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Many people who are now Americans didn't used to be. Are they job thieves? Many people are the natural-born children of migrants. Are they job thieves? Some p

Many people who are now Americans didn't used to be. Are they job thieves? Many people are the natural-born children of migrants. Are they job thieves? Some people had ancestors who arrived on the Mayflower. Is everyone else a job thief? Some people are descended from the aboriginal inhabitants of the continent. Is everyone else a thief? Aren't you?

biocomputation 10y ago
I don't believe my posts said anything about immigration. For the record, I support immigration, whether general immigration or for other reasons. To this point, I think it would been totally acceptable to allow the entire population of Syria to either immigrate the US ( green cards on arrival ) or grant safe harbor to those who want to return home until such time as it's safe. With respect to H1-B: in case I haven't been absolutely clear, I think its socially unjust to make American workers compete with foreign nationals for jobs. This has nothing to do with immigration.
- jacques_chester 10y ago
  So if tomorrow it was possible to become a US citizen by filling out a web form and paying $50, that'd be fine by you? It'd be fine by me. But I'm a job thief. Unless I become a US citizen. At which point I'm still the same person, but somehow it's OK.
  - biocomputation 10y ago
    My remarks about the citizens of Syria were made in the context of the brutal war being fought in Syria at the moment. >> So if tomorrow it was possible to become a US citizen by filling out a web form and paying $50, that'd be fine by you? No, citizenship should never be for sale. Otherwise it's meaningless. You should be allowed to immigrate legally provided you can satisfy the requirements of our immigration program. >> But I'm a job thief. Please note that those are your words, not mine. I don't view people here on work visas as job thieves. My remarks are framed exclusively around what's best for Americans: it is socially unjust to make Americans compete with foreign nationals for jobs.
    - jacques_chester 10y ago
      Very well. If I could become a US citizen for free (and I can't, by the way), would you drop your objection? Edit for your edit: > Please note that those are your words, not mine. I'm using the words protectionists like yourself have commonly used.
      - biocomputation 10y ago
        >> If I could become a US citizen for free (and I can't, by the way), would you drop your objection? Other than the application costs, I think it is more or less free to become a US citizen. >> I'm using the words protectionists like yourself have commonly used. Noted
        jacques_chester 10y ago
        > Other than the application costs, I think it is more or less free to become a US citizen. It takes years, can cost thousands of legal fees (not something you want to mess up) and typically starts with a work visa like an H1B. You keep avoiding the question, so I'll restate it differently. If everyone on the H1B could become a US citizen instantly, at no cost, would that remove your objection?
        ojbyrne 10y ago
        My wife is about to become a citizen. It took her 17 years. And she's Canadian.

biocomputation 10y ago

I don't believe my posts said anything about immigration. For the record, I support immigration, whether general immigration or for other reasons. To this point, I think it would been totally acceptable to allow the entire population of Syria to either immigrate the US ( green cards on arrival ) or grant safe harbor to those who want to return home until such time as it's safe. With respect to H1-B: in case I haven't been absolutely clear, I think its socially unjust to make American workers compete with foreign nationals for jobs. This has nothing to do with immigration.

jacques_chester 10y ago
So if tomorrow it was possible to become a US citizen by filling out a web form and paying $50, that'd be fine by you? It'd be fine by me. But I'm a job thief. Unless I become a US citizen. At which point I'm still the same person, but somehow it's OK.
- biocomputation 10y ago
  My remarks about the citizens of Syria were made in the context of the brutal war being fought in Syria at the moment. >> So if tomorrow it was possible to become a US citizen by filling out a web form and paying $50, that'd be fine by you? No, citizenship should never be for sale. Otherwise it's meaningless. You should be allowed to immigrate legally provided you can satisfy the requirements of our immigration program. >> But I'm a job thief. Please note that those are your words, not mine. I don't view people here on work visas as job thieves. My remarks are framed exclusively around what's best for Americans: it is socially unjust to make Americans compete with foreign nationals for jobs.
  - jacques_chester 10y ago
    Very well. If I could become a US citizen for free (and I can't, by the way), would you drop your objection? Edit for your edit: > Please note that those are your words, not mine. I'm using the words protectionists like yourself have commonly used.
    - biocomputation 10y ago
      >> If I could become a US citizen for free (and I can't, by the way), would you drop your objection? Other than the application costs, I think it is more or less free to become a US citizen. >> I'm using the words protectionists like yourself have commonly used. Noted
      - jacques_chester 10y ago
        > Other than the application costs, I think it is more or less free to become a US citizen. It takes years, can cost thousands of legal fees (not something you want to mess up) and typically starts with a work visa like an H1B. You keep avoiding the question, so I'll restate it differently. If everyone on the H1B could become a US citizen instantly, at no cost, would that remove your objection?
      - ojbyrne 10y ago
        My wife is about to become a citizen. It took her 17 years. And she's Canadian.