i have picked up NUMEROUS people (i drive about 40K per year), and most of them were very nice people trying to get somewhere, looking for work, going back home, etc.. they were just people that needed help, so i helped... the reality is people aren't scared because it is a real risk, they are scared because of one or two people out of the 57 million that die each year and make the exception the rule... in fact the world doesn't suck as much as everyone thinks it does.. this is a 15 minute talk on how our lives are better, there is more money, there is more energy, more water, etc.. and it will only grow, but people only want to hear negative...
http://www.ted.com/t...our_future.html
watch the talk, it is great