Greatest Hits: Immigration
Well Said. Vasko Kohlmayer, an immigrant living in the U.S, addressed his fellow immigrants: "Almost every day someone from our midst comes up with new demands and then grumbles when these are not met. In addition to requesting benefits of various kinds, many repudiate their host culture and insist that natives conform to their ways. There are even those who refuse to learn the English language and then chide their hosts for not accommodating their linguistic peculiarities. When they meet with resistance or difficulties they protest and complain, tossing about the charges of cultural insensitivity, discrimination or worse."
"It is safe to say that this ungracious attitude would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world. That it has been in America is due to the matchless amity of her people who try their best to satisfy the desires of their guests. But as criticisms and complaints grow more and more unreasonable, the situation is reaching the point of becoming intolerable."
"Being an immigrant myself let me say something that needs to be said, but which Americans - the genial hosts that they are - are reluctant to do: If you do not like it here, you should seriously think about going back to where you came from."
"Despite its share of problems, America is by almost any objective measure the greatest country that has ever been. Let us, therefore, be continually thankful for the incredible privilege of being allowed to live here. And above all, let us learn how to love her, for if there ever was a country that merits the love of its people, it surely must be America. She deserves it especially from those us who arrived as aliens, but whom she nevertheless so graciously accepted as her own." (posted 3/21/2007, permalink)
Another Euphemism Unmasked: Vin Suprynowicz has written about "trespassing illegal aliens, who violate multiple laws, including the statutes against fraud and identify theft, every day they're here."
He has noted that calling these people "undocumented" is meant to create the impression their "documents merely failed to show up in the mail," a situation easily remedied by filling out a couple pesky forms. "That's like calling a rapist an "insensitive lover" or a bank robber a "customer who makes withdrawals without presenting proper withdrawal slips."" (hat tip: American Digest) (posted 6/24/2007, permalink)
Vox Populi: A recent New York Times/CBS News poll found that 69% of American adults believe illegal immigrants should "be prosecuted and deported for being in the U.S. illegally." Just 24% disagree and say they should not.
Gee, my poll among friends pulled even higher numbers: 100%, not 69%. (posted 6/13/2007, permalink)
Six Degrees Of Immigration: Illegal apologists often say, "We are all immigrants." That must really piss off the Indians. Of course, they're immigrants too, having apparently crossed the Bering Strait land mass. And then, perhaps, taken light rail to a nearby casino.
If you subscribe to the theory advanced by many anthropologists, the first human was a small black woman in central Africa. Based on that hypothesis, everyone is descended from her ... so, unless you're living in central Africa, you're an immigrant.
Even though I'm the whitest shade of skin possible - one palette-notch down from Edgar Winter's pet albino bunny, I believe I may indeed be descended from that ancient black woman. Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, I find that my hair is pushed way up in the air on one side. I am astonished when I gaze at the mirror because it looks very similar to a hairstyle worn by Patti LaBelle in the early 1990s. So, there ya go.
This means that, apparently, Al Sharpton and I have only seventy-nine or so Degrees of Separation. Who knew?
Of course, there are various Degrees of Immigration, too. All four of my grandparents were immigrants. But they didn't sneak across the border when no one was looking. Nor did they jump off a makeshift raft. Or hide in a Boeing wheelwell. They saved their money, booked and paid for passage on a ship and arrived with currency in their pockets (a requirement in those days) and someone to sponsor them. They came here legally. There were no government-funded 'safety nets' in those days, so my grandparents had to start working immediately. Religious organizations helped them connect with prospective employers. Even though there was church involvement, everything was done legally and above-board; there was no "sanctuary" offered. Just networking. My grandparents worked hard, learned American ways (without forgetting their Irish culture), worked their way up the economic ladder and, in time, became part of the American Dream.
Today's illegal immigrant is carefully coached on the ways of working the 'safety net' to maximize the government benefits obtained. Some of this coaching is funded by your tax and/or charitable dollars.
Robert Rector has written: "Roughly one third of immigrant households are now headed by immigrants without a high school degree. My research, based on Census data and other government sources, shows these “low skill immigrant” households receive, on average, $30,160 per year in government benefits while paying $10,573 in taxes. Thus each such household costs the taxpayer $19,588 per year. Overall, the net cost to U.S. taxpayers is $89 billion per year. My report suggests that the country would benefit fiscally by having fewer low skill immigrants, who are net tax consumers, and more well educated immigrants who are net tax payers."
Legal immigrants help expand the rich cultural tapestry we call America. But, like ill-behaved dogs, illegal immigrants are lifting their collective legs and pissing on our tapestry.
Time to call the dog catcher and send 'em back to the pound. (posted 6/1/2007, permalink)
Illegal Immigration Solutions: Marc Schulman has written an excellent article on the problem of illegal immigration. He proposes a five-step program to alleviate the problem. I especially like steps 4 and 5:
4. "Require legal workers to pay into Medicaid, and deny public benefits to illegal aliens found in America."
5. "Reduce the amount of foreign aid granted to any country by a set or variable amount based on the costs associated with each illegal immigrant detained/treated/deported." (posted 12/19/2005, permalink)
Working Off One's Sentence: I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this. Let's arrest all illegal immigrants and sentence each to six months of hard labor. Doing what? Helping construct a tall wall at the U.S./Mexican border. It's good punishment and cheaper than union help. When their sentences are completed, deport them.
For most, it will be a short walk. (posted 10/5/2005, permalink)
How To Fix The Illegal Immigrant Problem: A strict new rule for renewing driver's licenses in New York State is prompting undocumented Irish immigrants to quit the United States for good. "The number of people deciding to move back to Ireland is way up on last year and the new license requirement is a significant factor in this," said Siobhan Dennehy, executive director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center in Queens.
Why don't California, Arizona and Texas try this? (posted 9/22/2004, permalink)
Clear English: Michelle Malkin has written: "Two politicians in Maryland are now in trouble for stating the obvious: People who work in customer service should speak English."
My take - isn't it ironic that, in the most ethnic of business establishments - small businesses - Chinese restaurants, Mexican cantinas and shoe repair shops (in our neighborhood, operated by Russian or Cambodian immigrants), every person who has contact with the public speaks understandable, if accented, English. And they are polite and friendly, too. (posted 5/21/2004, permalink)
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