Question by My Ancestors Discovered America: America exposed the truth comes out how Americans really view undocumented people read all about it?
They are angry. Angry at their government. Angry with the news media. Mostly, angry at illegal immigrants and the problems they believe are caused by people who live in Oregon without proper documentation. Some are even angry at what they perceive to be too-high levels of legal immigration.
Their e-mails, calls and online comments seem to skyrocket every time The Oregonian publishes a story that mentions “Hispanic,” “Latino,” “Mexican” or “immigrant,” regardless of whether the subject’s citizenship, legal status or national origin is mentioned or relevant.
These people say the news media ignore, misrepresent or equate their views with being racist. And, they say, news and feature stories are routinely framed to elicit sympathy for people living illegally in the United States.
Comments range from the seething (“What don’t you get? … We cannot let the entire world move to America.”) to the extremist (“The Mexicans are all illegal, they’re dirty, they’re criminals, they’re popping babies out as fast as they can make them and we just want them gone.”) to the ridiculous (“You did not mention that the Spanish regard dogs as a source of food.”)
One recent story about a legislative proposal to offer in-state tuition rates to undocumented Oregon high school seniors triggered 142 online comments and dozens of e-mails, phone calls and letters to the editor.
A feature story about so-called “food deserts” that tracked a Portland woman’s efforts to buy groceries for her family, in the face of limited transportation and supermarket options, unleashed 88 comments and several letters. The woman happened to be Latina.
And just last month, a news story that cited U.S. Census figures in reporting a surge in Oregon’s Latino population drew 158 online comments within a few hours of the story appearing on OregonLive.com, in addition to numerous e-mails and phone calls. Most news stories on other topics draw only a smattering of comments; some none at all
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/06/a_tide_of_anger_on_immigration.html
Best answer:
Answer by Joel R
If wanting immigration law enforced makes me an extremist then I’m glad to be one.
What do you think? Answer below!