Let's talk about immigration for a moment. It was one of the big concerns during the presidential campaign and it's still a topic of discussion, especially considering the turmoil we're seeing in Mexico.
My forebears were immigrants. Many of the people in the United States today come from immigrant stock. My people on my Daddy's side came from Germany. My people on my maternal grandmothers side came from Canada. They were evicted by the English and made one of the legendary trips of mass migration. Longfellow tells the tale in his epic poem, Evangeline. My maternal grandmother spoke French as a first language. The families of my paternal grandmother and my maternal grandfather were both Scots-Irish stock.
My wife's people are of Irish stock. We're mutts, all of us. Were it not for immigration, we wouldn't be here today.
Generally, I'm for immigration. Let'em come. Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. There is enough America here for everyone.
However. There is always a however.
Let's not do this nilly-willy. My folks came through Ellis Island, where they were processed, poked, prodded and fed. Only when the government was satisfied that they were suitable were they allowed in. They could immediately get jobs and pay taxes.
I propose that we institute Ellis Island-type reception stations, where immigrants are likely to enter our shores. We should be able to make do with a dozen or more scattered around the borders of the United States. Put one on the east coast, one on the west coast and scatter several along our common border with Mexico. Let all and sundry know that here is the place to cross. Set up dormitories with a thousand beds. Take people in and test them for common communicable diseases, give them a visa. With enough medical staff and high-speed background checks, we should be able to process a couple of thousand at each station every 48 hours.
And, round up undocumented immigrants. Take them home, by bus if necessary.
Secure the borders. Let the world know that we're a shining beacon of opportunity, but that we respect our laws and will deport any that break the laws.
I believe that America is big enough for lots of immigrants. Certainly the recent history of undocumented immigration shows that for much of the world, America is still the place where people want to be.
Well said... however :-)
ReplyDeleteMy paternal grandparents came here in 1910 speaking only Norwegian with three kids under six.. No welfare, no free health care, only the meager assistance of their church. Pretty much on their own. Within two years they had a successful farm in South Dakota and spoke passable English. within ten, they had four more kids and spoke good English. They also were citizens and voted. By the time I was born in 1944 they owned their property outright and were very comfortable in English, as were my dad, aunts and uncles. My grandparents had wonderful accents, I still feel comforted hearing someone speaking with a Scandinavian accent. All were fluent in Norwegian as well, as they attended a church where services were held in Norwegian. My dad said they didn't hate the old country, they just didn't want to starve, so they came here, to the land of opportunity. There was none in Norway, no way of ever owning their own home and no food either. My Mom's parents came from England a few years later, soon after WWI. Same reasons, no opportunity whatsoever for home ownership, poor job opportunities and less food. They had it slightly easier. They spoke passable English from the get-go. Again, they had to do it themselves, no welfare, no free anything. They, too prospered.
ReplyDeleteWhy in the world the .gov cant' pull it's figurative head out of it's figurative rear end is beyond comprehension.
Gerry N.