Why is Building the Wall Wrong?

[Lesh]

So we're not even talking about an actual wall anymore.

Well gee...I wonder how many Trumpers are on that?

Ghead folks.

Weigh in

 

[Lesh]

And of note...the COntinuing resolution contains funding equal to what was appropriated last year...and amount that has NOT been spent...

 

[Geaux4it]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

 

[Flopper]

View attachment 237210

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

 

[danielpalos]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

 

[Geaux4it]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

Your excuse is worthless and a lie. We all know why you don't want the wall. Why don't you just be honest about it

-Geaux

 

[danielpalos]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

Your excuse is worthless and a lie. We all know why you don't want the wall. Why don't you just be honest about it

-Geaux

What excuse and worthless lie, right winger? That is your right wing modus operandi.

 

[Geaux4it]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

Your excuse is worthless and a lie. We all know why you don't want the wall. Why don't you just be honest about it

-Geaux

What excuse and worthless lie, right winger? That is your right wing modus operandi.

If you care about $$$ lets cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Are you down with that? I mean, we are talking $$$$ here.

-Geaux

 

[danielpalos]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

Your excuse is worthless and a lie. We all know why you don't want the wall. Why don't you just be honest about it

-Geaux

What excuse and worthless lie, right winger? That is your right wing modus operandi.

If you care about $$$ lets cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Are you down with that? I mean, we are talking $$$$ here.

-Geaux

free contraceptive is more cost effective.

 

[Geaux4it]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

There is no express wall building power and the right wing refuses to enact wall building tax rates.

Frivolous on the People's dime is all the right wing knows.

Your excuse is worthless and a lie. We all know why you don't want the wall. Why don't you just be honest about it

-Geaux

What excuse and worthless lie, right winger? That is your right wing modus operandi.

If you care about $$$ lets cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Are you down with that? I mean, we are talking $$$$ here.

-Geaux

free contraceptive is more cost effective.

Non-sequitur

-Geaux

 

[danielpalos]

Great Walls of America Tax Rates! Our Great Walls of America should make money from Inception!

 

[Flopper]

Trump is notorious for saying all sorts of shit.

Are you claiming that this is over a security system not unlike that which we have now?

NOT an actual wall and NOT along the entire border?

That IS new

First he said it was a border wall. Then it became a barrier. Then it became a fence. Then he said it was a wall or a fence, whatever you want to call it. First, he said it was a southern border wall, which meant it was the length of the border. Then his staff sad it would be about 1,000 miles long because it did not need to cover the entire border. A few days ago, his head of immigration said it was a slatted fence 212 miles long. The fact is he's asking for a 5 billion dollar slush fund.

If Trump told congress what his plans are, assuming he has any plans, the specifications of his fence/wall, how long it will be, and where it will be located, estimated construction time, and exactly what he will do with the hundreds of millions that remain, he might just get the support he needs.

 

[OKTexas]

View attachment 237210

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?

.

 

[candycorn]

I'm about ready to throw in the towel. You fucking dumbass liberals will regret the day you sold America, your children and grandchildren down the river. Assuming you have spawn and didn't abort them

-Geaux

poor baby

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Trump is notorious for saying all sorts of shit.

Are you claiming that this is over a security system not unlike that which we have now?

NOT an actual wall and NOT along the entire border?

That IS new

First he said it was a border wall. Then it became a barrier. Then it became a fence. Then he said it was a wall or a fence, whatever you want to call it. First, he said it was a southern border wall, which meant it was the length of the border. Then his staff sad it would be about 1,000 miles long because it did not need to cover the entire border. A few days ago, his head of immigration said it was a slatted fence 212 miles long. The fact is he's asking for a 5 billion dollar slush fund.

If Trump told congress what his plans are, assuming he has any plans, the specifications of his fence/wall, how long it will be, and where it will be located, estimated construction time, and exactly what he will do with the hundreds of millions that remain, he might just get the support he needs.

And I guess you believe all your presents came from Santa Clause on Christmas too, don't you?

It wouldn't matter if Trump had it figured down to the last bolt. The Democrats are not going to pass any wall unless they get so much pressure from the public they have no choice. The problem for Democrats is not the details, it's Trump bringing a solution to the problem and Democrats having no way of getting rid of it.

Democrats don't want illegal immigration stopped.

 

[Flopper]

View attachment 237210

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?
.

No, it doesn't make sense. We need more, a lot more immigrants. The 1.4 million figure is only 4 immigrants per 1000 of population.

Demographers and economists have been warning that the aging baby-boomer population presents a serious challenge to the nation’s finances, as the ratio of seniors to working-age adults—the age-dependency ratio—rises. However the problem is not just retirements but a shrinking birth rate. Without more young adults we not only face a seriously finance problem but a serious economic problem. Within a decade we will have a shortage 24 million workers and that number will continue to grow till at least 2050.

While many clamor for a halt to immigration, more immigrants are exactly what we need. They are younger, have a higher birth rate, and more entrepreneurial than native born Americans. Immigrants are the life blood of the nation as they have been in the past. Although more immigration means more cultural changes, that is nothing new to America because we are a melting pot of cultures.

 

[bripat9643]

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?
.

No, it doesn't make sense. We need more, a lot more immigrants. The 1.4 million figure is only 4 immigrants per 1000 of population.

Demographers and economists have been warning that the aging baby-boomer population presents a serious challenge to the nation’s finances, as the ratio of seniors to working-age adults—the age-dependency ratio—rises. However the problem is not just retirements but a shrinking birth rate. Without more young adults we not only face a seriously finance problem but a serious economic problem. Within a decade we will have a shortage 24 million workers and that number will continue to grow till at least 2050.

While many clamor for a halt to immigration, more immigrants are exactly what we need. They are younger, have a higher birth rate, and more entrepreneurial than native born Americans. Immigrants are the life blood of the nation as they have been in the past. Although more immigration means more cultural changes, that is nothing new to America because we are a melting pot of cultures.

What we need is politicians who are financially responsible. Yeah, we need more suckers if we want to keep all the Ponzi schemes going. The trick is not to create the Ponzi schemes in the first place. Then it wouldn't matter how old the population is.

 

[Indeependent]

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?
.

No, it doesn't make sense. We need more, a lot more immigrants. The 1.4 million figure is only 4 immigrants per 1000 of population.

Demographers and economists have been warning that the aging baby-boomer population presents a serious challenge to the nation’s finances, as the ratio of seniors to working-age adults—the age-dependency ratio—rises. However the problem is not just retirements but a shrinking birth rate. Without more young adults we not only face a seriously finance problem but a serious economic problem. Within a decade we will have a shortage 24 million workers and that number will continue to grow till at least 2050.

While many clamor for a halt to immigration, more immigrants are exactly what we need. They are younger, have a higher birth rate, and more entrepreneurial than native born Americans. Immigrants are the life blood of the nation as they have been in the past. Although more immigration means more cultural changes, that is nothing new to America because we are a melting pot of cultures.

The next time you need a doctor, go to a business man.

 

[OKTexas]

Crossing in the San Diego sector went form 100,000 to 5,000 after a barrier was erected. They work, period. Visa overstays is a simple fix if politicians had the will.
.

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?
.

No, it doesn't make sense. We need more, a lot more immigrants. The 1.4 million figure is only 4 immigrants per 1000 of population.

Demographers and economists have been warning that the aging baby-boomer population presents a serious challenge to the nation’s finances, as the ratio of seniors to working-age adults—the age-dependency ratio—rises. However the problem is not just retirements but a shrinking birth rate. Without more young adults we not only face a seriously finance problem but a serious economic problem. Within a decade we will have a shortage 24 million workers and that number will continue to grow till at least 2050.

While many clamor for a halt to immigration, more immigrants are exactly what we need. They are younger, have a higher birth rate, and more entrepreneurial than native born Americans. Immigrants are the life blood of the nation as they have been in the past. Although more immigration means more cultural changes, that is nothing new to America because we are a melting pot of cultures.

I've never called for a halt to immigration, I do however think it is necessary to raise the quality of immigrants. They need to have skills that we need, they have to demonstrate they can support themselves. We can't continue to bring in impoverished, uneducated people who drop a kid and go immediately on welfare and food stamps and they don't tend to assimilate. I saw a man interviewed on the local news that had been in the country 23 years, he had to speak though an interpreter, he was here illegally.

.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

According to the head of immigration, a border barrier simple persuades people to use an easier path across the 2000 mile border which is not hard find.

The 5 billion dollar Trump wall will not be a 2000 or 1000 mile wall but a 212 mile slatted fence, hundreds of miles of service roads, electronic monitors, aerial surveillance, and additional facilities to hold migrants crossing the border.
Trump will always claim it is his big beautiful wall which has stopped illegal immigration.

The fact is illegal immigration will continue as before with most illegal crossings occurring at ports of entry and the biggest problem untouched, overstays of visas.

So you're in essence saying a wall will work. It will force people to seek alternative places and methods to cross. Places and methods the border patrol will be prepared to interdict. The barriers assist the border patrol and are a force multiplier.

But it will also be necessary to change our laws, to criminalize visa overstays and provide expedited deportation procedures of all illegals.
.

I agree with both your points.

A wall will force or persuade people to seek an easier crossing. I think it's becoming pretty clear that there isn't going to be 2000, or even a 1000 mile mall completed. At most it will end up being about 200 mile of slatted fence with 1800 miles of reinforced fencing, cattle fencing, electronic monitoring, and aerial surveillance. Even if the "wall" were extended to 2000 miles, it wouldn't stop half the illegal crossing because most illegal entries will be at ports of entry. Less than 1% of vehicles are searched and only a small fraction of a percent of containers, boxcars or private planes are searched. Almost all of these searches are for drugs, not people.

Yes, reducing visa overstays, will require changes in the laws but it will also require a tracking system, and cooperation from sanctuary cities and states. In order to get changes in immigration laws needed to significantly reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, democrat votes in congress are going to be needed, and that's not going happen without changes that republicans are not going to like such sharp increases the number of temporary work permits and increased country limits.

1.4 million immigrate to the US annually, we take an additional 50K refugees and you think it's ok to continue to flood the country with additional people from the third world. Does that really make sense to you?
.

No, it doesn't make sense. We need more, a lot more immigrants. The 1.4 million figure is only 4 immigrants per 1000 of population.

Demographers and economists have been warning that the aging baby-boomer population presents a serious challenge to the nation’s finances, as the ratio of seniors to working-age adults—the age-dependency ratio—rises. However the problem is not just retirements but a shrinking birth rate. Without more young adults we not only face a seriously finance problem but a serious economic problem. Within a decade we will have a shortage 24 million workers and that number will continue to grow till at least 2050.

While many clamor for a halt to immigration, more immigrants are exactly what we need. They are younger, have a higher birth rate, and more entrepreneurial than native born Americans. Immigrants are the life blood of the nation as they have been in the past. Although more immigration means more cultural changes, that is nothing new to America because we are a melting pot of cultures.

I've never called for a halt to immigration, I do however think it is necessary to raise the quality of immigrants. They need to have skills that we need, they have to demonstrate they can support themselves. We can't continue to bring in impoverished, uneducated people who drop a kid and go immediately on welfare and food stamps and they don't tend to assimilate. I saw a man interviewed on the local news that had been in the country 23 years, he had to speak though an interpreter, he was here illegally.

.

I was born in a very ethnic neighborhood and lived there until the age of 7. I distinctly remember how people off the boat would strive to learn the language of their new country. It meant just about everything to them. Of course people back then came here to become an American, not use America for the money or welfare.

Our local Catholic school held free English classes for the Polish immigrants. My Grandfather used to take us to the bar for chips and pop while he had a couple of beers, and American patrons were teaching the immigrant patrons the language. Most of the American people in the neighborhood were bilingual.

Our neighbors were off the boat too. My sister befriended the girl around her age and taught her English. My mother too was bilingual and spoke broken Polish, but certainly enough to easily communicate with the girl. That girl grew up and eventually became a Doctor.

Foreigners today couldn't have it easier when it comes to learning our language. If the people I observed back in the 60's could do it with very limited resources, there is no excuse how foreigners can't do it today given our much advanced technology.