University Star

Does illegal immigration help or hurt U.S. citizens?

My world geography teacher posed that question last week intending to shed light on the economic disadvantages illegal immigrants face. The majority of my classmates responded absurdly. Answers came in shouts that mimicked a backwoods, riotous town hall meeting.

“Mexicans that come across our border legally and illegally take jobs that solid American citizens are entitled to.”

“Poor immigrants draw Social Security and do not pay taxes to compensate.”

A girl even expressed her belief that she was not getting enough in FAFSA student loans because she was white. She was certain all minorities were getting at least double what she received, just by checking the box next to Hispanic or black.

I am appalled this sentiment exists on our campus and in our society. According to the Financial Aid Office at our school, the FAFSA federal aid is based completely on a family’s gross income. Race does not even come into account for anything other than to take a demographic.

It would be a warranted generalization to assume, on average, minorities earn a smaller income than the average white family, but those of poorer families should receive more financial aid than a richer, white kid.

An argument was made against that logic as well.

“My family makes a lot of money so I do not receive FAFSA financial aid, but they do not help me with school,” A student said.

I am truly apathetic toward students in that situation. The blame does not lie with any federal shortcomings regarding financial aid disbursement or with the person who draws more money because they came from less. If someone came from a family that makes money, they will not starve, even if things get tight and they are forced to take out student loans.

There were even arguments made against the narrowing of some scholarships to be targeted to a specific minority group. Thousands of scholarships go unclaimed each year and these people are still making room in their busy schedules to whimper about the fact that there is a scholarship for only minorities.

It seems that we, the young nation, have a very large mouth. One side preaches the end of racial issues while the other side screams for a handout when things get rough.

We are the next generation. We cannot afford to sell ourselves out to lazy greed when the obvious truth remains that white people dominate our higher education institutions.

It all comes down to the general idea that got us into economic crisis, got us a bad rap with most of the world and ultimately makes us lazy — We think that we are entitled to something, a right of passage, just for being American.

Stop whining. Spend the time applying for a scholarship instead of seething.