Today's Weather

Click for Sierra Vista, Arizona Forecast

Other side of the story isn’t being told

Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, Sep 09, 2008 - 05:21:07 am MST

Font Size

To the Editor:

The Herald/Review recently ran an Associated Press article about the plight of those who are here illegally being deported. Boo hoo.

Please excuse me if I suffer from empathy deficit for those who trample our laws to come here in search of their dreams. Unfortunately, they have dreams of money, not of freedom, and they have no right to be here, which is why they are called illegals.

Where are the articles about ordinary, hard-working, tax-paying American citizens whose lives have been totally and irrevocably changed by these illegals who are merely pursuing better lives?

As it happens, I know a person like that. He spent 30 years building up a small successful business with a partner. He has a wife and a daughter, and until a month ago, he was an active healthy person.

Then a vehicle crammed with people here to chase their dreams crashed into this ordinary man. The vehicle had blocks of wood placed under the suspension to hide the fact that it was overloaded, otherwise law enforcement might have tried to intercept these dream followers.

Denny is now in a hospital in Tucson, paralyzed from the neck down. His hospital bills are already more than $2 million. He will probably have to sell his business to meet his financial obligations. What about the obligations of the illegals who caused this? They get free medical care, they won’t pay a cent. If they are ever brought to trial, they will have free legal counsel. Is this a great system or what?

Where are the articles about Denny and those like him? Is the press not interested because the lives of legal citizens have no worth? Does their safety have no worth? Do their families have no worth? Where are your articles about the other side of the issue?

When will it change? Not with the election of either inept candidate running for president. As long as those corrupt buffoons we sarcastically call our representative government are in office, we will have the status quo. When will we have had enough?

Jenny Simpson

Sierra Vista

Print this story Email this story

Font Size

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.
Comments appear once they are approved. Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.

Seriously wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:55 PM:

" Oh I see how you are Christian Seriously. you would never want to "watch one die" but you support the laws that cause them to put their lives at risk leading many of them down the path of death. Hypocrite! I bet you think abortion is murder yet think nothing of capital punishment. You give me a headache--and quit using my name to post. People will think you've become brighter when they read what I write. "

First seriously wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:58 AM:

" Not to set the record straight I am a christian, however as a christian we are to follow the laws of the land. As far as compassion for them, I would never watch one die but I am all for closing the borders. It is not the job of the USA to be the worlds savior, we have our own issues to deal with. A for running for office I would never get elected, I am too honest and can't be bought. "

First seriously wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:55 AM:

" Ok someone stole my name, I do not agree with the following statement." How can you blame people for trying to make their lives better after decades of our government doing nothing to correct the problem? For years the USA has allowed passage and for us now to start demonizing refugees is inane. Run for office if you have the solutions, and correct the problems. But to just complain and display cruelty towards these indigents is jaw dropping embarrassing. To think you probably call yourself a christian too. " "

hummer wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:42 PM:

" The problem "Seriously" is exactly what you mention. For years the USA has allowed passage without enforcement of the laws. It has become evident that the Federal Government we currently have didn't plan to begin enforcement so people have become angry and frustrated. Even the candidates that have been presented by the two parties refuse to do anything about the problem. When the Government fails to act on it's own laws and those taking advantage of that lack of enforcement continue to break those laws then people will begin to revolt. This is how revolutions and riots start. "

Horrorified wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:38 AM:

" Did you all notice wall street today and the incredible financial mess this country is in? What goes around comes around. Before you know it you'll need to learn Spanish and sneak into Mexico in hopes of finding employment. The ugliness of the people on this message board towards Hispanics is shameful. "

Seriously wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:31 AM:

" How can you blame people for trying to make their lives better after decades of our government doing nothing to correct the problem? For years the USA has allowed passage and for us now to start demonizing refugees is inane. Run for office if you have the solutions, and correct the problems. But to just complain and display cruelty towards these indigents is jaw dropping embarrassing. To think you probably call yourself a christian too. "

Lean Left wrote on Sep 13, 2008 9:34 AM:

" "Frank", isn't that what you do with Republicans and Bush? Your blinders to your only solutions is to scapegoat the right for all social ills of this country. Funny how the pot calls the kettle black. Those of you who lean too far left and too far right have no clue as to how to resolve issues. You can only bad mouth the opposition. "

Happy Pagan wrote on Sep 13, 2008 8:39 AM:

" Yes, I can blame many of our problems on illegal aliens "Seriously" because the people migrating to the U.S. today (unlike in prior eras) are the people even their own countries don't want because they can't educate or employ them at home. They export their poor to avoid revolutions. There are some here in this country blinded by compassion who greet these undesirables with open arms. A better answer would be for you "compassionate ones" to go to these exporting countries (like Mexico) and try to amend their home country conditions to remove the incentives to migrate. "

Frank wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:01 PM:

" Seriously - You make entirely too much sense for these genuine "dolts" to ever understand. They have blinders on and their only solution, which it isn't, is to scapegoat the illegal immigrant for all the social ills of this country. "

Seriously wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:48 PM:

" I never said they were immune to our laws, what I said was that if they were not cramming so many freaking people in a car and committing a crime there never would have been an accident. Accidents are when something happpens for no reason not when someone is making a bad choice and does not care who it might hurt. As for why there are so many in prison probably because they belong there!!!! They are not there because their skin is brown just like no one is there cause they are white. "

Tom wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:06 PM:

" Thank you, Jenny, for this letter. We MUST be reminded of the great harm the illegals do. In San Francisco a father and TWO of his sons were murdered by a suspected illegal recently. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/23/MNR812GPPE.DTL
Secure the borders! "

Seriously wrote on Sep 10, 2008 11:10 PM:

" Oh please, I am not a dolt. An accident is an accident and if you think American don't put their lives at risk while driving, guess again. And explain why there are so many illegal immigrants in our jails if they are immune to American law? They aren't and to say they are is ridiculous. Jenny is looking for someone to pay Denny's bills, to sue someone which is why I made the comment about fixing our border & insurance issues. Demonize lawmakers, not economic refugees. "

first svian wrote on Sep 10, 2008 7:33 AM:

" agree with you Confused, Seriously did completly miss the point...if a CITIZEN harms someone while in the act of commiting a crime, they goto trial and are punished...what is it with these people that they continually excuse these acts or crime in our nation...these people are illegal...there are MILLIONS of people who want to come to this nation legally, why oh why should we give a rat's you-know-what about the illegals.go home get out, the welcome mat has been withdrawn and we will soon put out the unwlcome mat..keep trying our patience and see what that brings. "

hummer wrote on Sep 9, 2008 6:39 PM:

" Nothing will happen in the next 4 years. Neither candidate acknowledges that we have a problem on the border. Neither candidate offers solutions. They both ignore the issue and hope it will go away. "

Dont miss the point wrote on Sep 9, 2008 6:10 PM:

" Seriously, I think Jenny's point was that if an AMERICAN citizen had foolishly packed his car like that, then that driver would have to face the American justice system AND the civil courts. There's no recourse for Denny because illegals are involved. Illegals are rewarded by free medical care and a ride back to the border; if they somehow make it to court, there are SIG to pay for their attorneys. Why are illegals 'dreams' worth more than Denny's? THIS problem CAN be blamed on illegals, and it should be. "

Confused wrote on Sep 9, 2008 3:50 PM:

" It appears that seriously missed the point. If they were not committing a crime and had been here legally there would not have been any accident. What happened to Denny occured during the commission of a crime. Why is it that people have such a hard time accepting that fact?? All of out problems blamed on illegals? You are correct they can't but in this case they are 100% responsible and an American citizen is paying the ultimate price. Where is the empathy for him he has a better life and they took it from him. "

Seriously wrote on Sep 9, 2008 1:11 PM:

" It was an accident Jenny. Citizens have accidents every day, sometimes they are fatal or leave people paralyzed. It happens and I am sorry it happened to you friend, Denny. But all of our problems cannot be blamed on people coming to this country to find a better life. We have to stop pointing fingers and start working together so a solution can be reached to better handle our border and insurance issues. "

Concerned Citizen wrote on Sep 9, 2008 8:24 AM:

" Thank you for this letter to the editor. Maybe if more people would write to the newspaper and share their stories all the bleeding hearts would stop it with their sympathy. ILLEGALS are destroying our way of life. We need the military on the border and they need to have orders to shoot. "