Vote to Pass the DREAM Act on change.org

Change.org will present the top 10 ideas for change to the Obama administration just before his Inaugural, and will create national campaigns for them too. I strongly encourage you to go on this link and vote for the DREAM Act! http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pass_the_dream_act_now

So many lives would be saved. These innocent people who grew up here in America, and had no control over their parents actions. I am an example. I've lived here since I was four years old, but only found out about my status while applying to college. But even that time, I was in deep denial and did not believe it. It is only these past few months that I've actually accepted that I have no future without this bipartisan bill even though I worked really really hard for my grades in high school. Don't we believe in a just America that rewards people for doing good? Then why am I, and thousands of kids in this country experiencing such injustice?

so. please, go and VOTE!! We want to be productive citizens in this country. We don't want to hide, and just sit and do nothing. We are willing to work for this country we love, so please let us!

For any of you who say we're criminals for not going back to our country, how can we? We only know the American culture. I don't know what life is like back in my home country. We are so Americanized, you probably wouldn't even think of me as an undocumented immigrant. Here's a scenario for anyone who doesn't believe in the DREAM Act. If you were in my place, and you've been here since a baby, and suddenly, when you are 18 years old, you realize that you can't be in this country because your parents didn't bring you here legally, will you suddenly leave America and go to a third world country where you will probably have no food to eat? Will you leave your family behind? I have two American born sisters. Will you just take this news and say lightly, okay, the right thing for me to do is go back to where I was born because that is the law. I'm just gonna leave my sisters behind, and my parents will come along too. My sisters will manage...they'll probably end up in some foster home.....ummmm, anyone who reacts in this way is crazy.

And, I also believe in what MLK, Jr. said. The law is not always correct, and when it's not we need to correct it. Undocumented minors are living in the new age of discrimination.

No matter where you stand in the immigration debate, no matter whether you call us illegal or undocumented (I prefer to be called undocumented; I have a strong word aversion against the word illegal ), this is a bill that needs to pass for humanitarian reasons. This is social justice. It's morally wrong to punish anyone for the actions of another person. Period. This is also the reason why it's gotten BIPARTISAN support. Both parties like this bill. It makes sense.

For those of you who argue that it will give criminals benefits, this is a lie!!! The DREAM Act clearly says that this bill will only be open people who have no criminal record!!

You know, most of my friends don't know that I'm undocumented. Only a few do. But, because I live in an extremely conservative town, I even have friends who are conservative and are for anti-immigrants. They've said so many untrue stereotypes against immigrants, and most of the time, they don't even realize that they hurt me. They don't realize that I am "one of them" or the "other". I wish I could tell them...Heyy, look at me! You are friends with an undocumented immigrant, and you don't even know it! Of course, that is too dangerous for me to do, but really, I wish I could do that. How will they react? Will they hate me when we've loved each other before? Can you see how we are being discriminated? Do you know what it's like every time someone asks me why I can't drive, why I don't work, why I don't go to school? How do I answer? Put these three things together--no work, no school, no job--hmm, this person must be lazy. Oh, gosh, I don't deserve to be called lazy. I graduated w/ honors in high school, got into UCSD, did over a hundred hours of community service (and right now, since I'm not in school, that's what I have been continuing to do). So, don't call me lazy, don't judge me.

Please give me a chance to be productive. I'm already so hurt that this bill hasn't passed. It should've passed a long time ago. I love this country, and I respect it. I hope this year, 2009, it will love and respect me back. I want my dignity back.

So America, I'm calling on you to take one minute out of your day to register and vote for the DREAM Act on this link! http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pass_the_dream_act_now

Join the facebook group my friend created called "Pass the DREAM Act" and invite all your friends too!

I know, eventually, this bill will pass. Open your mind, and don't mix this is in the polarized immigration debate. There's a reason why this is a BIPARTISAN bill.