via Freedom's lighthouse:
Here is video of a confrontation between LaRaza members and anti-ObamaCare protesters outside Democrat Rep. Gene Green's Town Hall Meeting in the Houston, Texas area on August 18, 2009.
The video shows some of the Town Hall Meeting inside in the first couple of minutes, but then moves outside where a young LaRaza member wrapped in what appears to be a Mexican flag begins swearing at anti-ObamaCare protesters. It eventually escalates to where he begins pushing and shoving at them and is arrested by the police and carried away.
This is completely horrifying to me on about 10 different levels.
First and foremost, I don't believe that those men represent the feelings of the Hispanic community in Houston. They clearly care more about their home country, Mexico, than they do America. I don't believe most Hispanics feel that way.
Secondly I am appalled at the lack of manners and simple decent human behavior. We can disagree without nasty slurs and nasty language.
Third, no one wins in arguments like these. Does the anti illegal immigration protesters imagine that this will endear them to the LEGAL immigrants in this country? We need to think about HOW we say things and the manner in which we protest. That's what I don't like about much of the anti illegal immigrant rhetoric. It's usually done in such a way that alienates the entire Hispanic community, and that is just foolish. We need to be reaching out to the Hispanic community, not alienating them in any way.
Our stance against illegal immigration should focus on how it hurts the LEGAL Hispanic community, and how it takes jobs away from them, while forcing illegals from Mexico to live a life of fear. We should focus on the fact that millions of illegal Hispanic immigrants are used and abused by employers. We should focus on how much illegals suffer here. It is best for EVERYONE to have a better, safe, legal way for immigrants to come here. Personally and among other things, I'm for a guest worker program much like Canada has. Immigrants can come here to work temporarily, they aren't taken advantage of, and everyone wins.
In the video above, no one wins.
Extreme positions have gotten us NO WHERE. It's time to address this issue in a more responsible way.
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