Most of my ancestors came to the Americas in the late 1800s by invitation of the LDS Church, but some came as Dutch colonists to New Amsterdam. I doubt that they acquired permission from the people who were already here and perhaps they could claim they were illegal and the government they created is illegal, but I do not challenge the legality of the U.S. government or the Constitution that formed that government. I am a citizen of the United States because I was born here. This is also true of many Latin Americans, some even third- and fourth-generation citizens by birth. There are parents of U.S. citizens by birth, probably mostly young children. Should we deport parents and keep the children, both parents and children, or neither? What can substantiate citizenship? Birth certificates, naturalization papers, passports and unexpired visas. How many people always have these with them everywhere they go including jogging in pocket-less clothes? What about the Statue of Liberty? Does that mean anything anymore? Maybe we should dismantle it and send it back to France.
Are we afraid these people are taking away our jobs? I think we have lost more jobs to foreign manufactured goods, mostly from China.
It was the Republicans who negotiated the NAFTA treaty, which I believe widened the pay gap between the U.S. and Latin America, and it was the Republicans who opened trade with China. It is the Republicans who control our Utah Legislature, both House and Senate.
Back to whose land is this. First Corinthians 10:26 states, "For the Earth is the Lord's and the Fullness thereof." First Corinthians 13:1 states, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." And Moroni 7:47 states, "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." Finally, Second Nephi 1:16 states, "Wherefore, I, Lehi prophesy according to the working of the Spirit which is in me that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord." Scriptures in the Bible and Book of Mormon say the Earth is the Lord's and that we must have charity. Most of our state Legislature members belong to the LDS Church, which teaches these scriptures are true and the word of God. I would urge the Utah legislators to approach this issue with caution and charity.
Donald L. Eastman
Riverton