Playing race card won't work in Elgin

My first reaction to the article announcing a petition drive for Speak Out Against Prejudice (SOAP), was you must be kidding me.

How would a group be so misinformed as to what Association for Legal Americans (AFLA) stands for? Did they read the papers? Have they not heard what has been said repeatedly?

AFLA is against illegal immigration, not Hispanics. I can only assume that the members of SOAP have not been listening. I also rationalized that maybe members have had reason to turn a deaf ear.

They may have experienced prejudice in their life that has led them to automatically assume any discussion about the illegal problem in this country is aimed at all Hispanics. For that, I am sorry. Speaking as a woman, I, too, have experienced prejudice, but that does not afford me the right to make false statements and attack any group that discusses women's issues.

If the true focus of SOAP is to fight prejudice, I am all for it. I am willing to help eradicate the prejudice that exists against many groups in our society. With that being said, I question SOAP's agenda.

Is it truly aimed at fighting all prejudice, as the name implies? Or rather, is it a group designed to encourage and support illegal immigration?

It's difficult to tell, since SOAP appears to be organizing as the direct result of Elgin's recent illegal immigration enforcement and all it has done is attack AFLA.

I am against illegal immigration and have based my opinion from research and statistics, including the observation of the financial stress illegal immigration has put on social services and our community.

This response has come from a professional woman who is not misinformed and definitely not prejudiced. My family consists of several Hispanic members. I would never do anything to harm them. I embrace their heritage and admire them for the hardships they have overcome to become citizens of this country.

This is not about the Hispanic people. This is about illegal immigration -- period.

SOAP shouldn't use the race card to disguise a hidden agenda. It's not going to work if you want to command respect and credibility among many members of this community.

Lauri Dinkheller

Elgin