Letter To The Editor:
"So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry. Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer.
Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented . Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.
They had waved goodbye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.
Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France, and Japan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting: Hitler, Mussolini, and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people.
When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here.
These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl. And here we are in 2009 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules; one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country.
I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.
And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the Immigration Bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.
(signed) Rosemary LaBonte."
Nicely written editorial. I can't imagine why it would be rejected for print unless it has to do with calling out another contributor by name.
ReplyDeleteThis item is probably indeed the view of most Americans, which is a shame because it is so inaccurate in some parts - especially the idealized (but extremely common) view of immigrants' assimilation. As a single example, that so many US cities still have sections called "Little Italy" or "Chinatown," and what it still is like to walk through these areas, might provide a hint that Ms. LaBonte's views might not have as close a relationship with reality as she - and so many others - would prefer to see.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is true that: many minority immigrant groups continue to dwell among one another in the inner cities to this day, that a large number of them retain their own distinct languages and cultures, and that they haven't gone out of their way to achieve absolute homogeneity - the vast majority of them have made the effort to also learn our American: Language, History, Culture, and Traditions along with their own.
ReplyDeleteFor example, in "China Town" and "Little Italy" they also: Speak English, Reverence Our Constitutional Freedoms, Value Public Service, Obey Our Laws and Otherwise Take Pride In Our Nation. Thus, they have factually assimilated!
Contrary to what you may claim, there are very significant and profound differences between these lawful immigrants and the millions of illegals currently flooding our nation.