function as a whole. Whether or not you've broken the law is no measure of worthiness when it comes to basic human rights. That is one of the basic tenets of the civilized society we live in.
The right to vote is indeed something to be decided by the government, which represents the
people. The right to equal treatment under common law is not. Not too long ago there were not any African-Americans because they were not considered worthy of citizenship by the ruling class. That is true despite the fact that this ruling class was the same one whose machinations brought these people into the land. Lots of people said they should be sent back, or worse, killed, rather than be granted even the most basic human rights. Thankfully reason and compassion won in that instance in an ongoing struggle that has yet to reach a conclusion.
They are here now, of that there is no question. They are needed, you can debate that but you'd lose, after all, somewhere in your life is something that came to you by their efforts. Whether it's a strawberry or a house or an air-conditioner it hardly matters. If you truly believe that they should have no say in their own future in the US then I know a hell of a lot immigrants on both sides of several borders that I'd rather call my countrymen. At least they can learn from their own history, and ours, which are inextricably intertwined.
"Send them back" "They aren't one of us" "They aren't good enough" "They didn't get here the right way" "They wouldn't be here if it weren't for our own greed and sloth, I'll dig ditches!" "They don't belong here"
All crap.
"They" are people. You probably won't dig ditches or harvest crops or work in unsafe factories, but you'll reap the benefit...
You tell people, these people who you've never met, to get out, go home, unwanted, just animals, not worthy of basic human rights...and I gaurantee when you turn around a greater number than you can muster will lock up the animal you've become.