IMMIGRATION: MY THOUGHTS

What is this: another blog or article on immigration? How many more do we need? Opinions are like toes; everyone has at least one and some have ten. And everyone feels they are qualified to comment on the subject. Same for me; I have opinions on everything including immigration; just ask me!

What makes me the expert anyway? You don’t have to be an expert to have an opinion; just look at our US Congressmen and women. They aren’t experts in anything and really don’t know anything about anything and they are running our country! We need to get them all out but that is the subject of another blog posting (coming soon to a computer near you).

So, here is my non-expert opinion on the subject. I do have some qualifications; just for the record. Both my parents “came over on the boat” from Lebanon and Syria. Growing up in an immigrant family in a decidedly “American” hometown gives one a perspective on this that others might not have.

Both of my parents and their “old country” friends wanted to assimilate in the American culture. They came here legally! They became citizens. They got involved in the community and its organizations. They started businesses. They worked hard and supported the country. They learned English as quick as they could because that was the only way to communicate and it helped them earn a living and helped them in society.

Sure, they didn’t forget about the old ways and customs. They could still speak the native language and would lapse into it once in a while. Especially when they didn’t want us kids to know what they were saying!

But the point is: they became American in every way. In short, they assimilated themselves into society.

Today, it seems like everyone wants to be a (name the country)-American. What is this? Aren’t we all Americans, with a (name the country) heritage? I am not a Lebanese-American; I am an American with a Lebanese heritage.

Furthermore, I will bet you didn’t know that many immigrants are coming here illegally. No kidding! Does that make them aliens? Yes it does, by golly. You can divide the immigrants of today into two groups.

Those that come here legally seem to want to assimilate, become citizens, learn the language, support the government and communities, etc.

Those that come illegally seem to want to stay under the legal radar. Just work and send their money back home or bring their families here and continue to stay under the radar. However, they want to take advantage of our hospitals, school lunch programs, and other social welfare benefits.

We have to find a way to stop this problem of illegal immigration. I have no problem with any one coming here legally. Bring them on. That is how all of our ancestors got here in the first place.

So for me, the Arizona law is the way to go. Is it profiling? Well if the objective is to not have illegal immigrants from Mexico or any other country (yes, even the Middle East), then you need to use that profile to identify them and see if they are legal or not. How else can it be done?

Since the Federal Gov won’t do it, then each state needs to pass its own laws. However, the Federal Gov needs to do this. We need to elect new Congress people who will get this done is the answer.

What do you think?