Tweet
Spiral:
I don't think I've ever heard quite so eloquent an expression of why so many people feel compelled to leave their native lands to make a new life for themselves in America (Canada OR US). I'm NOT being sarcastic. So many of us born here (including YOU, KvH) cannot imagine how things could have been so awful in our ancestors' lands of origin that they were willing to leave EVERYTHING behind for a fresh start.
(I apply that argument even to the ancestors of todays Native Americans. After all, no one WALKS across ten thousand miles of frozen ice-age wasteland toward an uncertain future without a VERY good reason!)
It's easy to say "you should try to make your native land better," and on the surface that sounds logical, even noble. But again, I don't think anyone raised in this part of the world can fully comprehend how monumentally difficult that can be. How many millions of gallons of blood has been spent in such causes, both just and unjust?
In fact, people have been complaining about immigrants since before the indians looked at the Mayflower, anchored off Plymouth Rock, and said "That's just great. Boat People!" History shows us in pretty clear terms that despite the misgivings of the natives, every influx of immigrants has brought a much-needed infusion of fresh blood and fresh ideas. AS LONG AS those immigrants are willing to adapt themselves without reservation to the higher ideals of their adopted nation.
Naturally, where such a willingness is missing, trouble can arise. Speaking of those German immigrants of earlier years, my mom remembers when the local German population was so insulated from the mainstream that they even had their own newspapers which supported the Kaiser in WWI and printed anti-US propaganda and the most vicious slanders of Woodrow Wilson, all under the protection of the First Amendment. It wasn't until mom left the farm and moved to the "Big City" (Bismarck!) that she learned how much of what she had learned as a child was BS.
Frankly I'm less worried about the immigrants than I am about our ability or willingness to teach them and their children what they need in order to be loyal, productive citizens. There's just as much room on this continent for a dash of Muslim culture as there is for German culture, or Hispanic culture, or Chinese, or Japanese, or Vietnamese, or Dutch, or English. Sure, our laws against illegal immigration need to be better enforced, and we should be screening legal immigrants more closely, but to advocate closing the doors to immigration completely seems to me the ultimate in hypocrisy.
Kevin
I don't think I've ever heard quite so eloquent an expression of why so many people feel compelled to leave their native lands to make a new life for themselves in America (Canada OR US). I'm NOT being sarcastic. So many of us born here (including YOU, KvH) cannot imagine how things could have been so awful in our ancestors' lands of origin that they were willing to leave EVERYTHING behind for a fresh start.
(I apply that argument even to the ancestors of todays Native Americans. After all, no one WALKS across ten thousand miles of frozen ice-age wasteland toward an uncertain future without a VERY good reason!)
It's easy to say "you should try to make your native land better," and on the surface that sounds logical, even noble. But again, I don't think anyone raised in this part of the world can fully comprehend how monumentally difficult that can be. How many millions of gallons of blood has been spent in such causes, both just and unjust?
In fact, people have been complaining about immigrants since before the indians looked at the Mayflower, anchored off Plymouth Rock, and said "That's just great. Boat People!" History shows us in pretty clear terms that despite the misgivings of the natives, every influx of immigrants has brought a much-needed infusion of fresh blood and fresh ideas. AS LONG AS those immigrants are willing to adapt themselves without reservation to the higher ideals of their adopted nation.
Naturally, where such a willingness is missing, trouble can arise. Speaking of those German immigrants of earlier years, my mom remembers when the local German population was so insulated from the mainstream that they even had their own newspapers which supported the Kaiser in WWI and printed anti-US propaganda and the most vicious slanders of Woodrow Wilson, all under the protection of the First Amendment. It wasn't until mom left the farm and moved to the "Big City" (Bismarck!) that she learned how much of what she had learned as a child was BS.
Frankly I'm less worried about the immigrants than I am about our ability or willingness to teach them and their children what they need in order to be loyal, productive citizens. There's just as much room on this continent for a dash of Muslim culture as there is for German culture, or Hispanic culture, or Chinese, or Japanese, or Vietnamese, or Dutch, or English. Sure, our laws against illegal immigration need to be better enforced, and we should be screening legal immigrants more closely, but to advocate closing the doors to immigration completely seems to me the ultimate in hypocrisy.
Kevin
Comment