The Commentary: 14th Amendment And Birthright Citizenship by Fannie Flono  The Charlotte Observer gives a lot of perspective on this amendment.  My thinking on the subject will be much improved now that I am aware of what has gone into making and keeping this amendment.

Still, there is a history in this country of attempts to exclude people born in this country from birthright citizenship. In that sense, the current hoopla, spawned this time by illegal immigration and unacknowledged xenophobia, has tentacles that go back almost as far as the 14th Amendment itself.

As indicated in the above quote, her explanation of the history of why it was passed and the various efforts to overturn all or parts of it are very relevant to the current situation.