…and many miles to go before I sleep

In a demonstration of just how effective the right-wing propaganda machine has been on the immigration issue, a new Quinnipiac University poll released Friday found that 88 percent of poll respondents believe that illegal immigration is a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" problem. Even more telling was the fact that 83% of immigrants themselves, or their children and grandchildren, believed the same.

The poll, conducted Feb. 21 to 28, surveyed 1,892 registered voters nationwide. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points..

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Tag: immigration

The poll found that 39 percent of voters want to reduce the current level of legal immigration, 24 percent want to increase it, and 33 percent want to maintain it. The poll also found that:

By 72 percent to 25 percent, U.S. voters oppose giving undocumented immigrants driver's licenses

By 62 percent to 32 percent, voters oppose making it easier for undocumented immigrants to become citizens.

By 84 percent to 14 percent, they favor requiring proof of legal residency to obtain government benefits.

Some 50 percent approve of the automatic U.S. citizenship granted to children of undocumented immigrants born in the United States, with 42 percent in favor of eliminating it.

Newsday

Frankly, as disappointing as these numbers are, it is not surprising given the constant barrage of misinformation, propaganda and outright lies that have come out of the media, and the right wing noise machine as of late. The perpetuation of false and inflammatory stereotypes has become common practice, the use of inaccurate or misleading statistics commonplace, and fanning the fires of fear and racial bigotry a daily occurrence in the media.

These numbers only reinforce what those of us on the progressive side of this issue have known all along. The scapegoating of the “others” in society, those without voice or power, those who are different by race or origin, has been a common thread running throughout this nation’s history. It is only when the light of truth is shown upon them, that society at large sees that the “others” are in fact no different from them, and we are a nation of “others”.

In the end, it will be those of us, each with a single matchlight, who will hopefully provide that light of truth.

Until then:

The forest is mysterious dark and deep
I have many promises to keep
And many miles to go before I sleep
And many miles to go before I sleep
(R. Frost)