Pro-immigrant message draws fire from Tancredo
M.E.Spregelmeyer
Published April 17, 2008 at 11 p.m.
Rep. Tom Tancredo questions the pope's motives.
Rep. Tom Tancredo blasted the pro-immigrant message of visiting Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday, accusing the pontiff of using "faith-based marketing" to boost foreign-born attendance at parishes in the United States.
"I suspect the pope's immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church," said Tancredo, a former Catholic who now attends an Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Tancredo, a vocal critic of illegal immigration and guest-worker proposals because he considers them to be "amnesty," has criticized the Catholic church in the past for social programs and advocacy geared toward helping illegal immigrants.
Benedict urged the United States "to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home."
Tancredo interpreted that as a call for lessening restrictions on illegal immigration and said intruding in American politics is not part of the pope's job description.
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April 18, 2008
4:46 a.m.
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longpasttime writes:
What does the pope care about our situation here? He goes back to Rome after his trip and we have to deal with the illegals and their adverse effects on our society.
What he should do is load his plane up with all the illegals he can and take them back to Italy with him, and see how the Italian government likes it when they are released (illegally) into Italy.
I'm betting the Italians won't like it one bit!
April 18, 2008
6:32 a.m.
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pamelaw writes:
Watch it with the Italians...this Italian does not agree with the Pope and believes that illegal means illegal and they should go home and come here the right way.
April 18, 2008
6:55 a.m.
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sherryl writes:
Yeah and i bet if the mexicans were going into his country illegal and taking jobs would he be so happy to let them in? Just amazing how people that do not know the situation around this country are sure ready to tell us how to run it. Nice if they all just shut up and let us deal with it on our own.
April 18, 2008
7:13 a.m.
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killerteacup writes:
He said "immigrants", not "illegal immigrants". We absolutely should welcome those who are here legally, so where's the problem?
April 18, 2008
8:16 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Tancredo is one of the few politician's who doesn't have his head up his you-know-where when it ivolves illegals!!
He makes perfectly good sense!!
The Catholic Church wants uneducated, devoted, illegal aliens to keep pouring their unlawfully gained dollars flowing into church coffers. The majority of Mexicans are Catholic.
The Pope knows how to promote a business!!
April 18, 2008
8:21 a.m.
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vudumom writes:
The Catholic Church runs a safe house inside Mexico close to the U.S. border. It provides food,clothing,a place to rest and advice to illegals getting ready to cross into the U.S. illegally. What they are doing is aiding and abetting illegal activity and not reconizing our laws in the U.S. That is wrong and the church should be prosecuted.
April 18, 2008
8:23 a.m.
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robertzimmerman writes:
Hey pamelaw
Are you a legal immigrant from Italy?
April 18, 2008
8:54 a.m.
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Spencer writes:
I had no idea that Tom was still alive.
April 18, 2008
9:18 a.m.
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El_Braino writes:
Tancredo is an idiot. You can tell him that the weather is nice and he'll bring up illegal immigration. Ask Tancredo who finished his basement!
April 18, 2008
9:43 a.m.
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CWW writes:
Hey, No_Braino, I'm happy ANY politician is focused on the illegals. No one else seems to be.
April 18, 2008
10:45 a.m.
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El_Braino writes:
I'm more worried about ending a war, stopping inflation, putting an end to the relocation of not only manufacturing jobs, but white collar jobs to third world countries, reversing the effects of global warming, and solving an energy crisis. Oh yeah, we have a housing crisis, a credit crisis, and baby boomers that are set to retire and be the biggest burden to Social Security ever. Also, did I mention that Generation Xers are about 15% less in population? Where or where have our workers gone, oh where oh where can they be? But hey, lets blame the illegals....
April 18, 2008
12:42 p.m.
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gary writes:
Hey El Braino...Why is there unemployed workers if there is a shortage of workers?? Reverse the effects of global warming?? You or no one else can control or change the weather. If we had never had any global warming...we would still have an ice age here. The weather has always been and continue to change. Despite what you and Al Gore head thnk or say.
Tom Tancredo has more sense than the two of you!
Nuff Said
April 18, 2008
1 p.m.
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redwhiteandBLUE writes:
El Braino,
You people always bring up baby-boomers getting ready to retire,
you know they DO have children and grandchildren that work,
So don't even go there, like if we need MORE ILLEGALS/FOREIGN workers! Yes, blame the illegals that SHOULDN'T EVEN be here!
Thank you Tom and all and any politicians fighting for the AMERICAN CITIZEN!!
April 18, 2008
2:06 p.m.
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Radar writes:
Don't hold me to this,,, but i'm sure they have a hand in the high gas prices, global warming, brown cloud of Denver, premature hairloss,and most certain of the Rockies fall from grace at the world series. now the downfall of the catholic church. and there are people that want them here?..go figure
April 18, 2008
2:38 p.m.
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happymike44 writes:
Well lets offer all the illegal immigrant a ticket to anywhere in the world free of charge.Then drop them on everybody else and see if they might change their tunes.Then we won't hear so much garbage of the treatment they receive.So then those governments can share in the loss of services for their own people.This is my country and feel we must treat illegals as a invading army ship them back or to anywhere else in the world.
April 18, 2008
3:21 p.m.
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spamman writes:
The dear old Pope was here to recruit new Catholics as they have lost 23 million over the past few years becuz of their dirty minded priests. His way of getting #'s up is to think we should open our borders up so these Catholics from Mexico will fill the pews and increase his body count. I doubt very much he would be so gunho if these were all Methodists sneaking across the border. I think you'd be hearing a different song and dance.
April 18, 2008
3:27 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
I still think its funny how a guy who Said he Suffered from depression to avoid going to vietnam can say the stupid thing he says.
Sorry Tom i have a hard time believing the convert to Catholics as soon as the cross the border but wont learn english. This guy wont be happy till his 2nd Generation A$$ is the only person in america.
April 18, 2008
3:31 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
They have churches in mexico and those number count as a total for Catholics. They number doesnt change because they come to America unless they will count them as 2 people.
April 18, 2008
3:44 p.m.
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longpasttime writes:
"They have churches in mexico and those number count as a total for Catholics. They number doesnt change because they come to America unless they will count them as 2 people."
Then STAY in Mexico unless you come here LEGALLY!!!
April 18, 2008
3:56 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
Tancredo doesnt even want legal immagrants unless they are from his fellow republicans friends countries.
We will never have universal healthcare because its much more profitable the way it is now.
They arent coming here to go to church.
April 18, 2008
4:16 p.m.
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longpasttime writes:
"They arent coming here to go to church."
Precisely. Which is why they need to come here LEGALLY and stop stealing from our country and its' LEGAL citizens!
April 18, 2008
4:44 p.m.
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Squatch writes:
"I suspect the pope's immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the Gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church," Tancredo said
Catholicism is the major religion in mexico so they arent gaining an new members. This was another one of Tancredos ploys to make sure he isnt forgotten.
Dont use illegals as an excuse for being unemployed thier are signs all over the city but once agian people would rather be unemployed than work for less than they think they are worth.
I wish they would all go back so then when Mcdonalds and all the other companies that take advantage of paying bottom dollar will start charging you 8.00 for a big mac.
I have no problem with making them come here legally but dont throw out dumb remarks like Tancredo does.
April 18, 2008
4:52 p.m.
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El_Braino writes:
I love it when people try to rebute my comments without reading them fully. Yes, boomers have kids and grandkids; what do you think Xers are? I'd love for Tancredo to bring up another issue. He's one-dimensional.
April 18, 2008
5:02 p.m.
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OhBrother writes:
I don't think the pope ever said anything about being illegal, he just said immigrants. Why is it people must always spin it to illegal immigrants anytime the word immigrant comes up? He didn't say allow illegals to pour into over our borders or to go aginst any laws we have. I think he was simply stating that immigrants are people to, but obvisouly that is lost on most of us as they would rather hear what they want then what was actualy said. Anything to support there argument.
The pope isn't to blame, maybe our government is very capable of controling the borders and they chose not to....no, why would that even be a possibility
April 18, 2008
5:57 p.m.
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OpenYourEyes303 writes:
Funny to see so many IgNoRanT people, "Tom Tancredo" spew out their beliefs or thoughts about "illegals" and then try to tie them with religion. I bet if "Buddah", LOL, came over and preached to his followers to embrace immigrants from "ASIA" and help them overcome hardships and misfortunes they wouldn't mention "ILLEGAL" or even try to comment on the subject.
Since it's The Pope and most of Mexico is Catholic, he's talking to Illegals right? As if Mexicans are the only ones who are catholic??? And for all the others who are co-signing with TOM, quit being ignorant! This whole country in filled with immigrants! Not just Mexicans!
April 18, 2008
6:01 p.m.
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OpenYourEyes303 writes:
Meant to say this country is filled with immigrants from all over the world not just Mexicans, or Catholics since it's what the article is supposed to be about...
April 18, 2008
7:40 p.m.
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LoFat writes:
Universal health care is just a sop to the uneducated. Rome also promised bread and circuses to the ignorant unwashed masses. Lets go back to a society that believes in individual responsibility. Forget entitlements. You want health care? Get a job! Want shelter? Get a job! Want food? Get a job! To all you Democratic-Socialists: There is no free lunch!! The uneducated, alcohol swilling, dope smoking, welfare baby factories need to get an education and a JOB!! The ILLEGAL ALIENS in this country need to be run all the way back to their native lands. Now you can start your ad hominem attacks in a futile attempt to prove your moral superiority!
April 18, 2008
8:10 p.m.
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badbob writes:
Can't give money to the church if you have no job or minimal paying jobs in Mexico!
April 18, 2008
11:34 p.m.
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Civility writes:
Tancredo is now criticizing the pope. Sheesh, Come on. Who is he going to criticize next? Jesus Christ?
April 19, 2008
10:42 a.m.
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jay writes:
"Pro-immigrant message draws fire from Tancredo"
Of course it did. Tancredo is against immigration...legal or not. He supports severely curtailing ALL immigration. Guess he's lucky that his family didn't meet someone like him coming off the boat.
April 19, 2008
12:38 p.m.
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American100 writes:
No need to argue fellow Americans.
CALL ICE 1-866-347-2423
When you know of an establishment which you SUSPECT hires illegals CALL.
If they have their papers they'll be left alone.
WE DON'T NEED THE POPE'S PERMISSION TO GET RID OF THESE BORDER JUMPERS.
April 20, 2008
2:27 p.m.
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OpenYourEyes303 writes:
As FaR as I know the Indians were the first here??? Overseas Jumper! Guess it should be swimmer ha ha!!!
April 20, 2008
2:29 p.m.
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OpenYourEyes303 writes:
Some more ignorance! Or Maybe he thought he was part indian?