Krugman: Un-American Activities

[ProSense]

Un-American Activities

So Rep. Duncan Hunter wants to deport people born in America — if their parents were illegal immigrants.

As everyone who knows anything about the Constitution knows, this would be unconstitutional: if you were born here, you’re a citizen, no matter who your parents were.

But it’s not just a matter of the letter of the law: it’s about who we are as a nation. What America means to me is a land in which you are judged for yourself — not by your race, your ethnic origins, or what your parents do. Saying that citizenship depends on whether your parents were here legally crosses a fundamental line; it’s not far from there to making all kinds of rights hereditary rather than inherent in the simple fact that you were born in the USA.

It fits in, of course, with the idea that people can be arrested if they aren’t carrying the right papers — or be implanted involuntarily with microchips.

Anti-immigration fever is deeply un-American — at least as I understand America.

Reminds me of this post from 2006:

FACT CHECK: U.S. Government Commissioned Spanish-Language ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ in 1919

The right wing is up in arms over a new version of the Star-Spangled Banner written in Spanish. Last week President Bush stated that “the national anthem ought to be sung in English.” Yesterday Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a resolution requiring the Star-Spangled banner to be sung only in English:

That flag and that song are a part of our history and our national identity. … That’s why in 1931 Congress declared the Star-Spangled Banner our national anthem. That’s why we should always sing it in our common language, English.

In his press release, Alexander said the Star-Spangled Banner has “never before…been rendered in another language.”

But in 1919, the U.S. Bureau of Education commissioned a Spanish-language version of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The State Department’s website also features four-separate versions of the anthem in Spanish.

It appears xenophobia isn’t part of the American tradition.

Four years later, Republicans are still pushing English only.

[ProSense]

1. No comment?

Never did understand the fear of language.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Rights are not exactly automatic with birth in America

To have full rights, you have to be part of the approved majority, and according to Obama, this is how God himself wants it to be. He says some people are 'Sanctified by God' while some minorities are not, and the law must reflect that superstition.

[ProSense]

3. Do you have a link to that? n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

4. It is public record, the President is opposed to equal rights

and that is what it is.

[ProSense]

5. Nonsense. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

6. The President is opposed to equal rights.

You say nonsense. Got a link that shows he has changed his position? He is against equal rights. Opposed due to his 'faith'. And you know that is the case. Care to explain why you can be outraged about one form of discrimination while rationalizing another form of discrimination?

[ProSense]

7. "Got a link that shows he has changed his position? "

So you have no link to justify your claim, but want proof that you're right?

Here's a question: has the President's position on equal rights changed since January 2008? Did you vote for him? Was he opposed to equal rights when at the time of your vote?

It's absolutely pathetic to use Krugman's point to make a lame claim that the President is opposed to equal rights. Absolutely pathetic.