Thursday, October 6, 2011

Week of October 7, Alabama

Hi everyone,

As you know, very strict immigration laws were passed in Alabama. Below are the videos we watched in class yesterday.
I asked you:

  1. What do you think this law is about?
  2. How does the law and news around it make you feel?
  3. What should we do about it?
Today, please do the following:

  1. Please listen to this podcast (clicking on the word podcast).
  2. Please read this opinion article (click on the words opinion article).
  3. Then go to the NY Times Learning network to participate in their student poll on this topic. Here you will have a chance to share your views on the Alabama law (click on the words student poll).
  4. Finally, in Google Docs, answer the questions above. Label your document Blog 1, Alabama.
  5. Post your answers to our blog in the comments section.
  6. Go back to the comments and read two classmates posts. Write a response to each in which you tell them:
  • What do you like about their post?
  • What did you learn from their post?
Go Human Rights!


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39 comments:

  1. C h R i SOctober 7, 2011 at 8:46 AM

    This law is just ridiculous. They think that we can just get rid of unemployment by deporting illegal immigrants? This is an old story, people of Alabama has never been “good” to immigrants or colored people. It’s just the hate that is in the air. There are less than 5% of Latin Immigrants in Alabama, so how come they spend huge amount of money for them? It’s their own responsibility, they don’t want to take the blame for it.

    This law is so ridiculous that drives me mad! People are now afraid of letting the kids go to school, they are also afraid to seek for care while they are pregnant. How could you live like that? The education is guaranteed for all the kids that live in the US by the Federal Government. If they don’t go to school because of fear created by the State Government, that means the State violated the Federal law. The federal law should really create an amendment to repeal this action.

    For all of us who read, hear, or know about this, we should take an action by sending letters to the Federal Government. If possible, we can lobby the congress to repeal this action. It will not only help the people in Alabama, but also the people all over the US. It’s all connected, just like a chain reaction, if we don’t prevent this in Alabama, it may spread to other States, even worse, leading to Genocide.

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  2. RosannaOctober 7, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    This law is about taking out the undocumented people that are living in Alabama, because they are taking the jobs , that Americans "can" do, and now that all native are desperate they just have the idea of take out them in this way, without punishing them directly, but they will feel so guilty and will left the state by themselves. Now almost everybody has a job in Alabama, the polices and the teachers have to ask the people for they papers even the students with 6 years had been questioned for they papers.
    All these news made me feel very sad, and furious. They made me think that human doesn’t have the value that is suppose to have, that we don’t respect each other, because although we are from different countries and we have different cultures, we are all the same, and have the same value. At first, this country was made of immigrants, and nobody have the right to point an immigrant.
    We should began to protest, because if you keep doing anything this law is going to be spare in all the States of United States, we that live in NYC should show them how many immigrants would be affect in this city , that have the majority of immigrants. Let’s send letters telling them our opinions!

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  3. AbbasOctober 9, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    1. I think this law is about putting immigrants down and let them feel that they arent wanted here in America. People here think that we will take their jobs or knowledge and then leave them left out. THE USA WAS BUILT BY IMMIGRANTS.
    2. I feel that we are not wanted in this country or in schools learning, i feel that people here dont want us to be educated.
    3. there is nothing we could do about this law but keep hoping and studying and working hard and prove to the people here that we are not bad and we can be someone later on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. maydaOctober 9, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    1) I think this law is about discriminate immigrants like others laws. also they want to report them to their native countries. like always blame immigrants about the economy and others things because they don't want to blame themselves. now teachers and police officers ask to the children for their papers and that is something horrible. This whole law is the same like others that immigrants are taking jobs from the Americans, discrimination, money, etc. I conclude that they want immigrants out and scare them.
    2) This law make me feel a conflict of emotion like angry, sad and scare. because hear at the news that children don't go to school because they are afraid and many immigrant without job is terrible. All this mean that they don't want us here and have an education they just think in themselves. I’m US citizen but I don't like this law because I have my family and friends who came here for many reasons but not to harm this country.
    3) Absolutely we have to do something like show immigrants that we are with them and try to talk about the situation and let them know our opinions. Also send letters to the government also join have a conference with all the immigrants and try to get a solution

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  5. johngonzalez10aOctober 10, 2011 at 10:07 AM

    1. This law is about racism, discrimination. We can see very clearly that the government in Alabama wants all the immigrants out of their state, the government gave the power to the police to ask everyone for their legal papers, and in my own opinion this law is mostly against Hispanic people because when the police looks everyone similar to a Mexican, Ecuadorian, Colombian or from another Hispanic country they stop them and start to interrogate them.
    2. This really makes me feel angry and very disappointed from the government in Alabama, it shows us that there still people who don’t want to accept immigrants in their country, they think that we came to take their jobs, to prejudice them, but we just came for an opportunity to improve, to have a better life.
    3. We have to make make letters and send them to the government in Alabama, to make them understand to we all are equal, that they have to eliminate all that bad thoughts that they have against us, we have to join organizations against discrimination and make meetings to talk people about us, to educate them, we have to protest for our rights!

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  6. Jessica MelchiorreOctober 10, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    The law that the state of Alabama just made up, is that legal citizens can’t employ or or get into a contract with an illegal immigrant, also they stated that all the children in schools, and high schools are going to be asked for their immigration statuses as well as the parents. This Law is useless, and doesn’t make any sense. A child that was born in The United States of America is legal no matter what the parents statuses is (Also stated in the constitution of the USA). Everyone deserves an Education, people that are ignorants and selfish don’t see it that way, because they didn’t have to move to another country to find a better life. So I think people that just open their mouth to say nothing better than “Illegal Aliens shouldn’t be living here” should just be quiet and put themselves in the position of the other person that had to go through a lot in life.

    This new law in Alabama just makes me feel sick, yes it is true that illegal immigrants cause money in taxes but why can’t they find someway in which everyone is happy?, and the child/s involved in all this don’t have the fault. They didn’t choose to be born here, they just were, and they have all the rights as any other American that was born in this country. This law would never pass to New York is ridiculous, New York City is the most diverse city in all the country and I think we set a good example for the other states.

    We should write letters, make a campaign, protest and make them see that they’ve made a great mistake on passing on that law. We are all humans, we are all made of bones, and organs. Why do we have to differentiate each other only based on looks?, Because that is the only way a cop is going to stop somebody on Alabama based on their looks. Like this unknown person said “Policemen would stop people that look illegal”, so what does this person mean with this. If I’m Hispanic am I a target of looking undocumented, or any other race? Now this is more than just a Law is also discrimination.

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  7. LEMAOctober 12, 2011 at 5:04 PM

    1. What do you think this law is about?
    I think the law is about check documents to all people to see if they are legal or illegal in this country and the power to check this have schools and official police as the students are scary to go school because they need give documents,
    2. How does the law and news around it make you feel?
    The law is bad because this change the life of million of immigrants who live in Alabama. this law make me feel afraid because i don`t want live in a state like Alabama that is too much discrimination to people who are undocumented.
    3. What should we do about it?
    we should do about this is make protest and writer letter to the government as the law is more to discrimination and not to help the state of Alabama because immigrants work hard and try to help everybody. the law make a lot change in Alabama like children don`t go to school only by not have documents that prove that they are legal in this country.

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  8. owenOctober 12, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    I think this law is about the hate. People are looking for scapegoats for the decreasing economy. They are saying the immigrants took over their jobs. But what immigrants do for living are the type of job that “real” American don’t want to do. And also, the law made students who are generation of illegal immigrants are afraid to go to school. And it is not fair for any kids.

    I feel sad. The law is ridiculous. It wants all immigrants to bring their document. But it is very dangerous to bring the document everywhere. And most of ridiculous thing is the policemen have rights to ask anyone for the immigration document. I am wondering if the policemen see the Latino kids, will they ask for the document. And I feel totaly unfair for the students. They do have rights to go to school, to get education.

    I highly suggest the immigrant’s community to speak up. And we should let the Alabama people to hear about what we are thinking for their inhuman being action. As the resident of New York City, we should teach them how to live with people who has different culture and be respectful to the people.

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  9. Jiyuan ZhangOctober 12, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    1.I think this low is discrimination but nothing else. They want to create more employment change for those who are citizen. But the governor didn't realized the immigrants are doing the most jobs that the citizen don't want to do,and those jobs are dangerous and low-payed. And this law violence the freedom and the right of people.
    2.This news sure made me feel sad. I heard about something about this law before. But i didn't know this would be passed. Well ,the economic is bad nowaday, but the reason they blame immigrants is that they need a scapegoat. Is this another with hunt? How come people know this country is found by immigrants and they still want to get rid of the people who are like them ? I hope everyone can watch this though a fair point of view.
    3. Since we know better than them and we can stay out the problem to see the whole image, we should talk more about the role of immigrants in our country. Make people aware about the truth of the bad economy and get thought together as a united country.

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  10. yingyingOctober 12, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    What do you think this law is about?


    This law is about immigration.Every people who immigrate to Alabama, they must bring the immigration paper every time and police would check their identity.It cause all immigration people live in fear.



    How does the law and news around it make you feel?


    I feel afraid because people can’t without their immigration paper when they go to outside.Some illegal immigration,they don’t have paper.they afraid to go to school ,work ,and hospital,because someone will check their identity.


    What should we do about it?


    we could try as possible as we can to fight with government for this unfair law.We could write a letter for Alabama government,hope them change this law.

    ReplyDelete
  11. wensi wengOctober 12, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    I think this law does not make any sense, because if that child was born in American, he is legally live in American, and he is part of the united states.If you want to check their parents’ immigrant status, their parents will be afraid of bring them to school. Ana that is like u are making the students stop coming to school. By the way,children are they future of the United States. If they have morality，they will not make such a selfish decision, and care more about children.
    And this law also mentioned that the policeman will check the document of people, if they looks like they are illegal immigrants. And that is ridiculous ， why they judge people just by look at their appearance. I mean, everyone is the same, this is discrimination , this is injustice, this is not fair to the legal immigrant.
    I think we should begin to protest, make posters and also send letters to government tell them about our opinion. Whether this action useful or not, we need to try.

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  12. LuayOctober 12, 2011 at 6:13 PM

    1- this is unfair to treat people as if they are unwanted her, and make them live in fear. According to the video that I saw it says that " they are making this law to make people be afraid and leave the country" this is not fair because this country has freedom and everybody is free, it was build by Immigrants.

    2- I feel bad for the people who will leave the country because the ran away to get freedom and now they are facing a huge problem and they don't know what to do.

    3- we can tell the people from different countries to be aware, and if they come here without documents their lives will be so difficult. Plus, we can speak up to the Alabama Government and make them change the law of even make it a little easier.

    Once again in this Country everybody is equal no matter what you are.

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  13. AnonymousOctober 12, 2011 at 6:27 PM

    1. What do you think this law is about?
    I think this law it’s about discriminating immigration and a document about checking power of the police and school. In this case, the immigrations got discrimination because the police just check you by looking your face whose looks like immigration. And some people in society blame the immigration taking their job.
    2. How does the law and news around it make you feel?
    This news and law makes me feel sad. Because I thought this law was unfair and full of unrespectable. No one can recognize the identity by looking at face. And the economic cannot just blame to the immigration. The immigrations still contribute for the US society.
    3. What should we do about it?
    In my opinion, I think we should speak up and show our views. We make some poster or announcement to tell others, fight for the unfair things. Also we can go to some organization to ask for help. As a immigration, the important thing is protect yourself and help other immigrations who looks like you.

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  14. C h R i SOctober 12, 2011 at 6:27 PM

    @ Jessica: I somewhat agree with what you said. Even if we want them not to say a bad thing about immigrants, this country has the freedom of speech which allowed them to say those mean things. It's rude, but it is what it is.

    @ John: I totally agree with you. This is just about hate. Nothing about jobs and things. We all know that people in Alabama won't do the dirty work, they will leave it to the immigrants who will accept low wages for those. It won't even cost them millions of dollars.

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  15. LuayOctober 12, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    @ Chris:- I agree with you about sending letters so they can know that some people from different states cares about others.

    @ Abbas:- I totally agree with what you said about this country is made up by Immigrants and we all should look at that because there was no USA, these Immigrants made the government and the laws and helped to make a great country.

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  16. yinghangOctober 12, 2011 at 8:17 PM

    this law was a huge discrimination of immigrants. how is that possible to ask someone's document at street ? kids would be too afraid to go to school, and pregnant women would also be too afraid of going to hospital. the purpose of this law was to kicking immgrants out of their territory. but at same time ,they are hurting themselves. once all immigrants left, they would eventually know the importance of immigrants. because immigrants support this country importantly. the law made me so disappointed. all we can do is to make people hearing the voice from immigrants, we do need to express our feeling .

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  17. kantoOctober 12, 2011 at 8:30 PM

    Well in my opinion , this law in Alabama is just like history repeating all over again . I just listened to a podcast that was just talking about this new law in Alabama and they said that this is quite similar to what happen back then when black people were still discriminated against . And Alabama was on of the state that had the biggest issue back then . So now with this new law what is going to happen next in the future ? I heard from one of the news channels that they are applying this rule in the schools and they are checking every single kids who enroll in to school if they have their papers or not .This is bringing fear to the people who don't have their paper and the parents might not let their kids go to school anymore since they don’t know if something is going to happen to their kids or not while they are in school . But a law says no matter if you have your papers or not kids still can go to school , so what makes me wonder is that what is really their point for this law ??? to bring fear to the illegal immigrant so then they will voluntarily deport themselves ?? So let say for example it does work but is every illegal person going to actually leave ? And if so is it going to make their economic life in Alabama better or will it decrease ? I don’t really think they are going to gain much thing from doing this .

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  18. kantoOctober 12, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    @ christ : I do agree with you . This law really is ridiculous . It just doesn't make sense to me why still making this kind of law nowadays .
    @jonhgonzalez10a : yeah I think there are racism and discrimination in this law .Which is not good !!!!!
    why are they are making laws just to scare people because they are undocumented and specially this affecting the kids a lot in their education .

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  19. johngonzalez10aOctober 13, 2011 at 1:59 PM

    Christ : I totally agree with you, that excuse about that we are going to take their jons and bla bla bla is an old story !! they just want to take us because they are racist against immigrants !!!

    Abbas : I agree with you too because americans just want us out of their land! they hate us for been immigrants, but they dont see what we have made for the country!!

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  20. masumaOctober 13, 2011 at 2:36 PM

    I think the law is about Immigration’s rights to be in United States. The law makes me feel very afraid. Because its says that the Immigrants have to bring their papers with them all time as evidence that they are legal in this country. And even the children has to bring the birth certificate in school to be a student. I think we should stand against the law because its not fair with Immigrants while this country was made by Immigrants.

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  21. AbbasOctober 13, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    @ christ : I do agree with you . This law really is stupid . It just doesn't make sense to me why still making this kind of law thesedays.
    @ john: good job i agree with what u have said. this country isnt fair

    ReplyDelete
  22. maydaOctober 13, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Chris I agree with you about the law that is ridiculous and make us feel bad and all that happen is scary. also I learn how we can help and good job Chris.

    Masuma I agree with you about that this country was made by immigrants. also is so bad and terrible that they are checking the papers to the children

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  23. RabitaOctober 13, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    This law is about the immigration in Alabama. In my thoughts I will say this is a stupid law!
    The law requires the middle school going students to have their immigration paper. They are taking out jobs if someone can't show his/her immigration paper as well legal documents. They asks to leave the undocumented people so that the documented or legal people can have jobs. Even if someone looks like s/he is illegal and if s/he can't show the documents then s/he will be arrested! This have no sense! How a middle school going student carry their immigration or legal document and how come people will carry their documents with them all the time?
    If this was what to happen then why back in history people had fought for their rights,for their freedom? Why did they fought for making an united nation? And now what is the value of this country's name? USA- United States of America. For the immigration law in Alabama, USA doesn't look like "united"!
    I would say we can write them letters to give them strength as well to give them hope to fight against the law.

    ReplyDelete
  24. RabitaOctober 13, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    @ Kanto: I really do agree with you.. It seems the history is repeating..!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. owenOctober 13, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    @Chris: I totally agree with you. I really don't understand how the assembly of Alabama thinks. The law prevent the kids who are generation of illegal immigrants to go to school, which will make kids grow up without education. They will live by roping, stealing. The more crimes will happen.

    @Yingying: You got the great point. What if the illegal immigrants get the car accident? They are afraid to go to hospital. And also, the people who are American may ignore the victim who are illegal immigrants. The drivers will not respect or take the responsibility for what they should take. And the community will being under the hate crime.

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  26. DANLINGOctober 13, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    I think that this law is about the Exclusivism , people do not accept the people who come from other place , maybe it is not only about the illegal immigration . If this law passed , the number of immigration would decrease . The most important goal is not only limit the illegal immigration , but also all the people who come from another countries .
    This law makes me feel so fear , if I live in Alabama , my life would be filled with the trepidation, I have to pay attention to watch if there is any policeman , and nobody likes to be asked by polices. And the news around it make me so sad , I realized that the discrimination would never disappear, there is always someone who discriminate . Some people don’t know how to help each other as human beings that the same to them .
    We can’t stop the discrimination , but we decrease the power of it . We can tell other people who around us about it , use the power of people who disagree with this law to argue with the unfair law together .

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  27. DANLINGOctober 13, 2011 at 6:39 PM

    @ABBAS
    I agree with Abbas , I think that it is a start point that America limit the immigration , even forbid the immigration . I think that Abbas is positive , and I should learn to his atitude of facing this problem .

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  28. AyshaOctober 13, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    1) The law is about the illegal immigrants in Albama who are stay in this country as undocumented.For me I think this is a very ridiculous and stupid think!!! If we see the history of U.S.A.we can say still we cannot stop the discrimination. I was very surprised because the law requires the middle school students who needs to have their documented paper with the all the time.The law requires teachers in school to check every student birth certificate.If the students want to enroll in school they should show their birth certificate and their documented paper.Also the law gives power to the police to check the people unfortunately walk on the road they should need the immigration paper always with them.So, many people loose their jobs because of they are illegal.If the person looks like illegal and they cannot be show their paper they will be arrested and they can bego to jail.
    2) I feel really angry and mad because it's not fair and how they do this hate kind of activity specially with the middle school students.If they don't want the illegal immigrants in this country why didn't they made any law when the first constitution was written? It's a free country we have right to live here with freedom.The illegal immigrants don't harm us and don't do anything against government they cannot blame on them....
    3)I would say we can write the letter to them and tell to give the actual right to the people who are illegal,the students who are dreaming about their beautiful future in this country.We all have to give hands to other hands to fight against the law to raise our head with our strong mind.

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  29. AyshaOctober 13, 2011 at 6:44 PM

    I agree with Christ and Kanto this is very ridiculous and it remind us the history again!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. DANLINGOctober 13, 2011 at 6:46 PM

    @OWEN：
    I agree with owen , the kids are real innocent . And I think Owen mentions an important thing,the type of job . Immigrants always do the jobs that have lower wages and take long time , not anybody is willing to do those jobs . So there is another thing I want to say , America can not be lack of these cheap and daily labour force.

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  31. RosannaOctober 13, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    Abbas, I am with you! I think that this law is just ridiculous! And it will never be pass in New York, we were first made of immigrants, and we will be increasing more each day...

    Jessica, I like your point of view, everyone should have the opportunity to have education..

    ReplyDelete
  32. Jiyuan ZhangOctober 13, 2011 at 7:46 PM

    @abbas: you are totally right. what he is say make the quest more clear. the governor just want to get ride of the immigrants who are consider bad for the OLABAMA's economy. but they didn't realize they are wrong.
    @yinghang: who will carry the certification with them all the time? how could they do things like this when people are running for the dream act? this is just stupid idea that they think will help the economy.

    ReplyDelete
  33. TojoOctober 14, 2011 at 8:04 AM

    I think that we should arrange the law.My reason is because it's true that illegal immigrants are taking some of the jobs of Americans and we have to get rid of them.But It’s not fair to bring your papers every time you have to go out of the house. For me it is just don’t make any sense because the papers that you have to bring with you are a lot. Another reason why its not fair for the immigrants and the citizens is that they have to now ask the papers wherever they go, even at church or at school. I don’t really think that is the job of the teacher or the person in charge in church.

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  34. christina planasOctober 14, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    this law is about try to scared immigrants to make them leave the country voluntarily, this law is all about racism about undocumented people. They said that the children that were not born in this country do no have any right to study and get the benefits that the government offers to the citizens of the u.s.This law make me feel really upset and angry at the same time because by forcing this law innocents children will no be able to be educated and for me this law will cultivate more hate for undocumented people. What we should do is support the people from Alabama and try to help them by speaking up with them about the situation and also by doing some activities in order of make this law unconstitutional.

    ReplyDelete
  35. MeganOctober 14, 2011 at 8:28 AM

    This racist law requires people from Alabama who LOOKS like an immigrant to show their legal papers when asked.Alabama’s authorities are enforcing schools(Elementary-High School), churches and police authorities to actually “Hunt immigrants”.

    Laws like this make me very upset. I think its not fair that authorities are being so close-minded: This country was founded by immigrants. In my opinion, even people who where born here are somehow immigrants too; they just have too look at their family trees.

    I think we as immigrants living in New York,we should stand up and protest against this law imposed in Alabama, Make letters to the authorities to let them know we don't agree with this unconstitutional law. We have to show how immigrants have come here to make a positive impact in the country.Diversity is what have made New York strong,authorities from Alabama should see us as an example, and set apart their RACISM and be more considered because after all,whether we are Immigrants or born here, we are all the same, We all share the same world so there should be no difference.

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  36. christina planasOctober 14, 2011 at 8:31 AM

    @ OWEN I totally agree with you, undocumented people take jobs that american don’t want to take and for a misery of money.

    @ Kanto I strongly agree with you, History Always repeats, and that’s whats happening now with this law.

    ReplyDelete
  37. yasmanicOctober 14, 2011 at 8:32 AM

    I agree with this law and i don’t agree with this law because, it is true that the undocumented people are taking over the jobs, but its not fair for them also because they have to carry their birth certificate everywhere. In addition its not fair for the elementary school students to be carrying their papers to school. they are just kids and they don’t have sense of what this law is about. So STOP this...

    ReplyDelete
  38. MaciejDeptulaOctober 16, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    This law is about taking out the undocumented people that are living in Alabama, because they are taking the jobs , that Americans "can" do.



    It make me feel angry because everyone supposed to have a freedom in this country, that was the purpose of the first people that created this country. It is like back to the past when the civil right movement took place.

    I think the best think to do is to write a letter to Alabama state or president or maybe to the people that are illegal in Alabama. To show them that they are not alone in that fight.

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  39. yasmanicJanuary 20, 2012 at 8:16 AM

    this law is about try to scared immigrants to make them leave the country voluntarily, this law is all about racism about undocumented people. They said that the children that were not born in this country do no have any right to study and get the benefits that the government offers to the citizens of the u.s.This law make me feel really upset and angry at the same time because by forcing this law innocents children will no be able to be educated and for me this law will cultivate more hate for undocumented people. What we should do is support the people from Alabama and try to help them by speaking up with them about the situation and also by doing some activities in order of make this law unconstitutional.

    ReplyDelete

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