Objection, GOP debate, wages: Second look

Letters to the editor:

Objection

Much of what’s wrong with the current immigration debate can be seen in commentary writer Souheila Al-Jadda’s piece, “Stop the anti-Arab scare-mongering: Column,” attacking the Center for Immigration Studies.

Al-Jadda starts with a story about her immigrant mother’s love of soap operas. She then goes on to use words like “un-American” and “bigoted” simply because the center reported numbers directly from the Census Bureau’s website — numbers she never disputes.

In 2014, more than one in five U.S. residents spoke a language other than English at home. The 63.2 million foreign language speakers in 2014 are very roughly triple the number in 1980. Al-Jadda provides no policy recommendations on how best to assimilate and integrate immigrants and their children. Reducing future immigration levels may well facilitate the assimilation of immigrants already here. Shrill language and heart-warming anecdotes are not likely to prove helpful in formulating sensible public policy.

The number of immigrants to allow in each year is a profoundly important question for any nation. Trying to shut down debate on such questions by name-calling will not make the issue go away.

Steven A. Camarota, director of research, Center for Immigration Studies; Washington, D.C.

POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media

GOP debate

The Republicans who have complained about their debates and the moderators prove they are afraid to actually debate, can’t think on their feet and don’t wish to have open dialogue. What they want is free airtime to promote their faces and names (“To improve GOP debates, cut candidates: #tellusatoday”). They want advertising, promotion and broadcasting of their scripted messages without having to pay anything. Their whining and demands defy the purpose of a debate in which a winner should be declared after open, intense arguments.

Jean Lillie; Anthon, Iowa

Risks of hiking wages

If employers are forced to pay $15 per hour to hamburger-flippers, the price to consumers will be increased as well (“Fast-food workers ready for their biggest strike yet,” Money, Thursday). Many consumers will no longer purchase the product, forcing layoffs or reduced work hours — a very losing situation.

Ruth McLaughlin; Milford, N.H.