2006-05-03 11:29![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nightrythm
nightrythmI know various people on my flist have been discussing the current immigration issues. As a second generation American, I feel the need to put in my two cents.
A) If your argument is that that illegal aliens are breaking the law and breaking the law is wrong. Then so be it. I do not quibble with you. Although, I don’t believe it should be a *felony* as in the current bill in DC. If they want to have greater consequences, they should try *enforcing* the law as it stands. Toughening the law will do a fat lot of good.
B) To the folks who didn’t understand the protests. Or are indignant that anyone should “boycott”… I heard a comment on CNN that went something like this: ‘We should have a day without an American, where we deny illegal aliens healthcare, social services etc.’ – I’d like to say that the immigrants understand what it is the America does for them, that’s why they come here. The reason they staged “A day without an immigrant” was to try to have Americans understand what immigrants do for America.
C) My family history as an example of a typical immigrant’s story. I hope it helps you see that they are no more a drain on the system than anyone else in their economic class.
My grandmother crossed illegally, as I believe did my grandfather. They worked hard all their lives, in fields and factories. Their children were born here and also worked hard all their lives. While my mother was young, they were itinerant farm workers. She was too small to do the big lifting, but even my mother picked the fallen fruit from the ground.
My uncles fought in the Korean war. All of my mothers older siblings are conservative and *most likely* vote Republican. (It’s something we don’t talk about anymore – leads to too many arguments.)
To sum up two people crossed illegally. They had four children who have done nothing but give to this country. Each successive generation are steadfastly American, most of them are so assimilated, they barely remember Spanish. The taxes they have paid collectively vastly outweigh any government graft someone may have gotten and I consistently fail to see where they have hurt any pre-existing American Citizens by pursuing the “American Dream”.
A) If your argument is that that illegal aliens are breaking the law and breaking the law is wrong. Then so be it. I do not quibble with you. Although, I don’t believe it should be a *felony* as in the current bill in DC. If they want to have greater consequences, they should try *enforcing* the law as it stands. Toughening the law will do a fat lot of good.
B) To the folks who didn’t understand the protests. Or are indignant that anyone should “boycott”… I heard a comment on CNN that went something like this: ‘We should have a day without an American, where we deny illegal aliens healthcare, social services etc.’ – I’d like to say that the immigrants understand what it is the America does for them, that’s why they come here. The reason they staged “A day without an immigrant” was to try to have Americans understand what immigrants do for America.
C) My family history as an example of a typical immigrant’s story. I hope it helps you see that they are no more a drain on the system than anyone else in their economic class.
My grandmother crossed illegally, as I believe did my grandfather. They worked hard all their lives, in fields and factories. Their children were born here and also worked hard all their lives. While my mother was young, they were itinerant farm workers. She was too small to do the big lifting, but even my mother picked the fallen fruit from the ground.
My uncles fought in the Korean war. All of my mothers older siblings are conservative and *most likely* vote Republican. (It’s something we don’t talk about anymore – leads to too many arguments.)
To sum up two people crossed illegally. They had four children who have done nothing but give to this country. Each successive generation are steadfastly American, most of them are so assimilated, they barely remember Spanish. The taxes they have paid collectively vastly outweigh any government graft someone may have gotten and I consistently fail to see where they have hurt any pre-existing American Citizens by pursuing the “American Dream”.
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This issue isn't an easy one to deal with. And I think at the moment we are just looking at the opening volleys from to opposing views. Hopefully we will find a middle road that both sides can agree on and that is fair to those who have come here both legally and illegally.
The fact is that some people have come here illegally and there should be some repercussions. The fact is that many families could be drastically impacted by heavy fines or extradition and that does need to be taken into consideration in any new laws or amendments to existing laws.
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Maybe Plato had it correct. Maybe we should only give power to those who don't desire it.
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