Posted on 08/09/2014 11:27:09 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Last Sunday in Iowa, the two of us had the opportunity to meet Rep. Steve King of Iowa and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. After we identified ourselves as “DREAMers”— undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children — what we intended to be a civil, serious discussion turned into a tense confrontation with King.
That tense confrontation became a viral Internet sensation when Paul fled the scene in the middle of eating a hamburger. Here’s the whole story.
Originally, we had travelled to Iowa to meet other DREAMers and Iowans from King’s district. King is one of the House of Representatives’ most vocal opponents of comprehensive immigration reform, and he is known for his wild statements equating Hispanic immigrants to “drug mules.” Despite his cold reception, Iowans were very welcoming: We met a gentle-spoken Christian Republican who told us that King did not represent his views, or his neighbors’, when it comes to immigration, explaining why the issue drove down King’s winning margin from 30 percentage points in 2010 to just 8 points in 2012.
After speaking with undocumented young people like us, we were invited by King’s constituents to attend his fundraiser. It was telling that his constituents lamented how King rarely speaks directly to the people he represents.
At the event, we listened to King’s speech. He wasted no time bragging about his recent legislative success to kill DACA – the federal program to halt the deportation of young immigrants raised in the United States. The speech made us angry; it was then that one of us decided to hand him our DACA card, challenging him to rip it up if he truly opposes the program.
Contrary to what King said later, we did not create an elaborate, 007-like plan to catch him on camera saying something outrageous. Nor had we planned to ask King to rip up our DACA cards, the tangible identification that protects us from deportation. Most importantly, we don’t have a “left wing” partisan agenda; this is personal for us because this is about our families, not politics.
King was condescending and insulting: Though we were raised in the United States, he asked if we understood the English language, interrogated us about whether we were drug smugglers and dismissed the sacrifice of an undocumented soldier killed in action by repeatedly calling him a liar. Needless to say, King’s rough manners—he even grabbed Erika’s hand—crossed the line.
Paul, who was there to raise money for King, avoided the topic of immigration in front of the elderly, predominantly white crowd, but he did urge Republicans to be more inclusive by giving those caught up in the prison system for drug offenses a “second chance” because “we all deserve one.”
Paul’s rhetoric made sense to us, which is why it was surprising to see him avoid not only a question on immigration policy, but also the people asking it. No reporters were hovering over Paul after his speech, which we thought might make him more willing to engage as he sat eating lunch alongside King. Instead, his aide kept a wary eye on us as we approached the table.
******
Cesar Vargas and Erika Andiola are co-directors of the Dream Action Coalition and national advocates for immigration reform.
Rand Paul did run away but King didn’t
“King was condescending and insulting.”
Or maybe just hungry. They were just tucking into lunch sandwiches when these turdblossoms interrupted them in what was more a of a confrontation than an “open and mutual beneficial exchange ideas” that the Dems so value.
So it was just another “Gotcha!” attempt by ... more than just immoral or unethical opponents; yeah, the words are still “illegal aliens”.
All I want to know is when these people id themselves as illegal aliens why are the not detained??
This is a Nation of laws still, is it not?
Is this a multiple choice question?
Since when do illegals have to obey the law ?
If it doesn't include people breaking American immigration laws and the government's shameful refusal to act and deport them, it's not the whole story.
Yeah. I do that to some long-time freepers myself, and get it, if I'm being stupid.
All part of a diverse democracy, sweetheart. Get used to it.
We started out as a republic.
/johnny
It’s just like democrats to accuse Steve King of their own behavior. They were condescending and insulting. Steve King let these scofflaw illegals interrupt his meal to demand that we give up our sovereignty because they had trouble with the justice system in their country. Congressman King made a point of letting them know we have no desire for them to bring their love of lawlessness to the US.
Rand Paul, on the other hand, turned tail and bravely ran away.
/johnny
I wish that man would have torn up that card, thrown it in her face and called ICE for the deportation team.
I’m sick of the entitled latinos.
GO AWAY.
Kunti po ang alam kong English. 2nd, you need to learn it.
:-)
Tagalog?
Affirmative sir. Actually, the truth is, you don't have to. It just impresses the locals, but they all speak English, just some better than others.
He was prescient about a ruined lunch. Illegal aliens forget, or choose to ignore, that the people who hold the responsibility for their being here illegally are the people that brought them here.
Rand Paul's immigration speech...The Republican Party must embrace more legal immigration.[Posted on 03/19/2013 7:04:07 AM PDT by Perdogg]
Unfortunately, like many of the major debates in Washington, immigration has become a stalemate-where both sides are imprisoned by their own rhetoric or attachment to sacred cows that prevent the possibility of a balanced solution.
Immigration Reform will not occur until Conservative Republicans, like myself, become part of the solution. I am here today to begin that conversation.
Let's start that conversation by acknowledging we aren't going to deport 12 million illegal immigrants.
If you wish to work, if you wish to live and work in America, then we will find a place for you...
This is where prudence, compassion and thrift all point us toward the same goal: bringing these workers out of the shadows and into being taxpaying members of society.
Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers.12 million more people assimilating into society. 12 million more people being productive contributors.
Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reformLatinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers...[Posted on 04/21/2013 1:52:42 PM PDT by SoConPubbie]
[but he's not in favor of amnesty, snicker, definition of is is]
Ambush journo-lism.
CNN was running a 7 minute hit piece on this last week when I was at a doctor’s office (I think the tv is there to raise your blood pressure).
The pravda media didn’t give a RAT’s a$$ when videos revealed Planned Parenthood gleefully accepting racist funding to target the elimination of black babies or coaching minors how to lie about being raped so as not to draw investigation from legal authorities.
Phony scandal with the “dreamers” clip.
Can you imagine Ted Cruz or Sarah Palin running away from them, though?
Why should anyone pay attention to squatters and the children of squatters? They don’t have a right to tell us what to do after breaking our laws. Kudos to Congressman King for not playing games with the immature writers of this piece.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.