Comments on: 9500 Liberty: An Exploration of Democracy and the Changing Face of America

By: ElgranReyes

ElgranReyes — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:40:11 +0000

I was born in Chile and feel lucky that I was able to immigrate to this country legally. But while in the U.S., I’ve met plenty of people — mostly students or tourists– who ended up staying after their visa expired. And the reason has always been about opportunities, and the ability to work, and to live away from the type of cataclysmic events, such as coup d’etats or economic disasters, that plague most of the world. Nobody has set out to become an “illegal,” but circumstances force some people to stay (or to cross a border), and it’s difficult for me to judge these people. I am a “liberal,” and I don’t advocate illegal immigration, but I understand why people make that choice. We constantly read about millions of people fleeing famine in Ethiopia or war in the Congo, and living on borders and we consider that a humanitarian emergency. We don’t blame those people and we don’t call them “illegals” for crossing those borders. In the U.S., we forget that we share a border with a third world country and we fail to see the reasons why so many people live in need in a crowded, often desperate world. We can either curse our fate that we live so close to extremely poor people or try to help them in their countries sustain a living. This anti-immigrant hysteria only brings out ugly instincts in people here, and it doesn’t address the fact that we live in a disastrous world in which billions of people are often living in desperate straits.

By: Immigration 101

Immigration 101 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:46:29 +0000

As a US CITIZEN, born and raised, going through the process of bringing someone legally into the country…I have one simple suggestion.

Make the total cost of citizenship $19.99!

Immigration problem done.

What most people don’t know is that it can cost over thousands of dollars to become a citizen with all the documentation, application fees, biometric scans, etc. This doesn’t include the use of a lawyer (which isn’t necessary if you read the instructions)…so heaven forbid if “English” is not your first language.

By: Yer Mom

Yer Mom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:30:47 +0000

“nobody is for illegal immigration.” Well, it looks like Your faddah is. Looks like you guys have a disagreement to resolve.

By: Yer Mom

Yer Mom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:29:23 +0000

so putting aside the rhetoric, you are for illegal immigration I am guessing? No immigration laws at all I am guessing?

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:39:05 +0000

Great meeting you too!

By: Vivian J. Paige

Vivian J. Paige — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:32:32 +0000

Great film! And good to meet you, Jay.

By: Your faddah tt

Your faddah tt — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:12:00 +0000

the liberal view… would be favorable to progress or reform in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedoms possible befitting a freeman… is free from prejudice or bigotry, and a encompasses a tolerant attitude towards all. it is open-minded and not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. and is characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts. it’s not always guaranteed by law/ secured by governmental protection of civil liberties…or certainly the “liberal” party. but, nonetheless, tolerance, compassion, and forebearance are THE MOST IMPORTANT ways to go about handling any issue. especially ones dealing with the treatment of other living beings. the liberal view would be to have no borders, because there would be no cause for a fencing in or zoning of our earth. the liberal view would hold no agressions, because we would all understand that everyone, no matter how different or unflattering to our lifestyle, is the answer to someone elses question. the liberal view would be free of agression and embrace all cultures… replacing words like “invader” or “alien” with “new friend” and not understand the concept of taking ones legal status into question when dealing with an issue of overstepping an invisible segregationm of our lands. we are one people. i have no nationality.

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:37:54 +0000

Hey! Was that the real antiBVBL.net admin? Did we have a celeb post?

By: AntiBVBL.net

AntiBVBL.net — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:00:59 +0000

Let’s be clear, nobody is FOR illegal immigration. But this is not a simple, “Illegal is Illegal” issue as some might want to suggest.

My advice, go see the film.

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:43:42 +0000

It is a good and fair question folks… We are talking about a group that is by very definition breaking the law. How should we deal with this? Round them up? Change the law or offer amnesty? Open the borders? This is a very complex question. How do you enforce immigration laws without crossing the very thin line into the realm of racial profiling? What do you think?

By: Jesse Scaccia

Jesse Scaccia — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:06:40 +0000

As an admitted “liberal,” my first response is to say that I have no idea. Granting citizenship to someone who got into the country illegally seems to be promoting illegal entry. But kicking out people who have lived here for years and proven to be better citizens than many natural-born Americans doesn’t make sense to me either.

I would say that any ‘caught’ illegal immigrant should be allowed to stay (and be put on a path to citizenship) if they can prove that they a) left their home country due to poverty or persecution and b) are working, law-abiding additions to our American society experiment.

How do you prove those things? I have no idea. It would cost a zillion dollars and end up being totally subjective.

So, tail between my legs, I return to: I have no idea.

By: Yer Mom

Yer Mom — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:52:29 +0000

I can’t come see the movie, but I would like to reiterate my question. What do liberals (or whatever you guys who ignore me think of yourselves as being) think we should do with illegal immigrants? I am just curious. I am not approving of this guy; I’m just curious as to what y’all think of illegal immigration.

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:07:01 +0000

Tonight at 7:15 at the Naro. I hope you can make it. There will be a discussion afterwards for those interested on weighing in on the topic.

By: Bob Torvald

Bob Torvald — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:51:57 +0000

I’m really interested in film that addresses immigration, esp. in my own community. But am I just missing it, I don’t see the time, date, or place where this will be screened? I’d like to try to come if possible.

Thank you.

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:42:29 +0000

The most important thing is to come see the movie tonight. There will be a discussion afterwards with some of the films creators, both of whom will be a great resource for those with questions.

By: Jay Ford

Jay Ford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:58:58 +0000

Yeah. This was certainly not a partisan matter. Ultimately, this was about racial profiling and how it conflicted with what we believe about equal treatment. Yermom, if I’m lucky altdaily will let me share my thoughts on immigration in the future, and I look forward to you tearing me apart. :)

By: Reminder: 9500 Liberty screening tonite « VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:57:06 +0000

[...] tonight at the Naro in Norfolk. In case you want to know a bit more about the movie, check out this review. In this film, an anti-immigration blogger in Prince William County named Greg Letiecq uses [...]

By: Manecdote

Manecdote — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:56:19 +0000

Wow, thanks for a very well-written, highly informative piece. Sadly, it is very sobering to encounter such kinds of human beings in this planet, let alone in this country.
I wish many people could see it to indeed, make an educated decision.

By: jmm

jmm — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:19:11 +0000

As someone who worked on a campaign in Prince William County that year, I can tell you there was no easily discernible partisan line among voters. There were Democrats who supported the hard line taken against undocumented immigrants and there were Republicans who saw through the ploy to use immigration as a wedge issue and tact in that year’s election and thought it wrong.

By: Yer Mom

Yer Mom — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:03:17 +0000

So what the is liberal position on illegal immigration? I am curious.

By: Sean Mahoney

Sean Mahoney — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:29:39 +0000

this was a really informative article about something that i didn’t think could really happen in a liberal place like northern virginia. it’s a big reminder that, despite how they vote, people can still harbor xenophobic and racist tendencies and it’s just the right combination of hatred and pandering to phobias that bring out the worst in everyone. keep writing i’ll keep reading. ^.^