I haven’t listened to this yet, but funny how you didn’t ask me to join the panel. right…right…

I really enjoyed the segment. Thank you for educating others about my community and what we stand for here in the United States.

Kijahna they still didn’t address the issues…..bull crap. Didn’t address language barrier/racism within the immigrants…

I figured as much. Clearly when they say the Black perspective, they aren’t including Black people as a whole. Just ones that agree with their POV. Whatever! When the Spanish Bud Light and Verizon signs come down off La Cienega and Rodeo where clearly Black people own the property – holla at a “sista!”

LOL i so agree…..With anything lets hear both sides of the story and go from there…..

What exactly is the issue that wasn’t addressed? I think that you both should join in the conversation for round two of this discussion.

Kijahna, I would encourage you to listen to the podcast for yourself as we discussed the language issue extensively – it just happens that all of us are educators, and we ended up speaking specifically about how it affects us to that end. If after you’ve listened, you still feel our perspective isn’t inclusive of all Black people (which we don’t claim it to be), by all means join us on October 19th for Part II! John can share the details with you.

Fear based? Wow! What part of illegal do you not understand? Sorry, I don’t eat corn and meat off the corner. I’ve heard enough.

Take a picture of the hood – it looks third world! You need to worry about your own people instead of championing the cause of someone else who broke the law. Why don’t you check on the Shoshone and the Paiute tribes and see how they are fairing.

Further, the day I am denied something because I don’t speak a FOREIGN language such as Spanish is the day that I will be filing a discrimination action in Federal and State court.

Why don’t you get some Mexican Americans on your show. Many of them feel the exact same way I do.

“If they were white they would have had Amnesty already.” SMDH

If they want to learn math in their native languge, they can go home. I am home!

Thanks! it was an interesting conversation and is good to know that the Latino/Hispanic community is supported by some of the black communities out there.

As an immigrant I just want to say how hard it is for our parents to come to a new country and try to educate their children not knowing the rules and laws. Most of us just come for a better life due to poverty or civil wars in our own countries and appreciate the opportunities we get in the US!

First, John I’ll have to blame you for riling this “sista” up – your change in the original title is causing controversy. Notice the focus on the word “illegal” when the topic of the podcast is simply immigration, and more importantly, the rising numbers in the Latino and Hispanic communities over the last decade. Whether we like it or not, and whether it’s legal or not, the people are here, and the question is how should our community respond to it?

And what “hood” in Los Angeles do you speak of that’s not filled with black AND brown people? If we tend to the needs of our people, by default the needs of others who live in those neighborhoods will be met as well.

Though our focus are the issues that pertain to and interest black people – and as we are all black, whether you agree with us or not, it is a black perspective – we aren’t separatists.

I’ll take all of your suggestions for things we should do – and here’s one for you: Why don’t you come to the podcast on the 19th and share your opinion there? Our group is family and welcome you – and if we come to an impasse, we can agree to disagree amicably. Perhaps your passion for the topic of illegal immigration specifically will spark a different conversation, and it would carry far more weight with the group then in this forum where only four people are tuned in.

Hope to see you on the 19th.

1st off, I’m going to have to applaud Mr.Byrd for his title, for it served its purpose, which was to spark interest and insight discussion. I understand where Kijahna is coming from, but I feel it was presented with too much rage and not enough open mindedness. WE(blacks) were shipped to this land while the Mexican/Native Americans were forced or shipped out and secluded rather than included in the plan…

I think, it should be a California law to learn a second language, whether English, Spanish, or another because it’s a start to a better understanding each other. We’ve been ALL socially hypnotized and mind-f*cked to believe our race is the better race and to look down on each others cultures. WE are all minorites, meaning we all belong to that union, so let’s unite! We do need better laws & guidlines, not to fight immigration, but a way to incorporate or fellow neighbors for whom wit we share a common line. By the way, I wonder how many times U say, “damn those illegal CANADIANS!!”

this country was founded by immigrant

I’m so embarrased by some of my people! Good listen. Comments disturbing.

Wow. such hate in these comments.

Please excuse any mispellings!

I recently returned to the USA from a country I immigrated to. For clarity, I am a 28yr african american women from Los angeles. I immigrated there married with two children and have returned divorced…On to the subject at hand. There are thousand upon thousand of people who want to LEGALLY immigrate to the US and those FEW who are successful suffer grately due the blatant inconsistances in the manor in which our country enforces its immigration laws.A person who legally obtains a permit to study in the US might later decide to marry, but unfortunately for them, they have to return to where they came from, and BEG for permission to return. I as an American citizen cannot qualify for a resident discount in a state I recently move to unless I can jump through a thousand hoops and submit to an anal probe, but if I came in illegally and got a GED or went to high school (paid for by tax payer money) I can get a discount…huh?

The allowances made by the law are incredibly one sided and bias towards a specific and very populous group. It is rediculous the amount of nigerians, haitians, dominicans and other largely afro descent groups who are regularly deported, who come from terribly poor countries, and are deported in DROVES.Why arent we up in arms about that? I am well aware that second largest group of illegal aliens in the US are Asian, but an enormous percentage of them a very well educated and qualified to fill many positions the offer our country the ability to be competive in the world market, they speak english and respect the neccesity of participation in society at least in ability to communicate.

After my experience of immigration to a third world country, becomming fluent in a difficult and foreign language, suffering through adjusting to the culture and practices of my new neighbors. I have very little space or understanding for people who immigrate to the USA, full of people from their background and culture, who and complain and feel entitled to the services, and constant support the our country freely gives and continues to give of its own will. I believe that anytime you decide to immigrate anywhere it is your responsibility to prepare for and respect the customs and language of that country and its peoples. Immigrating to the US is a vacation…and I find it sad that our country continues to be biased and unfair.

Our country was NOT simply built by immigrants…our countries history is WAY more complicated than that.

My suggestion for the next podcast topic: Defense of Native Peoples rights and their struggles! OR correcting the problems in American trade policies that help sustain the poverty in many countries around the world that encourage illegal immigration…???? What do you think?

Illegal aliens are ruining this country, bringing crime and an attack on our American culture.

[...] in the United States have been known for supporting legislation that disproportionally targets Latinos and we fail to realize that the majority of Blacks in the Americas like Hugo Chavez, Sammy Sosa, [...]

[...] in the United States have been known for supporting legislation that disproportionally targets Latinos and we fail to realize that the majority of Blacks in the Americas like Hugo Chavez, Sammy Sosa, [...]