University of Texas Tower
Levin Comes out for Integration Rather Than Condemnation
RECEIVED Fri., Dec. 16, 2005
Dear Editor,
Re: Austin City Council Minutemen resolution: If the council feels compelled to weigh in on this issue that does not directly involve the city, why not revise the wording of the resolution below to express the council's opposition to the harassment of illegal immigrants by any individual or group? The current wording requires that any Minutemen activity (even peaceful protests that do not involve any contact with immigrants) be reported to the city manager. That sounds a lot like the monitoring of communists under McCarthy.
I support an earned citizenship program to streamline immigration and confer citizenship on immigrants who hold a steady job and do not otherwise violate the law, particularly those who take steps like attempting to learn English and civics. At the same time, we should deport illegal immigrants who commit crimes. However, the majority of immigrants are here to work, so we need to focus on integrating immigrants so they become Americans, not just workers.
In Germany, you are not considered German if you are not German by ancestry – the genius of America is being American is a state of mind, not an ethnicity. Plus, integration certainly does not mean losing your native culture, but rather contributing its richness to the American tapestry. Continuing our historic integrationist approach that is quite unique among even Western nations will enable us to avoid the problems Europe is now experiencing.
I also believe the law permits people living on the border and elsewhere to use reasonable force to protect their property from intruders regardless of their citizenship status. I think we can all agree that illegal immigrants should not be subjected to the use of force or the threat of the use of force that is not authorized by law or goes beyond that authorized by law. Why not focus the resolution on that rather than on a specific group that engages in a wide range of activities, many of which are probably protected by the First Amendment? Better yet, why not go beyond this narrow issue and examine what the city can do to promote integration.
Re: Austin City Council Minutemen resolution: If the council feels compelled to weigh in on this issue that does not directly involve the city, why not revise the wording of the resolution below to express the council's opposition to the harassment of illegal immigrants by any individual or group? The current wording requires that any Minutemen activity (even peaceful protests that do not involve any contact with immigrants) be reported to the city manager. That sounds a lot like the monitoring of communists under McCarthy.
I support an earned citizenship program to streamline immigration and confer citizenship on immigrants who hold a steady job and do not otherwise violate the law, particularly those who take steps like attempting to learn English and civics. At the same time, we should deport illegal immigrants who commit crimes. However, the majority of immigrants are here to work, so we need to focus on integrating immigrants so they become Americans, not just workers.
In Germany, you are not considered German if you are not German by ancestry – the genius of America is being American is a state of mind, not an ethnicity. Plus, integration certainly does not mean losing your native culture, but rather contributing its richness to the American tapestry. Continuing our historic integrationist approach that is quite unique among even Western nations will enable us to avoid the problems Europe is now experiencing.
I also believe the law permits people living on the border and elsewhere to use reasonable force to protect their property from intruders regardless of their citizenship status. I think we can all agree that illegal immigrants should not be subjected to the use of force or the threat of the use of force that is not authorized by law or goes beyond that authorized by law. Why not focus the resolution on that rather than on a specific group that engages in a wide range of activities, many of which are probably protected by the First Amendment? Better yet, why not go beyond this narrow issue and examine what the city can do to promote integration.
Marc Levin, Esq.
