Ban The I-Word?

[Kristian Joensen]

Well actually, no we don't - not illegally at least.

Why should any such movement be illegal in the first place? What is the difference between moving from Tijuana to San Diego versus moving from New Jersey to New York?

[Bill the Cat]

It's been used as a slur, so it's become a slur. I don't think that should be hard to understand.

It's a statement of fact. If someone steals, they are a thief. If they embezzle, they are an embezzler. If they drink and drive, they are a drunk driver. If they immigrated here illegally, they are an illegal immigrant.

[Bill the Cat]

Why should any such movement be illegal in the first place? What is the difference between moving from Tijuana to San Diego versus moving from New Jersey to New York?

Citizenship laws of the accepting country versus moving within the sovereign borders of a country.

[Kristian Joensen]

Citizenship laws of the accepting country versus moving within the sovereign borders of a country.

I asked a should question... why have arbitrary distinctions like that?

[Bill the Cat]

I asked a should question... why have arbitrary distinctions like that?

Several reasons come to mind. Economic independence, population control, better legal control, Security, sovereignty, and a host of other factors.

[Kristian Joensen]

Several reasons come to mind. Economic independence, population control, better legal control, Security, sovereignty, and a host of other factors.

Those reasons only apply at the level of arbitrary national borders?

Economic independence? What is that supposed to mean, what is the economic rationale? Which economic theory supports this so called "economic independence"?

Population control? You say that as if A) That is a good thing B)Not allowing people to travel from certain points to certain other points helps this in any way.

Security? I don't get this point at all. There is nothing insecure about people moving across international borders that isn't also insecure about people moving across state borders.

Better legal control? I don't even know that this is supposed to mean.

Sovereignty? You will have to expand upon this.

[seer]

Why should any such movement be illegal in the first place? What is the difference between moving from Tijuana to San Diego versus moving from New Jersey to New York?

You are joking right? If you don't control your borders you don't have a country. Our social services and school systems are already overwhelmed. We don't have enough good jobs for our own citizens. Hey, you like out of control crime and poverty move to Mexico or Honduras, don't bring Mexico and Honduras here.

[Kristian Joensen]

You are joking right? If you don't control your borders you don't have a country. Our social services and school systems are already overwhelmed. We don't have enough good jobs for our own citizens. Hey, you like out of control crime and poverty move to Mexico or Honduras, don't bring Mexico and Honduras here.

Boot half the states out of the union. Less people making use of schools and social services in that case. Mexican and Honduran criminal are no worse or better for the system than American criminals.

[Spartacus]

Boot half the states out of the union. Less people making use of schools and social services in that case. Mexican and Honduran criminal are no worse or better for the system than American criminals.

I think they tried that 150 years ago. It didn't stick.

[Bill the Cat]

Those reasons only apply at the level of arbitrary national borders?

Of course not. They exist at the state and local level too. There are varying levels of each at each level of border.

Economic independence? What is that supposed to mean, what is the economic rationale? Which economic theory supports this so called "economic independence"?

It has to do with borrowing power. I'm too busy to explain it with any serious gusto right now, so just read some of Fletcher's explanation here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-fl..._b_827484.html

Population control? You say that as if A) That is a good thing B)Not allowing people to travel from certain points to certain other points helps this in any way.

Overwhelming the natural and financial resources of an area IS a bad thing.

Security? I don't get this point at all. There is nothing insecure about people moving across international borders that isn't also insecure about people moving across state borders.

Sorry, but that's simply not true. There is no history available on non-citizens from third world countries, and no way to ensure the accuracy of data on people from First World countries.

Better legal control? I don't even know that this is supposed to mean.

Having border control allows for at least an attempt at stopping human and drug trafficking.

Sovereignty? You will have to expand upon this.

How can a nation claim sovereignty over its land if anyone can come in and simply claim it for their own?

[Bill the Cat]

Boot half the states out of the union.

With their tax revenues too?

[seer]

Boot half the states out of the union. Less people making use of schools and social services in that case. Mexican and Honduran criminal are no worse or better for the system than American criminals.

No, you just get more criminals, more strain on the social services, more strain on the schools. Less jobs for citizens. We don't need it, period.

[fm93]

How is calling illegal immigrants, who are actually illegal, anything like calling a black man a N....?

As the article explains, some people use the term in cruel, dehumanizing ways--essentially why the n-word is so terrible. You can argue that the magnitude is different, but the usage isn't that dissimilar.

[Spartacus]

As the article explains, some people use the term in cruel, dehumanizing ways--essentially why the n-word is so terrible. You can argue that the magnitude is different, but the usage isn't that dissimilar.

Like I said, it's been used as a slur often enough that it's become a slur.

Not that the term never had an innocuous meaning, but it's all but irrevocably taken on certain negative connotations.

[Bill the Cat]

As the article explains, some people use the term in cruel, dehumanizing ways--essentially why the n-word is so terrible. You can argue that the magnitude is different, but the usage isn't that dissimilar.

Some people use the term "teabaggers" in a cruel and dehumanizing way. Heck, some people use "Conservative" in a cruel and dehumanizing way...