Letters - Tuesday

WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS
If workers want to come here, they must play by the rules

Gazette columnist Barry Noreen was off base on several points mentioned in his July 2 column ("Community should learn to welcome immigrants").

While communities should extend a helping hand to legal immigrants, no support should be given to those whose first act upon entering the U.S. is to break our laws as is the case with all illegal immigrants. They should not be here and should not be encouraged to stay by agencies such as the Pikes Peak Immigrant and Refugee Collaborative. A mixed message is being sent to illegals by organizations like this, our government's impotent policies and businesses here that enjoy the subsidized low pay supported at the expense of taxpayers.

We have and will continue to open our hearts to the peoples of any nation who legally emigrate here and who want to learn our language, assimilate into our culture and become productive, law-abiding members of our communities. However, all illegals should not be here at all. Everything currently provided by the taxpayers should be stopped immediately so that there are fewer incentives to crossing the border illegally. The U.S. is a sovereign nation with the right to establish immigration laws to benefit us, and our elected officials should fully enforce them.

Discussions about illegal immigration are needed; however, the focus should be on how to stop the flow into the U.S. and not on how to make them more comfortable once here.

Dan Hall, Colorado Springs

Poem's words about immigrants not invitation for freeloaders

I love people who preach to me about what we should do for our immigrant population. Barry Noreen and Megumi Nakamura want to teach us all a lesson in welcoming immigrants, illegal or otherwise. What Noreen didn't mention is the cost of illegals are to the American taxpayers.

He doesn't mention the costs to our medical services, our prisons where many are incarcerated, schools where many of these children are not only enrolled but are in bilingual programs, etc. It's too bad Noreen has never worked in a nursing home where he's seen our own older citizens wait many months to get on Medicaid and other services where our tax dollar is stretched so terribly thin. These are the American citizens who often worked and paid Social Security and other taxes all of their lives and should be deserving of the aid before any illegal person is considered.

"Give me your tired, your poor" was never meant to mean "give me all of your illegals for the free ride."

Noreen should grow up. A journalist or any other adult citizen of this country should make an effort to understand the balancing of a national budget just like he balances his own checkbook. If he can't understand this, he shouldn't be preaching his inane politics to any of us, much less voting and frankly I am sick of these lessons taught by the self-anointed.

Donna Hartley, Black Forest

Immigrants should show effort to become part of America

I totally agree with Caitlin Fischer that people who want to come to the United States to stay should do it legally ("Immigrants are welcome here if they come in legally," Letters, July 5). In addition, they should learn to read and speak English and make every effort to find employment. It is a real shame that merchants and manufacturers have to spend money on new signs and instructions that have subtitles to accommodate those who will not learn English.

Yes, the United States is a melting pot. But, people who come here to live should melt into our pot; we should not have to melt into theirs. We have enough of our own people who sponge off the system; we do not need any more additions to that sector of the population.

I welcome any and all people who want to come to this country to live, work and play.

But only if they make an effort to show me that they really care about the United States of America by becoming legal citizens, by learning to read and speak English and by earning their living.

Sally Pearce, Manitou Springs

STUDENT FARMERS
Complaints about CC garden should have been easy to handle

I have to comment on Bill Vogrin's July 3 Sidestreets column, "Curiosity could kill the CC garden."

We have a lady, Libby Pitman calling Dick Anderwald, city land-use review manager, numerous times "reporting" but not complaining about a garden plot being cultivated by Colorado College students in the Wood Avenue neighborhood. She is just "curious." Pitman's curiosity has prompted Colorado Springs government to investigate the highly suspicious activity perpetrated by CC students.

This report reminds me of the story about a woman that made calls to the city police department complaining about a man, naked in the shower, with his window blinds pulled up for all to see inside. The police rush over to the woman's house and enter her home. She quickly points out her window with a look of disgust on her face. "He is right over there!" she says, still pointing out the window. The policeman looks out the window and says, "Lady, I don't see anything but a house about a quarter of a mile away." The lady hands the policeman a pair of binoculars and says, "Here look through these."

What irritates me most about this story is the city land-use office personnel wasting their time investigating the gardening activities of CC students. It should have taken Anderwald five minutes to determine there is no cause for further investigation.

Gardening is quickly becoming a lost art. Gardening experience as reported in the story needs to be promoted, not discouraged.

If she's physically able, Pitman should satisfy her curiosity by visiting the garden she so fears, roll up her sleeves, pitch in and help the students plant and cultivate. It could be an enriching experience for all parties concerned.

Charles C. Masters, Colorado Springs

DREAM CITY
Repairing region's quarry scars example of making area better

Colorado Springs would not be a dream city now or ever if not for its most valuable asset, the mountain backdrop. The work that Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation and Castle Concrete has done for almost 15 years is an excellent example of limited government action and accomplishment.

Thousands of hard working volunteers represent "the strong spirit of volunteerism" of which Sean Paige wrote ("Dream City vision hypes involvement," Other Voices, July 5). Generous financial support from companies, individuals and foundations have made the restoration work of the three quarry scars possible. Most importantly is Castle Concrete's cooperation and financial support of CMRF representing "a true philanthropic organization" of which Paige wrote.

I agree with Paige's suggestions for limited government solutions for our dream city. But only with the fully enhanced reclamation of the our most valuable asset will our city be a dream city of the future.

The Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation/Castle Concrete partnership will continue to see that this happens. By the target year of 2020 our valuable asset will once again have its natural beauty. Then we can pick and choose what businesses we have here.

Wanda L. Reaves, Project Manager Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation Colorado Springs

GOVERNMENT CHARITY
Obama off track with plan for tax-supported charities

I have a few comments on E.J. Dionne's column addressing Obama's charity partnership ("Obama on right track with faithbased initiative," Other Voices, July 6).

I don't think Barack Obama is on the right path. If this partnership plan is carried out, there is going to be conflict among charities that want government support.

Matthew Geiger, Colorado Springs