The Birmingham News (Opinion): On Sunday night, after returning from a refreshing four-day vacation in Orange Beach, I spoke via telephone with Jose Antonio Vargas, a well-respected colleague in journalism who in June outed himself as an undocumented immigrant. Vargas was part of a team at The Washington Post that won the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Virginia Tech massacre. He's an fine, fine journalist. But he's not in the United States legally.
Vargas has been reading The News' reporting and commentary about our ugly immigration law and wanted to talk for a minute. Vargas is in Alabama for a few days, talking with teachers and workers and other folks about the effects of the immigration law. He also wanted to know about the mind-set of so many Alabamians: What makes them respond negatively so often toward people who aren't like them.
We shared some thoughts and perspectives. Vargas told me a story I've heard repeatedly: He talks to people who support the immigration law, but many really have no concept of the law's intrusive reach. They just want "those people" out of here. When he tells them he's one of "those people," attitudes change. One woman even told Vargas she wasn't talking about him!
Of course, there are the predictable comments posted to our own story about Vargas being in Alabama, and living and working in the United States as an undocumented resident. Vargas was just a kid when he was sent here; he grew up thinking he was just an American; when he tried to get his driver license at 16, he found out his documents were faked. From there, he's had to live this double life. Read his story published in The New York Times magazine.
Still, Vargas gets little sympathy from those who read about him being here this week.
Poster Tony_Hines_483 offered this bit of wisdom: "He is by definition a criminal, serial offender. I hope they arrest and deport him."
And bcr35242 must be a police officer: "Can't wait for him to come to Alabama. I will personally place him in handcuffs and drive him to the jail. He is a criminal. Period."
Welcome to Alabama, Jose!
No doubt, Vargas is taking a huge personal risk in his campaign to put a human face and experience on the immigration debate. These immigrants are families and children; hardworking men and women; good people just wanting what so many of us born here take for granted.
I'll say it again: Just because it's a law doesn't make it right, and many actions have been illegal through our history that shouldn't have been -- lots of them right here in Alabama.
There is no part of "illegal" that I don't understand; but there are parts that I, as an American, refuse to accept.
Follow Jose Antonio Vargas' reporting on his website, Define American.
We can talk about this today during our weekly live chat. It's at 1 p.m. Set a reminder below.
Vargas has been reading The News' reporting and commentary about our ugly immigration law and wanted to talk for a minute. Vargas is in Alabama for a few days, talking with teachers and workers and other folks about the effects of the immigration law. He also wanted to know about the mind-set of so many Alabamians: What makes them respond negatively so often toward people who aren't like them.
We shared some thoughts and perspectives. Vargas told me a story I've heard repeatedly: He talks to people who support the immigration law, but many really have no concept of the law's intrusive reach. They just want "those people" out of here. When he tells them he's one of "those people," attitudes change. One woman even told Vargas she wasn't talking about him!
Of course, there are the predictable comments posted to our own story about Vargas being in Alabama, and living and working in the United States as an undocumented resident. Vargas was just a kid when he was sent here; he grew up thinking he was just an American; when he tried to get his driver license at 16, he found out his documents were faked. From there, he's had to live this double life. Read his story published in The New York Times magazine.
Still, Vargas gets little sympathy from those who read about him being here this week.
Poster Tony_Hines_483 offered this bit of wisdom: "He is by definition a criminal, serial offender. I hope they arrest and deport him."
And bcr35242 must be a police officer: "Can't wait for him to come to Alabama. I will personally place him in handcuffs and drive him to the jail. He is a criminal. Period."
Welcome to Alabama, Jose!
No doubt, Vargas is taking a huge personal risk in his campaign to put a human face and experience on the immigration debate. These immigrants are families and children; hardworking men and women; good people just wanting what so many of us born here take for granted.
I'll say it again: Just because it's a law doesn't make it right, and many actions have been illegal through our history that shouldn't have been -- lots of them right here in Alabama.
There is no part of "illegal" that I don't understand; but there are parts that I, as an American, refuse to accept.
Follow Jose Antonio Vargas' reporting on his website, Define American.
We can talk about this today during our weekly live chat. It's at 1 p.m. Set a reminder below.
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