Alien notions
One has to question whether "The Other Side" [Nov. 7] is a work of fiction or the ramblings of an anarchist. The article is filled with facts that document illegal aliens' refusal to obey our laws, and their attempts to change our country into clones of the countries from which they migrated.
For example, Arelin's brother, whether here legally or illegally, aided his sister in breaking our laws by sending her the coyote's $5,000 fee. The money would have provided a significant lifestyle in a country such as Honduras. How many tortillas would their mother have to prepare for $5,000? A lifetime's worth, I suspect.
Natalie's victimization (she was "harassed" by police officers) makes one question how the writer would portray a legal citizen were they to be subjected to the same treatment. I would recommend interviews with legal citizens who have lost their license, or have been sentenced to time due to failure to present a valid license or provide proof of insurance. The legal citizen is punished for violating any of those; the illegal is not. This preferential treatment of people who have no right to be here is documented at www.immigrationshumancost.com.
Bishop David Zubik, and others in the Catholic Church, are portrayed as representing the Christian philosophy on immigration. All are representative of the reason so many law-abiding citizens have left the church and refuse to contribute to Catholic charities. If the definition of a Christian is one who obeys the Commandments and our laws, Bishop Zubik does not qualify; Representative Daryl Metcalfe does.
Referring to elected representatives (Metcalfe and Mark Mustio) who uphold our laws as "crazy" endorses the belief that those who encourage illegal aliens to break our laws are those who most fear those who uphold them. The use of derogatory terms is indicative of a point of view devoid of facts.
The article most likely was published to stir emotions. If that was your goal, I would suggest you interview family members of the victims listed in Rep. Metcalfe's report [on immigrant crime] -- or the one million-plus victims of sexual assaults committed by illegal aliens. The article attempts to garner sympathy for the illegal aliens, yet there is not one mention of the victims of crimes committed by them. Many crimes could have been prevented had local police detained, incarcerated and deported illegal aliens.
Speaking as a law-abiding mother and legal citizen, I applaud representatives Metcalfe and Mustio for having the courage that those of us outside their districts hope to see in representatives of our districts.
-- Kathleen M. Appell, Warminster, Pa.
