What Do You Think? (Really Please Respond!)

This discussion board post really made me mad!

Idk just wanted to see if it just struck my nerve, or if it seems totally ignorant to others as well.

We are looking at illegal immigrantion in my Culture and Identity anthro class. Just watched a movie entitled "Dirty Pretty Things" on Friday. It is definately not a feel-good movie, but I think it is pretty realistic in the way that it portrays the lives of illegal immigrants. And it is actually a movie, lol not a documentary or anything like that.


Our prof had us respond to it on a class discussion forum. AND I just read this post (postee will remain anonymous):

"I think immigration has been a problem for some time now. People from poor countries are immigrating to "rich"countries in huge numbers and that turns into a big problem as they cannot all find proper jobs and live a normal lifestyle. They are often forced to do dirty works and end up needing to become criminal and steal from others.

I think that "rich" countries should not be obliged to receive immigrants to a certain extend as each country should take care of its own problems before it takes on the problems of others.

I think there are different types of immigrants and that decides how they are accepted. Some really want to do proper jobs and live a good life, learn the host countries language and get used to the customs while others are lazy , do wrong jobs and live in clusters with other people from their country and not accepting the host countries customs and language. The first type is of cause welcomed by the host country while the second is not very pleasant and can become a problem.

Countries can of cause benefit from immigrants. Other countries food, culture and customs are always interesting and can be learned from.

Immigrants face a lot of obstacles, some are unfair but then what in life is fair?"



Idk but that just made me very angry! Maybe I was just raised differently, or it might be because I grew up in a farm community where I actually saw the houses of illegal immigrants, knew what hard lives they had, or whatever. But hearing something like this from someone who is in college and is close to entering the real world scares me. He/she could be the next president, CEO, or whatever in their country. Sometimes I wonder what the world will look like in a few years when our generation is running everything.


So this was my response:

"I think it is unfair that you say that illegal immigrants "often...end up needing to become criminals and steal from others." I feel like that is EXACTLY how immigrants have been stereotyped and portrayed, but actually I do not think that is often the case. I believe that is totally unfair to the immigrant group as a whole. Although it may sometimes occur, it is wrong to think that they are just criminals and the low lives of society.

I also find it interesting that you consider immigrants that live in clusters with people from their own country a negative attribute. I think you have to understand where these people are coming from. They are brand new to the country and sometimes know nothing more than their native language. It is hard to adapt to a new culture and learn a new language, much less try to accept the fact that they will be living in a totally different society and country they may know little about. To consider these people "not very pleasant" and "problems" is ignorant. We as educated people need to try to understand them and their situations before we start classifying and judging them."


REALLY let me know what you think.