Phone points illegal border crossers to water

[FourScore]

Phone points illegal border crossers to water
AP
SAN DIEGO –A group of California artists wants Mexicans and Central Americans to have more than just a few cans of tuna and a jug of water for their illegal trek through the harsh desert into the U.S.

Faculty at University of California, San Diego are developing a GPS-enabled cell phone that tells dehydrated migrants where to find water and pipes in poetry from phone speakers, regaling them on their journey much like Emma Lazarus' words did a century ago to the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" on Ellis Island.

The Transborder Immigrant Tool is part technology endeavor, part art project. It introduces a high-tech twist to an old debate about how far activists can go to prevent migrants from dying on the border without breaking the law.

Immigration hardliners argue the activists are aiding illegal entry to the United States, a felony. Even migrants and their sympathizers question whether the device will make the treacherous journeys easier.

The designers — three visual artists on UCSD's faculty and an English professor at the University of Michigan — are undeterred as they criticize a U.S. policy they say embraces illegal immigrants for cheap labor while letting them die crossing the border.

"It's about giving water to somebody who's dying in the desert of dehydration," said Micha Cardenas, 32, a UCSD lecturer...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091229/ap_on_hi_te/us_border_gps

[Hello_Kitty]

1. How about spending money to help the economies of those countries?

So the people there won't be poor and desperate enough to come here to be exploited by greedy business owners?

[Xipe Totec]

2. If we actually did that, people would be angry that we were exporting jobs to Mexico

It's a no win situation.

[Hello_Kitty]

5. Uh, we already exported a bunch of jobs to Mexico

Worked out great, didn't it? That's not what I'm talking about.

[Xipe Totec]

6. So tell me, what are you talking about then?

How do you "help their economy"?

[ret5hd]

3. How about giving a thirsty person some water?

[Hello_Kitty]

8. How about that and addressing the underlying causes of their poverty?

Nah, that's too hard. Besides, "those people" have such a strong work ethic and loooooove to pick lettuce in the hot sun for a few bucks a day! Who are we to stop those huddled masses yearning to be our slaves uh breathe free? Just ask any white liberal.

[ret5hd]

13. Yeah, but first how about giving a thirsty person some water?

[Hello_Kitty]

16. Yes, absolutely. eom

[newtothegame]

20. There's water in Mexico. Why would they come to the US to die of thirst? n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

10. These are artists with a Federal Grant and a need for an "edgy" project.

Might as well help people find water instead of some other tenure-earning crap.

[BeFree]

4. CYA

Just tell them they are here illegally and they should stay away from the water that is over there because it is illegal to save your ass from dieing of thirst while in this country.

Off the hook, then, eh?

[kctim]

7. GREAT IDEA!

Let the designers set it all up and then arrest them. Then track the signals and arrest and deport ALL illegals possible.

[tmyers09]

11. Please tell me you're joking.

Please.

[kctim]

14. Not at all

the T.I.T doesn't have to be used for illegal reasons, we could use it for good.

[tmyers09]

17. So "arresting and deporting all illegals" is good now?

I must have missed that memo.

[kctim]

18. What memo?

arresting those who do illegal things is common sense in a civilized society.

[tmyers09]

21. God forbid somebody tries to make a better life for themselves.

The should be able to be here just much as anybody else. Just because somebody pops out of a uterus on U.S. soil shouldn't make them any more worthy of living here. What are borders but imaginary lines dividing pieces of land anyhow? Rounding up somebody who wishes to try and pull their family out of poverty just for crossing said lines doesn't make us very civilized at all.

[kctim]

22. Obeying the laws of the land

is what makes a better life, not just for oneself, but for all others. Intentionally breaking said laws is what is not civilized. We do not ignore Americans who break those laws in the name of bettering their lives, we should not ignore them when non-Americans break them.
And contrary to what you wish to be true, those imaginary lines promote cohesion and help prevent turmoil amongst people and nations.

[blondeatlast]

15. That was one of his milder posts.

:puke:

[FourScore]

23. Wow. That sounds like something a troll would say.

Jus' sayin'...

[MercutioATC]

9. Dying of thirst because your coyote ditched you in the middle of the desert? There's an app for that

[KamaAina]

12. DUzy!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[winyanstaz]

19. How about we just inforce the laws we have...

but be humane about it and send the damned bill to Mexico?