My Thoughts on Comments

Recently I read an article on Donald Trump which states his opinion on the verbal and medial attacks he has faced since speaking out about illegal Immigrants in the United States. I then read the 10 chosen comments posted by my professor on this subject. Following that, I have been asked to write responses to the four questions she posted in relation. 

I agree that some of the comments expressed fears or anxieties, both rational and irrational, that could be centered around jobs and illegal immigration and it's potential to corrupt the government. I believe these fears have been around for a long time. I think since we as Americans started coining the term "Illegal Immigrants" there has been a fear of these unknown persons 'taking over' our country and colonizing under false pretenses. I understand that Trump feels threatened due to his large investments in companies and resorts which rely on money from within a tight circle of wealthy individuals. These people are often threatened by the unknown taking their money through hard work because they don't see a profit from that money once another earns it. I believe that those that commented are afraid of the unknown as well. One comment from a listed "Al'n" posted that they are a first generation of illegal immigration and that they took great offense to Trump's statements. They spoke of the hardships and determination it takes to become a citizen and how if it were not for their mother's decision to come to America prior to gaining citizenship, it probably would not have been accomplished. They then continue into stating that the misconception that all illegal immigrants are untrustworthy and cowardly is just that - a misconception. 

The beliefs and values I noticed in the comments ranged greatly. While some focused on our need for American jobs others focused on the ability for immigration to take place. I think these beliefs and values are all based on the experiences of the individuals and what their life has led them. Some come from families which are based on immigration while others are upset about the lack of jobs or the crime facts of a particular region.

Some comments seemed more reasonable through the amount of factual information provided in their comment. While some didn't seem to take any amount of text away from the article, such as the one about dog fighting which doesn't relate any sentence in the above article at all, others add a lot of outside factual information to back up their opinion. Those that included facts, no matter their viewpoint or how it correlates to my own, seemed more reasonable because the people who commented seemed well read on the subject. 

Those who did not include facts or outside information to justify their responses did not seem trustworthy or worth the read at all. The anonymous person about dog fighting and the one about Hitler were both just unnecessary comments to get a word in on this article which, for some odd reason, has a lot of reads. There is no point to their comments and therefor no trustworthiness about them. Those that backed up their opinions with facts, either about personal experiences or the facts about the crime Trump tries to use as an example for his own claims, prove that they both read the article and added something else that they found relevant and important to possibly sway another into their opinion. 

EDIT: 
JG asked me if I thought the more factual comments or the more emotional ones left a stronger image in my mind. To be honest, I found the comments that were the most ridiculous to be the ones that I thought the most of later. I think this might be the sad truth of our social society today - we crave the absurd to such a degree that we forget reality. Thank you for reading my post and commenting on my thoughts. I do try to stay in the middle of an argument instead of taking one side over another; playing both fields is fun and engaging! 

I commented on the following two blogs. There were a few people who didn't have blog links up yet and so I couldn't even access their blogs to read. Bummer. 

http://lazssummerofenglish.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-thoughts-on-comments.html?showComment=1437111832867#c5066790887917974836

http://helenofalaska.blogspot.com/2015/07/public-speech-acts.html?showComment=1437112199971#c4247514488170423025