In the last few years’ immigration has been a rather big deal. The accusation that immigrants come here to steal our jobs and take our welfare, first of all, America has preached itself to be a land of opportunity, of jobs, of freedom and even the people who come here legally get treated like dirt. The jobs they take are because they need to support themselves and possibly their families and usually they are jobs that the bourgeoisie American middle and upper class think they are “too good” to do. I mean, would you work in a slaughterhouse if you had the choice? Probably not, but it’s good money if you know what you’re doing; the thing is, it’s dirty work.
I don’t have sympathy for illegal immigrants though; I feel that if you must come into this country, do so legally. I guess I do feel some sorrow in that they were unable to do it initially legal. In retrospect, they’re not all here to steal ours jobs, take our welfare, and sell drugs. They’re here to earn money doing the things you probably don’t want to do, raise a family, and live the American dream; but that’s the problem: it’s the American dream, not the American reality. Let’s work to make it so, because if you think back all our ancestors were immigrants, even if you’re American Indian your ancestors migrated from Asia during the Ice Age.
My ancestors came from Norway and Germany, where did yours come from?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Honestly I agree with you in a way, but anyway, I am Polish, German, Indian, And pure american (as my grandfather would put it.)
While I would agree that illegal immigrants are a major problem and if people wanted get here they should do so legally, I think you’ve missed something.
Lets narrow the term illegal immigrant down to Mexicans. Not that there aren’t others but it seems to me that the majority of them hail from our southern neighbors. Have you looked at Mexico’s economy lately? It’s atrocious! I wonder who could have made it that way…Us? No way we’d never do such a thing. It’s not like we proposed the North American Free Trade Agreement, which then made it possible for the U.S. and Canada to suck what little money was left in Mexico by using the humongous loans given (20 billon from U.S.) as cause for buying out several Mexican corporations and resources as payment. Now while Mexico is solely responsible for the 1994 Financial Crisis, the U.S. subversively kicking Mexico while they were down is kind of the whole reason that so many immigrants come over here illegally. With the U.S. in control of their consumables and refusing to cut them any slack on the high quality products the U.S. produces, it’s hard to make any kind of living if you’re lower class in Mexico.
But I digress, what we did we will not undo. It’s not the American way. It may have been horrible but hey we are paying for it now aren’t we?
Oh and I am Irish, Scottish, German, Dutch, and Cherokee Indian.
Another tough issue. Where you stand depends on your point of view. I've not yet made up my mind. Our counry has never been a melting pot. That's a falacy made up by some white guy writing a social studies text book in about 1940. We have always been a country of subcultures. Of big cities with the Italian neighborhoods and the Polish neighborhoods and the China Towns. Each with their own identity. Each celebrating and fostering a sense of culture and family.
So what could possible be wrong with that? Sheer numbers. Thousands, some say millions of immigrants, mostly from Mexico. Here because they can't live on 2 or 3 dollars a month. Here because they want what they can't get in Mexico. Not here becuase they want to be. Here because they can't make a decent living in their homeland.
Critics point to the enormous drain on our economy. Providing education and health care doesn't come cheaply. They point out that the least they could do is learn our language and our customs. Hold onto their own culture, but do all they can to embrace ours as well. Show thankfullness for all the opportunity our country provides. The arguement is a powerful one. And yet, we show ourselves to be a passionate country. Should we send home illegal aliens who have been here for years? Who have homes and children and jobs. Should be send home Moms and Dads who are illegals but who's children aren't? Who will take care of them? Should we suddenly enforce a law we've chosen to ignore?
I honestly don't know. What I do know is that a fence isn't the answer. Neither is spewing political rhetoric that makes people happy but doesn't really do anything to solve the problem.
Oh, I almost forgot. I'm English, German, and Native American. There's more I'm sure but that the jist of it.
Post a Comment