Dear Editor:
Susan Scherman’s letter to the Editor (Reporter 7/11/10) should not go uncommented on. But where does one start? Her main thrust seems to be Senator Menendez’s support of “those crossing our borders ILLEGALLY!!!” But she then describes them as people who wear pajamas and “drain the U.S. of its economy, listen to rap music, drive big gas-guzzling SUVs, get their hair and nails done, wear tons of gold jewelry and accessories, have multiple babies in high schools, and sit in parks all day.” When I think of “illegals,” someone who has crossed a desert to wait on a street corner to be picked up for a sub minimum-wage job is more apt to come to mind. Many of these from Mexico have been forced to leave their farms and hungry families because they can no longer compete with the U.S. farmers’ corn, which is being subsidized by our government’s “agribusiness welfare” and dumped on the Mexican market through the open border North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA.
Ms. Scherman also says we should “make them fight for our country.” If our leaders are bent on fighting in wars of choice for no reason, and our military can only recruit people who need a job, need money for education, or need health benefits, we should institute a draft so that all able bodied youth will share in the duty. Then maybe we will think twice before engaging in these adventures.
We ignore immigration reform at our peril and to our shame. Senator Menendez is searching for a solution. I may not always agree with him, but I applaud his efforts.
James T. Dette
Weehawken