Where do you stand?

[lizbud]

When I was a kid, in the 50s, if we wanted spending money, we collected pop bottles and turned them in. They were worth a grand sum of 2 cents each. Lucky for us, there were lots of them because pop was not put in cans yet.

Now people in this area collect the cans and turn them in to help pay their utility bills.

Moff,

I can't believe someone else besides me remembers doing that.
My brothers & I collected & returned bottles to get money for movies
or candy, etc. Ah, those were the days.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Moff,

I can't believe someone else besides me remembers doing that.
My brothers & I collected & returned bottles to get money for movies
or candy, etc. Ah, those were the days.

I didn't think anyone else even remembered pop came in BOTTLES!!!

[gini]

I didn't think anyone else even remembered pop came in BOTTLES!!!

Yoo Hoo, over here - it's me waving............I remember doing that! Anyone remember food tokens - and margarine that came in a large bag that was pure white and you had to mix it up with the red dye in the middle?

But back to the "guest worker" issue - and I DO NOT know the answer to this and will try to research it some. BUT, didn't we HAVE a guest worker program here (in California) at one time? What happened to that?

And "guest workers" - how do you get them to go home? If I am not mistaken, this is why the first program never worked.

Initially in the various demonstrations or marches here - all you saw were Mexican flags with a few others (countries) thrown in. Someone got hold of these people and told them to put them down - because there were tons of brand new American flags being waved on Monday and very few Mexican flags.

There is just one word that causes me the greatest problem and that is RIGHTS! So many that are here illegally talk about their RIGHTS -

The other harsh truth is that we as Americans have become soft - if we told a pack of teenagers that they were going to spend a day in the fields picking berries or grapes or vegetables - they would rebel - and then go back to playing with their i-pods.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

There is just one word that causes me the greatest problem and that is RIGHTS! So many that are here illegally talk about their RIGHTS -

The other harsh truth is that we as Americans have become soft - if we told a pack of teenagers that they were going to spend a day in the fields picking berries or grapes or vegetables - they would rebel - and then go back to playing with their i-pods.

Yea the RIGHTS issue has me seeing red too!!!

They think the streets of America are paved with gold and I guess for them they are!!! Can't blame people for taking what is freely offered I guess!!!

I wonder how many pop bottles I would need to cash if for an ipod???
If I was still a kid living at home that would be the only way I'd ever get one.
Now that I'm a crusty old adult, I find I don't really want one.

[Cataholic]

Moff,

I can't believe someone else besides me remembers doing that.
My brothers & I collected & returned bottles to get money for movies
or candy, etc. Ah, those were the days.

Move over, you two. I am 40 and remember collecting the stuff. I also wished, at the time, that I lived in Michigan, as they got more money for their cans/bottles!!!

[RICHARD]

Didn't mean to detour the thread with "tales of yor"...

By the time we were picking up bottles they were a nickel a piece.

(for a dollar you could buy a ham and cheese sub, RC cola in a bottle and have enough for a Hostess cupcake/snowball package.)

------------------------------------

Can we set the "rights" issue straight?


They have more HUMAN rights here than they would have any place else.

Civil/Citizen rights you have to earn.

Gonna go off the beaten track for a second.

One thing that does irk me is the "doing jobs that American's would do." line.

To the north of El Lay you can travel to Santa Barbara, in the morning, thru some farm areas where there are men picking veggies in the hot months of summer.

AS you trip back home after a day at the beach, shopping, etc.....they are in a different part of the field, still picking.

Tell a kid that they have to work for a few summers, picking veggies, or go to school -- the kid will pick school.

Tell a kid that they have to go to school, to better their lives - they would rather dropout and slum ......


There is a school up north that is holding a drawing for one ipod each semester for the kid with the best attendance.

NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT GRADES...

So, you can get an ipod for showing up, but learning? That's quite unfair!
(the school systems are paid by attendance, not grades..)

Ergo,

You show up in the US you should get citizenship, but forget learning citizenship..







In the afternoon they are

[caseysmom]

I saw that about the ipod's Richard, I just couldn't believe that.

[dogzr#1]

I got this email yesterday and I think it explains my beliefs fairly well. Living so close to the border, we have many Mexican immigrants, and they can get VERY annoying. ones here think they are better than everyone else, and don't have to do what everyone else does.




David M. Bresnahan
April 1, 2006

Dear President Bush:

I'm about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family and I would like to ask you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.

I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws. I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Vicente Fox, that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

3. All government forms need to be printed in English.

4. I want my kids to be taught by English-speaking teachers.

5. Schools need to include classes on American culture and history.

6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on the top of the flag pole at their school with the Mexican flag flying lower down.

7. Please plan to feed my kids at school for both breakfast and lunch.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.

9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, and I won't make any effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from President Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. flag from my house top, put flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, and don't enforce any labor laws or tax laws.

13. Please tell all the people in the country to be extremely nice and never say a critical word about me, or about the strain I might place on the economy.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that President Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

However, if he gives you any trouble, just invite him to go quail hunting with your V.P.

Thank you so much for your kind help.

Sincerely,

David M. Bresnahan



David M. Bresnahan has over 30 years of experience as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, radio station owner, talk show host, and business owner. David has been a prominent writer for many Internet newspapers.

Web Site: www.ThatPRGuy.com

E-Mail: [email protected]

[momoffuzzyfaces]

That really hits the nail right on it's illegal head, eh?

Another thing that really bugs me is the way the media always says they all love our country and are just here to "help" us. Sure the ALL are. And I may turn green, grow feathers, and learn to fly too, but I doubt it.

[BOBS DAD]

Moff,

I can't believe someone else besides me remembers doing that.
My brothers & I collected & returned bottles to get money for movies
or candy, etc. Ah, those were the days.

We all did that!!! That must have been a National thaaanggg!!! We collected small bottles (Geen Coke and swirled Pepsi's) for 2¢ each. A quart bottle (Yes, a quart - these were the days before we went all metric - 2 litres) was 5¢. Ginger Ale quart bottles were the bomb - they were 10¢ except prohibited by law and 5¢ in Michigan and NY. Those were the days my friend...

[AbbyMom]

We all did that!!! That must have been a National thaaanggg!!! We collected small bottles (Geen Coke and swirled Pepsi's) for 2¢ each. A quart bottle (Yes, a quart - these were the days before we went all metric - 2 litres) was 5¢. Ginger Ale quart bottles were the bomb - they were 10¢ except prohibited by law and 5¢ in Michigan and NY. Those were the days my friend...

If you remember collecting bottles, you must remember those prizes underneath the bottle caps. If you remember the prizes, perhaps you remember fishing in the pop machines' cap cups with a magnet to retrieve bottle caps for the prizes.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Civil/Citizen rights you have to earn.

I have been thinking about this since I read a rather hostile post on here yesterday (that has been deleted.)

What did any of us do to earn our civil/citizen rights....except be born in the right place?????

Of the illegal immigrants in this country, 13% are Asian (according to yesteday's US Today.) I don't know the number but there are many Russians, Poles, and the miscellaneous (such as my relative by marriage...who is now a citizen and like most illegals feared the deportation that could result from driving or visiting a hospital more than he feared spending $7.60.)

All I ever hear about are the Hispanics. I also read that a majority of those crossing the border these days (from Mexico) are from Central American countries.

I lived in Mexico. There are many Americans who retire there because the dollar goes a long way. And they expect to be able to find someone in the stores and gas stations who speaks english....and let me tell you how unpleasant some of them get when no one does! And let's talk about the tourist who go there and expect people to speak english (and shout at them if they don't..as that will help them understand), ask how much things are in "real money" (aka US dollars) ...love the beaches and the resorts....if only there weren't so many of "them" hanging around.

I think we need to change the inscription on the Statue of Liberty...based on the hostility expressed here!

[Lobodeb]

All I ever hear about are the Hispanics. I also read that a majority of those crossing the border these days (from Mexico) are from Central American countries.

I heard that of the illegal immigrants in the US, some (I can't recall the exact figure) 80% or so are latin.

And let's talk about the tourist who go there and expect people to speak english (and shout at them if they don't..as that will help them understand), ask how much things are in "real money" (aka US dollars) ...love the beaches and the resorts....if only there weren't so many of "them" hanging around.

I think tourism is different. If you are catering to foreigners, then you SHOULD be able to speak their language. No?

Just to clarify, at least MY point of view, I'm not anti-immigration. If we had no immigration, this country would shut down. My ancestors immigrated here, too. Like someone said in a prior post, unless you're native american, we all immigrated here. I am anti-ILLEGAL immigration. I don't understand how people who enter this country illegally want to complain about rights! Those people forfeited those rights the day they crossed that border illegally. That's what kills me. I was actually surprised when I heard that they weren't already considered criminals. THEY'RE HERE ILLEGALLY, therefore, they have committed a crime. The way I see it, it's ok for them to come here without following the rules, so if that's the case, people kill people everyday. We can't stop it, so then should murder now be legal, too? I'm exaggerating, I know. But I hope you understand what I'm getting at.

What did any of us do to earn our civil/citizen rights....except be born in the right place?????

To answer your question...NOTHING. We didn't do anything. Nor are we going to a foreign country demanding rights we aren't entitled to. If people come here legally, heck yeah, all rights to them. Just follow the rules, is all I ask.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I heard a report on the radio. I don't have a photographic memory so I don't remember exact numbers, but they were very close to what I'm putting here.

In the US,
- an illegal immigrant - on average - earns about $460.00
- a legal immigrant - on average - earns about $700.00
- an immigrant that has attained citizen status - on average - earns about $900.00

The thing I don't remember is if they earn this per week or per month. $460.00 a month seems ridiculously low, but $900.00 a week seems a little on the high side, so I'm not sure about the time period.

But the point is, once all these illegals are made legal, they will start wanting more money to go along with all their newly attained "rights", and then the employers will have to start looking elsewhere for those that are willing to work for less, which will start the whole process over again. Then I'm sure all the newly attained legals will have something different to say about the newly illegals that are being brought in.

To me it's a very difficult issue. Like Debby, I'm not against immigration, I'm just against doing it illegally. Like someone else on the radio said this morning, send all the illegals back and allow those that have been patiently waiting to enter legally in!

[Cataholic]

To me it's a very difficult issue. Like Debby, I'm not against immigration, I'm just against doing it illegally. Like someone else on the radio said this morning, send all the illegals back and allow those that have been patiently waiting to enter legally in!

I say allow the "illegals" that want to work in this country IN, and get rid of the Americans that take advantage of system.