Climate of fear, hate makes immigrants villains

[Sequoia]

Is anyone old enough to remember the expression "Go back to Africa"? Can anyone remember when the lynchings of blacks and Asians and the hunting down of American Indians and Mexicans were commonplace?

Does anyone remember when Jews -- during the time of the Holocaust -- were turned away at this nation's borders? How about the Chinese Exclusion Act? Can anyone remember when the Irish, Germans and Italians were not welcome here?

This country has had a long and sordid history of xenophobia and scapegoat politics, which brings us to the current immigration debate.

Prior to this debate, I had not been aware that illegal immigrants were the No. 1 threat to the security of the most powerful nation on Earth and the cause of the majority of the nation's many problems.

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/157010

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Sure.

They're even talking about immigrants spreading leprosy.

Really, Old Testament sort of hate.

[Sequoia]

2. What? Leprosy?

I thought they'd be spreading "freedom" like we US citizen are doing as illegals in the Middle East.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Yeah, even Lou Dobbs is saying it.

[Sequoia]

4. I had heard that but I thought it was a joke.

Crazy mo fo! Of course I guess he would be talking to the Bible readers who read about those lepers Jesus healed. Or he's been watching too of much "Ben Hur".

Not very contagious
Modern medicine knows that leprosy is spread when an untreated infected person coughs or sneezes (but not by sexual contact or pregnancy). However, leprosy is not very contagious; approximately 95% of people have natural immunity to the disease. People with leprosy who are treated with medication do not need to be isolated from society. (Historically, people with leprosy were sent to "lepers' colonies" on remote islands or in special hospitals.)

http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/infectiousdisease/a/071203.htm#

[EFerrari]

5. My immigrant, now citizen, mom was asked if her people

were still swinging in trees, if she knew "Maria" and her desk was regularly vandalized because the peers at her firm didn't like her productivity.

My teachers wanted me to be Italian not Hispanic. :wtf:

I'm ready for those al Qaida bastards. I speak Spanish.

Take that, all you freedom hating terra-ists!