IS IT TRUE?
“Facts” can be confusing with today's curious modes of validation.
Here's an example.
I keep hearing we now have a total of nine-million “illegals” among us. It is often more specific – using the term “ illegal citizens”. And, once that “fact “is established, all manner of problem solving becomes possible, simply by blaming those excess people for whatever the to trouble seems to be. It becomes a panacea which cures all ills.
But, is the “fact” a statement which can be accepted as being true?
Such statements are far too serious to be accepted simply because “they say”, “officials state”,“figures show” or something which sounds more official, such as “ government documents indicate that" we now have nine million illegals in our midst.” If it is true, then it deserves prompt attention. But, until it is shown to be accurate one must move with caution. Innocent people might be harmed.
They are used, too often, primarily to shock people, and they do just that especially when they appear as the head lines above stories which deal with immigration to this country from nations all over the world. They create additional divisions and needless conflict.
I find I am wary of accepting such figures as being entirely true. Nine million? That's a goodly group of people and the compilation of figures concerning that many individuals has to be a blend of fact and fiction, census studies and guess work, "about" -counting and the making of estimates.
Certainly,September 11th of last year taught us that we must pay more attention to whom we authorize entry. We have been excessively liberal in such matters is the past. Even a cursory glance at the terrorism patterns shows how dismal our guard has been.
One would hope that the new department of homeland security, which can not, as yet, be deliberately written using capital letters because it doesn't really exist. Perhaps, in time, when this department gets up and running, it can give us some more trustworthy guidelines as to what is true and what is not accurate.
Right now, you see, we need to know if we have nine million illegals in our midst. We know we have a number of people of foreign extraction, but just who is legal and is not, is unknown to most of us.
The school system a nearby city has thirty-eight languages evident in the lower grades of the school system. Illegal workers are gathered up by the bus loads month-after-month and deported. The rooming houses where they live do not even try to re-rent the rooms in which they lived because they know the same people will be back - with newcomers - in week or two after having spent a few weeks vacation at home.
What, exactly is considered to be illegal?” How can we count 'em if we don't know, who, where or what they may be?. Until I know... what about this nine million? Is it fact or fancy?
A.L.M. December 20, 2002 [c502wds]
