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Isabel Reyes
Kalamazoo, MI
Recent Activity
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Isabel signed the petition | -
Isabel signed the petition | -
Isabel signed the petition | -
Isabel commented on the article |Michael, you are too amazing for words. I always admire people who want to get into the medical field because I know I couldn't deal with blood and guts on a daily basis. Keep fighting the good fight fellow DREAMie =]
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Isabel commented on the article |Whatever they're doing, I hope they keep it up. It's working.
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Isabel commented on the article |Correctly decided. The burden of proof should be on the prosecution and not the defense.
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Isabel commented on the article |Aran, thank you for sharing your story. Every time I read about a Dreamie who's holding his head up and fighting the good fight, it makes me happy. Regardless of what airbags say, you are a worthy individual. Most people don't realize how lucky they are that they slipped out of their mother in the US and as such don't value their presence here. They will never know how hard it is to immigrate legally nor will they recognize how many things can go irrevocably wrong.
I'm rooting for you! =] -
Isabel commented on the article |Sayuri Jane and Lisa Pelletier, thank you very much for your kind words. The haters don't faze me for it simply means that I have something that they don't.
Dave, thank you for you support and good thoughts. Also, I am sorry you have to put up with the ignorance of others on your portion of this site. It must be exhausting having to scrub the posts from their verbal diarrhea.
Kurt, thank you for the compliments you include in all your posts to me. Many people have complimented me on my research papers and essays in addition to my creative works and prose.
Rather than discussing the benefits of the DREAM Act and keeping it courteous, instead your personally attack me and judge me like no other. I hope you realize that people who are neutral to the DREAM Act read posts such as mine and then compare them to posts such as yours and the differences in tone and humanity are astounding.
Kurt, it's almost as if people like your purposely aim to be irritants. It doesn't bother me in the slightest that you post your vile comments to my story. If anything, it lends more credibility to my argument that I am an asset to this country. Your lack of initiative in finding out more about the VAWA is evident. If you wanted to know more about it, you should have done research on your own time instead of relying on me or Dave to find sources for you. You have all the time in the world to find "faults" in my story; I have classes to attend and excel in. The onus is on you.
To be clear, the purpose of my story was to illuminate to others that there are students like me who aren't living up to their full potential because of events and decisions that they were not part of. The remedy to this tragedy is passage of the DREAM Act. It's a win-win situation for both the US and future beneficiaries.
Lastly Kurt, the fact that you to deride my life and my experiences within it as "shallow" says more about you than it does about me. My mother, my brother, and I qualify for a U-visa on a few grounds. Let me tell you some of the things that I have lived through:
PHYSICAL
* My father whipping my little brother with an electrical cord. He was 5 years old.
* My father refusing to take me to the hospital for a fractured arm. I spent 3 days without treatment. I was 9 years old.
* My father knocking down my mom with my newborn sister in her arms. She was about 6 months old and I was 13.
* My father slamming a car door on my mother's legs. I was 14.
* My father choking my mom long enough to render her unconscious for hours. I was 7 years old.
* My father punching my mom so hard in the face when she tried to leave. He hit her so hard that he actually loosen a few of her teeth. This incident also left her with bruised ribs and her face incredibly swollen. I was an eyewitness to this when was 9 years old.
MENTAL/EMOTIONAL
* My mother, my brother, and I lived in a women's shelter for about a month and a half when we escaped after the aforementioned incident.
* While my mother was pregnant with a different baby sister, he was carrying on an affair with a lady from his job. My mother later gave birth to my baby sister. She was still born.
* My father didn't believe in contraception. After my first baby sister's birth, my mother got pregnant twice. She miscarried both time. My father hit her through out those pregnancies.
* My mother was later diagnosed with lupus. My father didn't care.
* My father had enough money to buy the woman he was having an affair with jewelery, but he never had enough money to help my brother when he wanted to play football with the other kids.
* When I wanted to join the Girl Scouts and again when I wanted to learn how to play the violin, my father tore up my applications because he felt that I would never amount to anything. It was more useful to learn how to be a housewife.
Kurt, I could go on and on. This was my life. I wouldn't wish this on my enemy. Contrary to what you and my father believe, I am worthy enough to call the US my home. I am worthy enough to get an education. I have proved myself over and over again. Kurt, you may think my life is "shallow" and that all I'm doing is taking up space, but I respectfully disagree. I am accomplishing my dreams with or without your approval. If you are not here to help me, then please get out of my way. -
Isabel commented on the article |
"Your mom and aunt should be arrested and thrown the book at."
Kurt, the reason why I feel comfortable sharing my story is that we have a case pending for a U-visa. Just to let you know, a U-visa catagory was created under the VAWA - the Violence Against Women Act. My mother came here legally and because of the abuse we suffered, it was also part of the reason why she overstayed her visa. We weren't allowed to leave. As far as my aunt, there is no evidence of her crime, so nothing is going to happen to her. Get over it.
"The additional strain placed on American educational resources; the American student who loses his place to accommodate you;"
I pay for my school with scholarships given to me. My 16,000 private scholarship is for being on the Dean's List every semester. I earned it just like another other student who receives the same scholarship. That scholarship can't be given to someone who didn't earn it, citizen or not. Any other amount, my parents pay. Not a single dime comes from the government. Not a penny.
And curiously, none of my classes are filled to capacity. If there's extra chairs in the room, clearly I'm not taking anyone's spot. And even if I did, they should have worked as hard as me. And if they didn't make it, then they don't have the intelligence or the drive. Other people's shortcomings are not my problem.
"the loss by your native country of such a talented individual."
Thank you, Kurt. I strive to be the best that I can be given my temporary circumstances. However, what you fail to see (and maybe you didn't read my last paragraph) is that another country's loss is the United State's gain. In a time when India graduates 28 engineers for every 1 American engineer, the US needs all the brain power it can get. When China is busy building universities and the US is floundering in teaching math and science skills, that is when we need increased brain here at home. That is why we have visas for educated foreigners and why people such as Bill Gates advocate for increases to those visas. DREAM Act beneficiaries have the added benefit of culture: we grew up here, we know the customs, we know the history. DREAM Act students and future military leaders are a gain. A net plus, if you will. Which is why when talk about "the awful ravages of 'brain drain', " I can respond by letting you know that students like me are untapped resources against this "brain drain" that is happening here.
Let's face it: not every American goes to college. Likewise, not every undocumented student has the opportunity to go to college. However, how can you turn away students like me who sincerely want the best for this country because they love this country as much as you do. Think about that Kurt. How can you say no to those that want to educate themselves. It's rather hypocritical to want the best for American and yet turn away students like me who want to help the US be the best country int the world and to get the economy back on track. -
Isabel commented on the article |Ms. Brown
There is an age limit. Dave posted it in this blog and it's within the actual text of the bill. Additionally, the DREAM Act is for students to attend college or to join the military. That is to say some would indeed go to college or continue their educations while others would help the military fill their quotas. To imply that all eligible students would crowd colleges is simply untrue because some would be going into the military. If anything, colleges would welcome an influx of new students because of the tuition they would be paying would help cover costs that are increasingly harder to cover because of the lower amount of appropriations from respective states' budgets. Finally, those students that choose to go to college wouldn't take "money away from low income American students" because there is NO money to take. This bill provides means for a student to pursue higher education by way of allowing future beneficiaries to take out loans or participate in work study programs. They are not eligible for grants or other forms of financial aid that help out low income American students. DREAM Act beneficiaries will have to either borrow or earn the money to finance their education, which they will have to complete 2 years of. If this isn't the work ethic that we want in this country, then I don't know what is.
It would serve your argument well if you read the DREAM Act for comprehension before commenting on/complaining about it because when you make mistakes, no one takes the rest of your comment/complaint seriously.
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