Booktalk

Knights of the Hill Country

Knights of the Hill Country is a story about two boys living the dreams of amazing football players.  Blaine is a gifted running back and always the tougher meaner one of the two.  He also has a hurt knee though which burdens him throughout the story.  Hampton is the quiet, beast of a linebacker who everybody loves for his skill on the field.  Throughout the story Blaine gets more and more impacient with the way fans react to him because Hampton is always recieving the spotlight even though he doesnt want it.  Blaine has always wanted the spotlight and always though he deserved it.  The point of the story is that a long time ago, T. Roy Strong and the Knights had 5 undefeated seasons, probably the greatest accomplishment ever in a high school setting.  Blaine and Hampton were also this good.  The book is during the time of the last few games of their last season before college.  The book takes you through 4 games of their season including the last game they will ever play.  Blaine and Hampton go through normal life of a teenager with everything involved from football, to school, to girl problems.  Their lives are almost perfect to the average life of a teenager which makes this book alot easier to understand and agree with.

My opinion of this book is that i thought it was amazing.  I loved everything about it from the life of these two boys to the football rush that it gives you.  It really relates to the life that I live at West Chicago because these boys are both gifted with football talent, have to deal with school, and all the problems that come with girls while also facing hard decisions in their lives.  I would definitely read this book again given the opportunity.

Citations

Nair, Tulika. "Illegal Immigration Facts." buzzle.com. N.p., 9 July 2010. Web.
     13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/
     illegal-immigration-facts.html>.

Messerli, Joe. "Should America Maintain/Increase the Level of Legal Immigration?
     In a Nutshell." balancedpolitics.org. N.p., 5 June 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
     http://www.balancedpolitics.org/immigration.htm.

Schurman-Kauflin, Deborah, and P. F. Wagner. "Impacts of Illegal Immigration:
     Jobs." www.usillegalaliens.com. Ed. Dan Amato. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Oct.
     2010. <http://www.usillegalaliens.com/
     impacts_of_illegal_immigration_jobs.html>.

"End Illegal Immigration." End Illegal Immigration. Americans for Legal
     Immigration PAC, 22 July 2009. Web. 5 Oct. 2010.
     <http://www.endillegalimmigration.com/Illegal_Immigration_Facts_&_Statistics/
     index.shtml>.

Illegal Immigration Essay

Josh Stein

Illegal Immigration Essay

14 million, this is the number of illegal immigrants scampering around the United States today.  These people think that there are better opportunities, better jobs, and better living conditions for them within the United States.  Thousands of illegal immigrants run across our borders each year invading the privacy of not only you, the reader, but your family as well.  Sex crimes, disease, car accidents, job stealing, and economic destruction is what they bring along with them.  The Unites States’ borders need to be shut down completely for this to stop or else soon enough, our country will be destroyed.

I have a pretty strong feeling about the topic of illegal immigration because I feel it’s unnecessary for people to think the immigrants can do what they do and feel fine with that.  This is like saying someone can come into your house and live their life like nothing ever happened, and you should just be okay with that.  No.  I understand that America is an amazing place with great attributes and even greater possibility, but entering illegally is not an option.  That is not how this country should be recognized and that’s why the border control should be maintained and upgraded to stop all possible situations in the future.

Illegal aliens aren’t just coming across the border and committing crimes, but also stealing many jobs from people who need them and are actually legal citizens of the U.S.  Unfortunately, most employers these days will hire an illegal immigrant over a more qualified legal American because they won’t except as low of pay as an illegal. These illegal immigrants will accept far below the standard of pay for the U.S. which basically makes it not fair for other Americans.  Americans work for many years and are well qualified for the jobs they would like to have but when someone will do it for less, there really is no competition.  Illegal aliens are not just picking lettuce and digging ditches any more either. It wasn't long ago that being a dry-waller, brick-layer, house framer, painter, roofer, carpet layer, plumber, or electrician was middle class trade. Now it is the work for illegal aliens at far less wages.

Ron Scherer, a supporter of the Schurman-Kauflin study, is a prime example of what Americans can do, and why illegal immigrants are not needed for the so called “dirty work.”  Ron was interviewed in a report about his thoughts on illegal immigrants and told this story.  Ron worked a summer job in a Dole Pineapple plant for 12 hours each day, and six days a week where he lifted, carried, and threw 100 pound sacks of cattle feed.  He carried each bag eight feet to a nearby truck for shipping.  The machines for filling these bags packaged four bags a minute.  That is 240 bags an hour and 2,880 a shift equaling about 144 tons in all.  As you, the reader can see that these jobs don’t have to be done by illegal immigrants.  Hard-working Americans are quite capable of doing any job to its fullest.  According to the Center of Immigration Studies, estimates suggest that cities that have the most inflow of illegal immigrants have an unemployment rate that is twice the rate as in other cities, a crime rate 40% higher, and 40% more of the population under the poverty line.  Illegal immigrants are making keeping this economy under control impossible.  There is no way the United States can account for this many people coming across the border this fast and taking that many jobs and space from legal Americans.  Estimates also show that 41 billion dollars is spent each year on just the deportation of illegal immigrants each year.  The economy cannot afford to take hits like this each year.  Things need to change soon or illegal immigrants will slowly destroy our entire economy.

Although there are many points stating why illegal immigration is hurting the United States, there are multiple points to as why they should be allowed to migrate.  Some of the most ambitious and diligent people come from other countries and bring many new ideas to help the greater good of America.  Bringing these people also brings many diverse cultures to our country expanding each unique lifestyle.  Although immigrants do take many of the jobs Americans would like to have, most of them are very low paying back breaking labor that Americans would not do such as maids, food service, lawn services, and so on.  The last reason, which is really the biggest, is that the United States tries to help people in need is because it gives us the opportunity to give people a better life.  It gives these immigrants endless opportunities and freedoms beyond anything they could’ve imagined in their earlier lives.

Although there are many alternate reasons as to why illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in our country, the cons far outweigh the pros.  There are many alternatives to entering the United States that I feel illegal immigrants just aren’t educated on.  Illegal entry is not an option, and without an alternative solution, the United States of America and its Americans could be looking at problems with our safety, our financial future, and our well-being.

Introduction Guide

1.       Ask yourself: “Why am I interested in the topic? What initially caused me to research the topic?”

I am interested in this topic because I have always had strong feelings about illegal immigration and have always wanted to know more about the logistics and stats of my topic.  I honestly don’t get how illegal immigrants think they can do what they do and be okay with that.  I just want to know more and more about my subject so I can further understand this predicament.

2.       Then consider how you relate with the topic (e.g. I own pit bulls: they should not be banned; I have family that immigrated to the United States: open border policy; I always dreamed to be an astronaut and go to the moon: the truth about the first lunar landing).

My grandpa owns a repair shop and an illegal immigrant came in with a very nice old 1970 Chevrolet, but very nice and in very good condition.  He wanted a lot of work done to it so my grandpa said okay and put new speakers in, new rims, new everything.  This car looked sick and was probably upwards of 70,000 dollars.  When the time came for him to pay and pick up his car, the man never showed up.  He had been arrested and was facing multiple charges for a shooting or something.  They also found that he was an illegal immigrant so he obviously wasn’t getting out of jail anytime soon.  So my grandpa had to strip the car of whatever he could and had to try and sell it which he did, but with not as much value as he put into it.

3.       Once you simply define your relation to the topic, explain a personal experience that elaborates upon your relation to the topic.  If you are having trouble thinking of something, simply call me over.

My personal experience was the story above in the preceding paragraph.

4.       Lastly, consider the purpose in arguing your topic.  How will you defend your stance?  What will you do to argue your purpose?

I have multiple arguments and articles of statistics, job stealing, and crimes that will prove my theory that the borders should be shut down completely.  I will write multiple paragraphs on each subject and clearly define why this hurts our economy and our country.

Journal Entry

I believe that the United States should have a closed border policy, with stricter enforcement to ensure no illegal immigration.

Heres a Story... Haha

This is a story by a man named Paul Danish.

I have a modest proposal for solving the problem of illegal immigration from Mexico without building a fence along the border or granting amnesty to those here illegally.

Conquer Mexico. You know. Kind of like conquistadors, only north to south this time.

Get together a big army, pour over the border, crush all resistance, occupy the country from the Rio Grande to the Rio Usumacinta, and annex it to the United States. Make English the official language and teach it to everyone. Award NFL franchises to Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterey. Make everyone an American citizen. Add 31 new stars to the flag (one for each Mexican state), 62 new members to the U.S. Senate, and get on with life.

Illegal immigration? Mission accomplished. Problem solved.

This is his way of solving the huge problem of illegal immigration.....  I just found this really fun and thought that i would post it on my blog because i just want to let people know how some of us think out there.  Obviously this plan is flawed and will never work but its always funny to hear others' perspectives.

Danish, Paul. "How to Stop Illegal Immigration." boulderweekly.com. N.p., 2010.
     Web. 13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.boulderweekly.com/
     article-2973-how-to-stop-illegal-immigration.html>.

Illegal Immigrant Facts
Native Country	Number of Immigrants	Total Percent	Change in % (From 2000 - 2006)
Mexico	6,570,000	57%	69%
El Salvador	510,000	4%	9%
Guatemala	430,000	4%	8%
Philippines	280,000	2%	4%
Honduras	280,000	2%	5%
India	270,000	2%	5%

-This is a table showing how many illegal immigrants therer actually are in the United States today and which country they come from.  This can actually help benefit us because now we know where they are coming from and what rate which will help the United States realize what borders need increases of security in.

• While experts hold up their contribution to the tax system as a benefit to the country, the fact remain that tax payments from illegal immigrants is equal to only 28% of the tax paid by citizens.
• According to the Center for Immigration Studies, illegal immigration facts point towards a rise of almost 56% in the population of the country, primarily due to rise in the number of immigrants.
• According to the Center for American Progress, an astronomical amount of USD 41 billion is spent on the deportation of illegal immigrants ever year.
• Estimates will tell you that almost 40% of illegal immigrants have been held for violent crimes.
• Estimates also suggest that cities that have the most inflow of illegal immigrants have an unemployment rate that is twice the rate as in other cities, have a crime rate that is 40% higher, and have 40% more people under the poverty line.
• Almost one in every ten people living in the United States is an illegal immigrant.

-These facts above are insane in the fact that it shows what illegal immigrants actually do to this country.  Things like this can all be stopped and controlled if we just take the time to increas eour border patrol and put an end to illegal immigration.  If this isnt stopped soon, the country will eventually be over run by immigrants in which many resources will be taken up and the United States could end up just like Mexico....  So we might all be heading to Canada next haha.

Nair, Tulika. "Illegal Immigration Facts." buzzle.com. N.p., 9 July 2010. Web.
     13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/
     illegal-immigration-facts.html>.