"Western Union made $6 billion as a corporation last year," said Leticia Alaniz, an organizer with La Union de La Comunidad Latina, a Brooklyn-based organization involved in TIGRA's campaign. "How much of that is thanks to Latinos? Western Union should reinvest some of that money into our communities."

I don't get it. Why should a business be obligated to reinvest in the communities more than the community residents do?  Think about it: Western Union's entire relationship with the people TIGRA represents is to speed the removal of cash from the local economy. That $300 Villanueva sends to Honduras doesn't do a bit of good to New Jersey businesses. What Western Union charges -- even before costs -- is only a fraction of what Villanueva could provide himself. If he doesn't feel guilt, why should the corporation?

(While we're at it, the article describes Villanueva as a "city resident," which is code for "illegal immigrant," yes?)

That's a great point.  

Complaining that the company that helps YOU send money OUT of the community doesn't reinvest it's profits IN the community.  How about YOU reinvesting YOUR profits in the community?

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Maybe immigrants are starting to put the money back in their local communities. The Inter-American Development Banks says that sending money back to Mexico is down in 2007.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

There was awhile when an ex of mine had just moved to NYC. When she was in LA, she would frequently depend on me for a quick cash infusion of a couple hundred bucks and this habit was hard to break, her not knowing anyone in NYC and still getting herself established. So for a period of a few months, I was using western union quite a bit, which for me meant maybe five or six times during that period. In any case, I got used to it and they were charging about $14 send however much it was I was sending. Only sometimes, they would try to charge me $16. Once, I argued with the person on the phone for five minutes, certain I had paid $2 less to send the same amount less than a month before. I was assured that this had been the rate for quite some time. Finally I learned just to hang up and call back until I got someone charging me only $14. Without fail. So all I have to say is that's one weird ass company. I understand they need to cover fraud and they're providing a service to individuals they likely have over the barrel but it still feels like they could make do with a lower transaction fee. At least $2 lower.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.