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While reading the article in the April 6 edition of The Times, I found myself wondering once again why so many people think that anyone who immigrates illegally should be treated differently than any other person who commits an illegal act.
Frankly, this subject is getting old. While I have sympathy for families that get split apart, I also know they have created the situation by coming here illegally.
There are many immigrants, both legal and illegal who are contributing members of a community. But there are far more that are helping to suck our nation’s resources dry.
Our health departments see mostly immigrant patients, our schools and businesses must have bilingual employees, our signs and even our product labels are bilingual, and our Family & Children Services are saturated with immigrants. Most countries have very strict immigration laws.
Why can’t the U.S. have laws, too? I do agree with six words in the article — "the need to treat immigrants humanely."
But I also feel that all people need to be treated humanely. So, yes, while enforcing our immigration laws, treat illegal immigrants humanely though the legal process.
Kathi White
Gainesville
We should march in favor of obeying laws
I take exception to the "Marchers Aim to Support Immigrants" sponsored by St. Michael Catholic Church, the Gainesville Association of Latino elected officials and Archdiocese of Atlanta’s justice for immigrants campaign.
I agree it is a terrible thing to break up a home because someone has broken a law and is deported. If the guilty Latino immigrants, who are illegal, had not broken our immigration laws in the first place, they would not have to leave, they would not have to be scared to walk or be scared to go to the store.
The sponsors of this march should be marching in support of people who obey our laws, not those who break them and cry foul.
George J. Roshau
Gainesville
We have laws that everyone must obey
I see a lot of Hispanics are marching in Atlanta this week to protest the United States program of rounding up and deporting illegals. Could it be that these people do not know what the meaning of illegal is? They say we are racially profiling. DUH! Who is it that is sneaking in here, and what do they most look like? You see, in my country we have laws, and I have to obey them or I am in trouble. What the laws are in the country you illegals come from, I do not know. According to your rationale, if you rob a bank and get caught you should be able to give the money back and go on about your business. Wrong!.
So, if you cannot read or speak English, or even if you can, you should go through immigration like the rest of our ancestors did and gain entrance legally into my country. You can find this information at the border.
I welcome and applaud all who want to make their and their families’ lives better. However, sneaking into my country demanding this and that, as far as I am concerned, I don’t get it.
Either come here legally or stay the hell out of my country.
Paul S. Barnes
Flowery Branch
We have a new team; it needs own identity
Technically the Gwinnett Braves is a minor league team but in the hearts of potential fans there will be nothing minor about our new Triple-A home team. To the new fans the new team will be in a league by themselves and not in a minor league.
I was raised in Baltimore. At that time we had the Baltimore Orioles, then a minor league team. They played in Oriole Park. They were the Orioles, they weren’t minor to us. We referred to them as our birds.
The new team here will develop its own fans and identification. To its fans it will be a major league not a Triple-A minor league club.
Such a team deserves its own name, one that is distinctive yet ties into the Atlanta Braves. We need a name unencumbered with extra syllables to differentiate it from The Atlanta Braves.
How about calling the new team something like the "Bravos," giving the team its own identity, avoiding the confusion of having two teams with the same name.
"How ’bout them Braves" will still mean the Atlanta Braves but "How ’bout them Bravos" would mean the Gwinnett Team.
Note: Bravos only a suggestion.
Lee S. Bowers
Gainesville