Burnam calls legislative session "most racist" in 25 years

Thousands of people were in the Texas Capitol today protesting controversial immigration bills being considered by state lawmakers.

The crowd marched from Austin's Waterloo Park to the Capitol, chanting "Si se puede!" ("Yes we can!"), according to several news reports.

Protesters were especially concerned about bills similar to one recently passed in Arizona becoming law in Texas. Lawmakers in support of such measures say they are needed to curb illegal immigration.

Zahira Torres, an Austin-based reporter for the El Paso Times covering the event, tweeted this quote from state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who addressed the crowd: "You are here to say no to the most racist session of the Texas legislature in a quarter of a century."

-Aman Batheja

Comments

[Jennifer]

Say Buy Buy to GOP Republicans who have nothing in mind but keeping America white.

What about the jobs? Now they plan to cut 800,000 jobs with their new federal budget in addition to cutting immigration on all levels. Corporate America and the KKK are having a good year.

[Randy Klein]

The only reason this Democrat and others oppose something like this is because they wouldn't be able to get all these illegal votes to regain there seats.

[Oliver]

Jennifer the thought bye, bye, is exactly what we need. We will become a nation slowly decaying as we welcome people who will not fight for their rights in their homelands. WW2 did any nation in the Northern Hemisphere aside our neighbor to the North Canada, have troops landing at Omaha Beach or fighting in the Pacific? But one nation offered diplomatic contact and a number of other things as well. Who was that again...buy buy

[Oliver]

Twenty-five years too late.

[Dan]

Protesting illegal immigration bills by chanting in Spanish! That's classic!

[Alberto Knox]

They are just calling it what it is, not that it will help. But you gatta call it by its right name.

[Topkitty]

Republicans are always talking about people taking responsibility until it is something they are responsible for. If the jobs weren't here, they would not come. The ONLY reason immigration is being discussed is because we elected President Obama. G.W didn't do anything about it, and it was happening as the GOP looted the Country. Think any illegals ever worked on the Crawford Ranch or picked fruit for a HUGE world wide corporation? Or do all the working people in America have invisible maids, gardeners, and farm workers? Republicans = KKK/Tea Party in 2011.

[Donald Kneram]

Burnam is very wrong. All the good/lawful Legislators are trying to do is have TX follow the laws of our land. In addition reduce the amount of cost to we US Citizens and follow the will of TX Citizens.

[db]

So I have a question. Because I believe we should follow the law (change it but don't break it) and I'm tired of seeing our country go down the tubes, I'm a racist? Please. I have seen on a daily basis the drain on this country's resources. I'm not racist, but I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe. That's not racist but isn't it funny who is protesting (check out the quotes) my right to expect the law to be followed.

[darrell]

it is not a racial issue for state officials seeking methods to enforce laws allready on federal books or to enhance state laws regarding crime prevention or security. its unfortunate that it will affect one segment of our society more than others but race is not the motivation. crime prevention and budget concerns at all levels are the driving forces here. we can no longer sustain the costs illegal immigrants from all nations are creating.

[HD]

Thousands of protesters,from people I know in austin there was a few dozen at best

[db]

what's really funny, topkitty, is that obama doesn't want us to protest ILLEGALS at all.

[Wilson]

More deadbeat leftists with nothing better to do than attack our laws and democracy. Shame on them.

[Stop Handing People Our Money]

I don't agree with Republicans or Democrats on the issue of Immigration and reform. But, what's wrong with being fair to citizens? I pay $4000 for my kid's braces, while a kid who is here illegally pays NOTHING and gets free braces???? I pay thousands to have insurance and pay for childbirth while an illegal mother pays NOTHING to the hospital. Stopping the "freebies" and wanting reform has nothing to do with being racist.

[tex]

Illegal is ILLEGAL. If you are not a citizen of the US and you are not a legal visitor, you should be deported. We need immigration laws MUCH STRONGER than Arizona.

This is not racism. This is national and state sovereignty.

[John Galt]

Burnam is a flaky, ineffective nutcase.

[Brittanicus]

SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS OF STATES.

Those States that are still catering to the illegal alien invasion will not get any sympathy from the majority of Americans. By now all States have seen the developing costs associated with people stealing across our national border and entering into this country under the pretext of being a tourist or student. Every year from every corner of the world, thousands come to the US, to have their children fully aware that this child will have dual citizenship and can take financial advantage of the 14th Amendment provisions. Many States-- like the illegal alien popular State of California and now Nevada is bearing towards disaster with their unregulated use of tax dollars to pay for the education for their offspring, and the need for the uninsured--medical care. Arizona was so close the border fence that it accumulated hundreds of thousands of uninvited guests, lowering job opportunities for less educated citizens and yet hardly aiding the tax base. Every State now has the opportunity to mandate E-Verify, Local police action law 287(g) and Secure Communities operations nationwide or become that money magnet for illegal nationals.

Documentation from the GAO (General Accounting Office) has disclosed finally, that for every one dollar spent by illegal nationals; they get a return of between three and four dollars. But this problem is beyond credibility as the taxpayer’s bill, keeps on mounting rapidly. All politicians had better care that's happening here, because American people have finally begun to wake and learning why their taxes keep rising. As the Federal management has failed to pay attention, so the States are trying to defend their own inhabitants from illegal labor occupation. A reasonable question to ask all the leadership in Washington and all State lawmakers is where are thousands of illegal immigrants whose lives were disrupted by Arizona's policing provisions--flew to places unknown? My guess is they didn't go far?

As more State legislators are fighting for their own survival and they enact tough illegal alien restraining enforcement the likely destination is California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, perhaps Utah and anywhere further afield that panders to the large ethnic blocs and illegal immigrant and migrant families. One only can imagine the chaos as hundreds of thousands of these people end up in welfare lines, hospital waiting rooms and adding to even higher expenditures to join the millions already there. Countless thousands will join the already clogged neighborhoods in the social service State of California, others will go elsewhere. California is already burdened with a 24 billion dollar deficit meltdown, Nevada will be looking for another $3.billion to cover its debt as Carson City is investigating another tax hike. An estimated $113 billion dollars goes to support illegal aliens yearly and these dollars are also climbing throughout America. Many States that includes Indiana, Utah are still meandering around any no tolerance laws, which will also attract multitudes of illegal aliens looking for jobs and yet another welfare office.

Now is the time to shield this nation from foreign invaders, from drug dealers, criminals and those who come and expect citizens and legally authorized residents to keep paying for the rest of the world’s poor. This is why the Tea Party was organized on a grand scale and that's why hundreds of pro-sovereignty groups are recruiting people who have just had enough of the games played by our politicians. One amnesty was enough that turned into a travesty and burned every taxpaying American. ICE should go into every Sanctuary City in force and arrest every Mayor, Elected officer who has engineered these provisions. NumbersUSA has a million regular citizens who want to prevent further exploitation of this nation by foreign countries, to elevate their pressure valve of growing impoverished, wanting populations.

[Johnathan Mendoza]

This isn't a racial issue and shouldn't be made out as one. There are immigration laws that everyone should follow. Because you are a neighboring country to the US doesn't mean you shouldn't have to follow those laws. It's kind of like trying to enforce gun control instead of prosecuting the criminals who are in violation of the law. Uphold the laws of the land and let freedom ring for those legally here.

[Peggy]

Tex, I agree with you. Illegal is Illegal! What's so hard to understand about that. If people come here illegally then they are already criminals and should be sent back. How many people came through Ellis Island and went through hardship to come to the U.S. LEGALLY, these people don't care about doing anything the right way. I have worked all my life and had to pay for everything I have or do without. I have never expected to get things free. Some people do, but not me.

[James]

Being illegal, the laws do not care where you came from, what color your skin is or what your ethnic background is. Illegal is illegal is illegal. Its plain as the nose on your face.

Every state this year that has legislators meeting at the state level ALL have some kind of illegal immigration legislation on their dockets. Everything from denying illegals a driver license, to attending any kind of college, to mandating every company inside the state use E-Verify, to Showing picture at the voting place, to denying simple care at the hospital unless you can prove your legally in the US. I mean you name it, and its probably out there. Everyone in these states can not be racist, xenophobe, nativist, or what ever other word anyone cares to call someone.

Look at the report out of Los Angeles County, California, where the county supervisors report issued said that $53Million in taxpayer money when to people illegally in the US who are not even suppose to be getting any taxpayer money. that is approximately $600Million in one county in one fiscal year. This is just one of a number of reasons Americans are tired of illegal immigration.

America welcomes more LEGAL immigrants every year than the rest of the world combine.

[petesakes]

Burnam is the RACIST here. I guess it takes one to know one huh Lon? Hopefully you will be voted out asap. The only reason you are still in office is because you cater to illegals and those who leach off of the hard working tax payers. It's a shame that a person isn't required to have morals and be ethical to run for office. Good old Lon is like the John Wiley Price of Fort Worth. Speaking of John Wiley, did anyone read about his little outburst the other day? Just so happens he told a group of people at a Dallas County Commissioners meeting to "You're white, Go to hell". I guess we can be thankful that this isn't Dallas?

[BurningFeet]

Foreign invaders sucking up our resources? Illegals here illegally? Free braces? Sanctuary Cities disguised as tourist destinations? Regular citizens becoming irregular? Who is that bell tolling for?

And the worst of all, folks, is that your Lilly white wonderland of Texas is now chock full of minorities. Well, minority. You, the white guys are the new minority, so I'd be puttin' away the old pointy sheet, and learning me a little Spanish. Majorities have a way of being real nasty to minority populations, especially when treated unfairly by their former overlords.

At the end of slavery a former enslaved man was heard to say, "We ain't gonna be slaves no mo'. We gonna take t'oins! And guess who's t'oin it is now?"

[Don't be fooled]

Lon Burnam is BURNINGFEET....You are the Racist like your leader Obummer

[Maria]

Burning Feet: How exactly does your rather nasty anti-white racism help build a strong America?

The "old white boys" you have so much contempt for built the country that everybody else feels "entitled" to live in, including your precious illegals from South of the Border. Why should they have to "learn Spanish" just because you suffer from white guilt (or non-white schadenfreude)? Do you seriously want the U.S. to become part of Latin America, with all of its poverty, lack of a middle class, history of brutal civil wars and violent revolutions, lack of economic and technological progress?

Do you think the country will be the same without those "old white boys" that you hate so much? I don't. And I don't want to live in Mexico. It's yet to be proved that Mexicans can build a civilization that resembles anything better their homeland. The early returns from Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico are not good on that score.

A strong civilization is good for everyone. A weak one helps no one, including the "oppressed" minorities.

[darrell]

ok, im white and ill admit i probably have a racist bone or two. these dont come about because of skin color or nationality. they come about because of attitude, culture, lifestyle, and in this case, self presevation. i served my country, worked hard all my life and steadily see everything i and others worked so hard to achieve dwindle away because of the affects of illegal aliens. i would not care if every illegal alien in america was white. my attitude on illegal aliens would be the same. its bleeding our country dry. the number of illegal aliens all countries is just over 23 million. of those 600,000 are non-mexican. 380,000 "anchor babies" were born in the U.S. last year. the U.S. taxpayer paid for 97% of all the medical costs of those children. the average cost of a hospital birth is 8,000 dollars. thats $3.04 billion dollars. that is just the tip of a very large bill over 18 years. this isnt racism, its economics.