This today in response to a recent interview in CNN ESPANOL that goes to Latin america and some areas of the U.S. – posted unedtited and with permission from Belinda Gonzalez in VENEZUELA.

Thank you Ms. Gonzalez.

Hi, Mr. King

I’m Venezuelan, I live in my country, but still it catches my attention the issue on illegal inmigration in the US. I’m aware doing illegal things bring bad consequences in a long term. Some years ago, I had an American boyfriend. He told me I could travel to the US to visit him. Almost impossible since Venezuela and US have no excellent relationship. A month later, he told me I could get a flight ticket to Mexico and, from there, to cross the border to the US and marry a friend of him and getting the American citizenship. I imagined myself doing that and definitely I didn’t accept it. The reasons: dignity and self-respect.
I just wanted to visit your country, that’s it. But not interested in living there, even when I hear the idea (from many Latinamericans) that I might reach the American Dream. Living in a different country is difficult, especially when there’s a stigma on Latinamerican people.

I, as individual and independent-thinking person, have respected laws. Why should I disrespect laws in another country? I’m not rich, I wish my financial situation were better. But my situation wouldn’t lead me to be illegally resident in another country. Most of Latinamericans (including me) get upset when they hear bad comments on our community; it’s a natural reaction. But I wonder why… why does it happen? Latinamericans defend themselves saying they’re hard workers (it’s reasonable since they come from a harsh situation in their countries) But can we apply that concept to all Latinamericans?definitely not and they should be aware of that. Can we blame them? not at all. Because the illegal inmigration is a consequence of the American Dream idea spread all over the world; by who? The government and influential persons .Now president Bush wants more security in the borders…

Why Latinamerican community has such power now?I’d like to know why. Why do they defend a thief just because he’s part of the Latinamerican community?Why do they even attempt to translate your national anthem? why, why, why. I have so many questions. I don’t know the situation in depth, but those protest rallies just make me sick, because those people are the ones who support the embargo against Cuba and bad press against South American governments. So, it’s not honest to me that a bunch of people inmigrate illegaly, try to change laws in a convenient way, defend to death living in a country that is not theirs but still they don’t care about their origin countries. They defend their culture just for convenience and to appear to be better than you Americans. It just makes me sick. I wouldn’t allow any foreigner to change my country in any way or do illegal things.
There are honest people that do good things. In my homecity, there’s a mix of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Lebanese inmigrants. They have done good things for my city. In general, I support inmigrants when they bring positive ideas and actions to a determined country.

Perhaps my ideas are mixed, but my keyword is respect. I respect your point of view because I would think the same way if something similar would happen in my country. I would never agree with discrimination to any community, it’s just wrong; but laws are laws and no one has the right to break them.

I could see you in CNN en Español. I was surprised because that channel mostly reports the illegal’s cause. But I’m glad I could hear a different opinion.

I hope you keep struggling on your cause and defend your right to think different.

Sincerely yours

Belinda Gonzalez
VENEZUELA