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To the editor:
Not all those leaning right are extremists. A registered Democrat friend calls me a "moderate" Republican. Another friend was amazed a conservative like me is against cruel and unusual punishment.
Joseph Cannisi ("Welcome immigrants," The Chief, Oct. 6) needs to check some of his facts. Eisenhower, a Republican, sent in the National Guard to deal with the explosive integration of Central High in Arkansas in 1957. Truman, a Democrat, initiated the Korean "police action." He also sent 50 troops to Indochina in 1950. Eisenhower admittedly sent troops to Indochina to protect French missionaries, but left-leaning Kennedy sent 3,000 troops to Vietnam in 1961.
Left-leaning Johnson faked the Gulf of Tonkin incident and landed Marines on the beach at Da Nang in 1965. Bush 41 initiated NAFTA, but it expanded tremendously under Clinton. Bush 41 also passed the landmark ADA.
Regarding immigration: The right and left are both wrong — the truth is in the middle. Our own mayor is saying this city does not have the jobs or the shelter for any more immigrants.
On a recent trip to Home Depot in the Bronx at least 30 immigrants were milling around in the parking lot, waiting to pick up a day labor job. I have seen a couple of women on the subway, babies in tow in makeshift backpacks, selling chocolate candy. I have read stories in the media about these women being robbed. It is not fair to allow entry to people when there simply are no jobs for them. The purpose of immigrating to this country is to help it as it helps you.
Immigration is fine when done correctly. But this country simply does not have the unlimited resources to sustain unchecked, unlimited immigration. In the 1920s the doors were closed to most immigrants, and that allowed the first Great Wave to assimilate. In my humble opinion, this needs to be explored. It is not xenophobic to say this country cannot sustain unlimited immigration.
Nat Weiner
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