Immigration resurfaces as issue for Sierra Club

[question everything]

Immigration resurfaces as issue for Sierra Club

By Terence Chea
ASSOCIATED PRESS

April 9, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO – One year after failing to win control of the Sierra Club in a bitterly contested election, advocates for stricter immigration limits are back, arguing that the venerable conservation group can best protect the environment by reducing U.S. population growth.

The club's 750,000 members are voting this month on whether the organization should push for tighter restrictions on immigration. Five seats are open on the 15-member board of directors, which sets club policy and commands the $100 million annual budget.

Sierrans for U.S. Population Stabilization, club activists seeking to limit immigration, are backing five candidates and pushing a "yes" vote on a measure calling for restricting immigration. They say that Americans are the world's biggest consumers, and that when immigrants come to this country they significantly increase their consumption.

(snip)

But opponents, including many current and former leaders of the 113-year-old club, argue that wading into the politics of immigration will alienate allies such as labor unions and civil rights groups and won't slow population growth worldwide.

More..
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050409/news_1n9sierra.html

[screembloodymurder]

1. This isn't about immigration, it's about limiting population growth.

It's about changing from a nation that consumes to one that conserves. It's about leaving a planet for our grandchildren. I'm beginning to think we need a depression.

[Igel]

4. Which, for the US, means the same thing.

Current citizen's reproduction rates are at or just below replacement; if you subtract out recent immigrants, they're well below replacement rates.

Most of the population growth the US has experienced in the last decade is the result immigration, either the immigrants themselves, or the fertility bump produced by their attitudes towards large families.

[w4rma]

11. The purpose of a depression is to return property to its rightful owners.

"During depressions, money flows back to it's rightful owners" - Richard Mellon Scaife

I don't think you really want the power and buisnesses and land and money to be given to the folks that Richard Mellon Scaife considers their "rightful owners".

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

22. global warming and pollution don't stop at the border

This shouldn't be about immigration at all. It should be about overpopulation. We are fouling our own nest throughout the world. We have to start reducing the number of people who come into the world, before it's too late.

[ChrisPhx]

2. They can start a separate group for their cause

I'm a very long time member of Sierra Club.

I've already voted to prevent the hostile takeover by immigration issues. By voting against the question on immigration and for Joni Bosch and 4 of the others who agree with her.

The problem is it is likely to turn Sierra Club into a one issue organization, that issue being immigration and its impact.

That is not Sierra Club's purpose, never has been.

There are far too many other issues that Sierra Club works on, stands for. Wilderness, ie ANWR, clean air, clean water, preservation of other wilderness (roadless) areas.

We can not allow our agenda to be hijacked.

My opinion.

If you agree and belong to Sierra Club, please be sure to vote.

[Piperay]

13. I agree

putting this issue into the Sierra Club would do nothing but be divisive, they can form their own organization instead of diluting and weakening the Sierra Club.

[ChrisPhx]

14. Exactly

Well said.

[Joey Liberal]

3. I was planning on joining the Sierra Club, but..............

I'm a little worried about this. I will look for another group. Any suggestions out there>

[megatherium]

21. Please join the Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club is the most respected of the major environmentalist groups. It is also the most democratic (which is why the anti-immigration partisans are pushing their agenda there).

[PeaceProgProsp]

5. Keeping people miserable in undeveloped economies is not a good goal.

To reduce misery, eventually all economies will become reasonably developed with more middle class consumption.

It's sort of tilting at windmills (and morally reprehensible) to argue for keeping all poor people in poor undeveloped countries, and slowing down American econmic growth by keeping immigrants out.

[Mr.Green93]

7. "with more middle class consumption."

Middlle class consumption is the problem.

[PeaceProgProsp]

18. Which is why the focus should be on making consumption sustainable

rather than on keeping people poor so that there's less consumption.

[MrTriumph]

12. With our border is open, there is no reason for their gov'ts to change

What a racket. The wealthy elite in countries south of our border can continue to keep the status quo as long as those in misery can escape to the US.

[PeaceProgProsp]

17. With the borders closed, there's no reason to change.

They'll have their captive cheap labor force, and they won't need to do things that make people chose to remain in Mexico.

[leesa]

6. What a crap arguement. BIRTH CONTROL and education are the answer

Why is it that every single person in America has to have a kid (usually 2 0r more) with their genes??? Why is this when there are so many needing to be adopted??

Pure selfishness!

[oneold1-4u]

8. Not so sure!

When the average citizen of the US stopped having families of 5-10 children, the nation just allowed more immigrants to arrive, legally, and not! The population of the nation would be many millions less today without the immigration of just the last 20 years and their issue. Most of the immigrants use no means to inhibit the birth of children even though they have no means to care for them! We will never again be able to conserve natural resources to keep them for those born in the last half of this century! At least not in this country with what we have today for national government!

[Bridget Burke]

19. So--most immigrants don't use birth control even though ....

they've got NO means to care for their children? Even the legal ones?

How many immigrants do you know? Some do use birth control. In fact, many of the undocumented are men who left their families at home. They are here in order to gain means to care for them.

Overpopulation is a global problem. Labor exploitation is a global problem. Making the USA a gated community won't solve either one.

[Zhade]

9. Damn it, we already went through this attempted rightwing hijacking!

NT!

[Robert Oak]

10. why doesn't the Sierra Club

Just plain acknowledge this is a contributing problem, i.e. adopt
a few of the issues and then block the takeover.

It is a contributing problem to the environment in the US...

But, I do not think the Sierra club wants to be taken over
by these guys...for it's "off center" of their real agenda...

just add it to their platform as it is proven through ind. studies
(which it is) and then block like hell these board players
to take over the Sierra club...

[ChrisPhx]

15. It has been acknowledged

The proposition ballot question is

"Shall the Sierra Club policy on immigration, adopted by the Board of Directors in 1999 and revised in 2003, be changed to recognize the need the need to adopt lower limits on migration to the US as shown below....?"

and then some details.

Old Sierra Club people, like me, want to address the issues as global issues. And don't want to split the ranks by taking a position that does so.

[Rockerdem]

16. This is becoming our 3rd rail

Lets leave it alone. A full debate woul tear our coalition apart. Im afraid that there isnt a good answer consistent with all of our principles, so why give ammunition to rightwingers for free?

[Bridget Burke]

20. Please explain.

What should we shut up about NOW?