Before you react to the title of my blog, please read carefully.
Immigration is a hot topic in today's politics. People argue whether laws are strict enough to keep out illegal immigrants that come in from all over, specifically Latin American countries, or whether the regulations are too strict. Accused of stealing American jobs and refusing to adapt to our culture and language, people seeking a new life in the Land of the Free are looked down upon by many current U.S. citizens.
I, however, would like to take this time to argue in their defense.
What defines an American? Take away requirements such as having to live in the United States for a certain length of time, and the answer to that question varies from person to person. My neighbor is Polish and speaks Polish. I am one quarter German. The people that planted my lawn are Latino and speak Spanish. Two doors down a family from India lives. Yet, we are all (legal) American citizens. Now I ask again: What defines an American? Is it the devotion, loyalty, and love of our country? Obviously many others feel this way when they attempt to raft across shark infested waters to reach our borders. Must an American fight for his country? Most of us haven't and will never have to, and I can tell you that those risking their lives to reach the safety of our nation would fight for it. Give me one good definition of an American that excludes having been born here or requires living on our soil for a number of months or years, and I might yield my argument. Until then...
I believe that the United States of America, as a nation, has no right to prevent people from coming into the country. Why should we? Because they are taking American jobs, you say. Well, I happen to disagree. First of all, with the laws currently in place about employing illegal immigrant, companies are much less likely to hire them. (Yes, I realize there are numerous exceptions to this law. But there are people and companies that disobey every law.) Laws such as these encourage immigrants to become legal citizens. I am against no such law; immigrants should become citizens as soon as possible to be able to have the freedoms and abilities of the rest of the U.S. population. If anything, more people in the U.S. creates more of a demand for materials and more jobs to create these materials.
May I remind everyone that the United States was not formed by "Americans"? Immigrants established the nation we live in today; the Founding Fathers were not native to the New World. These immigrants took over the land from the natives and formed their own country! They came from all over Europe and other continents. The United States is known as the Melting Pot; nationalities unite and blend to form Americans. Why should I, as a German, want to prevent other Germans from coming into the country to become citizens? Why should my Polish neighbor want to deture others coming from his country. Many citizens here do not claim just one nationality from their descendents. How does one suppose these blended heritages come from? Immigrants marrying immigrants. I cannot seem to justify denying people just like my ancestors from coming into the United States because they are "over-powering the white race" or taking a job I might need/want. What right do I have as the product of immigration to limit immigration? If the United States had refused to let in immigrants, I would probably be living in Germany speaking German as my native tongue... if I existed at all. Define Amerian heritage. The answer is not "I'm caucasian, and my ancestors came from England. Therefore, I have a right to be American." That would make you English by heritage, which is not American. Perhaps the only true Americans ought to be the Native Americans who lived here before the white man came over, but it's possible that they immigrated as well.
The next question is how many immigrants should we allow? My question is why shouldn't we allow all of them? Over population? The people that don't like that will move away or hide away in seclusion. Can it destroy our economy? Hong Kong seems to be doing just fine, and it has more people per square foot than our nation does for sure. It's a free country. People can decide that the United States is becoming too populated and move or have fewer children. Regardless, who are we to say who can come and who must stay.
Some people are concerned with immigrants becoming dependent on welfare. I do not condone welfare, and I believe that the United States already has some problems because of it. People in the United States are just as likely and able to become too dependent on welfare as immigrants are. Besides, history shows that most (if not all) of these work hard to make a new life and find jobs to become successful to give their children a better lief.
In conclusion, I believe the United States ought to let immigrants enter the country in order for them to follow the procedures for becoming an United States citizen.
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I happen to agree with a lot of what you're saying.
www.worldcantwait.com
Why thank you! I appreciate your saying so.
I happen to have another quite lengthy, thought-out blog on public education. However, that shall have to wait for another day.
I didn't even think of the strains that would place on public education! Completely open doors would surely be the end of it!
While I don't agree that we ought to let ALL immigrants come to this country simply because its not a plausible solution, I do agree that immigration should be allowed.
As the grandchild of immigrants, I can appreciate the opportunities America has brought my family. However, my grandparents didn't just walk across the border, they struggled to get into this country. Allowing anyone who wanted to to settle in America would create utter chaos.
A classmate of mine is an immigrant from Nigeria. She was able to come to this country because her family won Nigeria's lottery (yeah, you know, like the one that gives random Americans millions of dollars). In Nigeria, the biggest prize someone can get is a spot in American society. My point is, there are simply too many people that want to come to this country than there is room. And even if we had enough room, a population with 90% (which, arguably, would happen if the doors were simply opened) immigrants would simply be too poor to survive.
Good thoughts. Thank you!
About the 90% immigrant population --> We are a population of 99.9% (if not 100%) immigrants... unless, of course, you define immigrant as someone who is illegal and/or can't speak English, etc. I might argue that the economic struggle would continue as it does today. I believe there would still be upper, middle, and lower classes just as there are today; yes, the lower class would grow considerably. But that would also diminish as the people that came in adjusted, obtained jobs, stimulated economy, and generations after them would succeed... or perhaps fall by the wayside. And just because a person is a citizen does not mean they will prosper economically. People must find ways to survive, and most often they wish to survive with a comfortable lifestyle; they will go to the place and do the thing that will provide suitable and preferable living situations. My reference to Hong Kong in the entry can also be used here. Hong Kong has virtually zero restrictions on business. People can start a business to sell "ABC gum", and the government will let them. Hong Kong does not care if people survive or prosper. Now do a little research on it's economy. It's unbelieveable! The upper and middle classes are thriving, and the economy is booming. (Don't forget that Hong Kong is/was a relatively small "rock", so to speak, with very few resources. The situation really is astounding.)
I just want to comment, that while your other thoughts are thoughtful, walking across the border is often a struggle, a dangerous one with few gaurantees and fewer protections.
www.worldcantwait.com
My apologies. I did not mean to imply that people can or should waltz across the border whenever and however they please. There cannot be no regulations and chaos (as someone commented). Procedures for becoming a citizen, as I mentioned, should be maintained. It is not a safe thing to "jump the fence" or swim the ocean, but people do it anyway. It seems to be sort of an "every man for himself" strategy, but it's their risk to take.
It is WRONG that they can come across whenever they please. If someone wanted to come from Poland or Austria, for example, they would have to go through HELL to become citizens. WHY IS IT that Mexicans can come across the border so easily and illegally AND THEN possibly recieve amnesty for it? It should work both ways. THAT IS WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT. EQUALITY. NO EXCEPTIONS, I don't care what country you come from, get documented and try to learn English.
What the hell! So is what you are trying to tell me is that we should just screw border security. Hmmmm... let everybody in. Who cares if it is some crazy jihadist with a bomb atttached to his chest, lets let him in.
If you let immigrants into our country and expect them to earn their citizenship legally you are crazy. Once they are in here, they won't care about applying for citizenship, hell, they are already here!
Your blog invokes two emotions: fear and amazement. Can people really be this uninformed? Or is the American education system just that bad? This is total nonsense.
If we let every single person that wanted to come into our country come in-our economy would self-destruct. Has anyone ever told you that the China's GDP per capita is 6,800 dollars. They are doing quite fine. Would you like to live on 6800 a year? I wouldn't. Where do you get you facts (I mean propaganda) on Hong Kong?
More people does not mean more jobs (I'm sorry but it just does not follow).
Take a good look at Western Europe. Their easy immigration policies are threatening to destroy them. Ever hear about Muslims rioting in France? Ah yes, let them all in. Let us assimilate the U.S. into the third world.
The United States never let everyone in. At Elis Island families were seperated. It is not a correct logical step to go from saying that we are all imigrants to we must let everyone in. That would not be justice. If our economy falls, the whole world is in for serious trouble.
Without the US their is no world economy, and their is no Chinese economy. Ever take an Economics class? Ever take a History class?
Goodbye America we have given thee to the fools.
P.S. I suggest you do some research on immigration, before you speak on the matter. Maybe look at the amount of crimes perpetrated by illegals.
"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil."-C.S. Lewis
Letting everyone in would be societal suicide.
I am not an immigrant. I am an American. This idea that we are all immigrants is retarded. If you go back far enough EVERYONE from EVERY nation is an immigrant. Maybe I should just be able to walk into Canada and have them give me handouts? Geesh.
And it's so true what you say about Ellis Island. People would travel three weeks across the Atlantic only to be rejected and have to turn around and go back, then try again several months later.
I second your recommendation on the poster doing more research.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (fairus.org) has good, objective information on the impact of immigration on everything from environmental impact to rising income inequality.
"I am not an immigrant. I am an American. This idea that we are all immigrants is retarded."
It's retarted? What do you mean by that? You mean that the idea has a disability?
"If you go back far enough EVERYONE from EVERY nation is an immigrant."
What about some people that live in Africa?
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