Allowing non-citizens to vote

[migrendel]

The animus you harbor is what is despicable, Mr. Fresh. California is trying to be an equal administrator, and trying to be a kind state that includes of all of her residents, even if they come from abject poverty and across storm tossed seas. If they give immigrants healthcare, what is the shame? What is the shame in not wanting to see people die from illness or starvation? It has no logical justification, just the seething distrust of immigrants.

[migrendel]

Perhaps we should go to the root of the problem, and wonder why any supposedly just law would make a criminal out of someone who wants to come to this country and takes no consideration of the health and welfare interests of the new residents.

[migrendel]

Since you said illegal immigrants, the fact that I was refering to illegal immigrants in my post was implied.

[migrendel]

I suppose you've conducted sociological research to support your thesis, DarthKosh, about the "illegals"? If you have, as I have, your facts don't seem to be quite concurrent with mine.

[migrendel]

Did you ever stop and wonder why? Why would they take that risk with a naturalization procedure? I shall tell you why. The naturalization process is complicated. It is contigent upon a test administered in English, a language few from Mexico speak, and that's assuming they can read and write. You may rebut with a statement that they should just learn English. As someone who has taught themself two languages, I can tell you it isn't easy for the most able. If you're not the most gifted person, it's even more arduous. If you will reasonably simlplify the process, you will acquire some validity. If not, one can point to the many walls that prevent those who wish to be citizens.

[migrendel]

Immoral and just plain wrong. Is this your intellect or your heart? I think it's fairly reasonable to extend equal rights to citizens regardless of citizenship, like they do throughout Europe.

[migrendel]

I personally believe that citizenship should only be a voluntary classification, with equal rights accorded to all.

[migrendel]

Perhaps a broader context would help you, supersoulty. If your views of American law, God forbid, are accepted by the Supreme Court, the obstacles are still not cleared. The United States, as a member of the world community, the United Nations, and trustee of resident aliens, still has to answer to international law and codes of human rights. Unless you wish this country to defiantly shake its fist at all laws that have a higher authority than ours, your theory doesn't quite work out.

[migrendel]

The whole concept of detaining those who are thought suspicious bothers me. The presumption seems to be one of guilt rather than innocence. It is ill-suited to Democracy, and contrary to Malloy v. Hogan, to arrest people at large and then work from there. I also don't see why we shouldn't grant them that most sacred right, the franchise, if we are a nation of E Pluribus Unum and compassionate care, rather than compassionate conservativism.

[migrendel]

I feel this is a step forward. I am proud that my home city already has such a policy in place, and recognizes that non-citizens have something to add to the political discourse.