A highly charged subject where the real issues are hidden and the stands taken are seldom for the reasons given. We are barraged with half truths and outright lies about those coming to our land. The facts are that our Spanish speaking immigrants come with little and create markets for every sort of goods and services. They are brought here to labor under conditions that citizens would not tolerate, to produce goods and services at a price that average citizens can afford to pay. They take jobs that others will not and essentially keep this society moving. Their children are motivated learners, respectful to school authorities and supported by parents who, for the most part, well understand the value of an education and try their best to help their children succeed.
The immigrant community has a lower crime rate than the population as a whole. The undocumented are not able to file tax returns so all taxes withheld, all sales taxes paid, add substantially to the public coffers, far more than the cost of services provided.
I believe that we need to recognize the cause of massive immigration has to do with the world domination of U.S. business and the corruption of governments almost everywhere by those businesses and by our government that supports their work. The third world was, indeed, created by first world greed. In country after country, the mineral, oil and agricultural wealth has been appropriated by mostly U.S. corporations with payoffs to the few in control, the oligarchy and little or nothing accruing to the people who live there. Loans to the population have been stolen by the aristocracy who abscond leaving the people to repay the banks. NAFTA has been as devastating to the economies of our southern neighbors as it has to the workers in the US. Who benefitted? US corporations. Many, perhaps even a majority, have walked and waded to our shores because the only way to feed their families was to find some work in the US. What have we become that their children’s hunger means nothing to us?
The free flow of capital is defended by the US Congress, why not the free flow of labor? What makes sense is the issuance of work permits which can be the first step toward citizenship after, say, a year of self support with no legal problems. It is important to remember that it is those with initiative and ambition who take the risks to come. Are they not the ones we want?
I fully support immigration reform that allows full integration into our society for those who have already established productive lives here.
Hello from Neal Shafto in Canada, interesting read please keep me up to speed with you thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather on my fathers side was a McLaughlin, I got the name Shafto, my supposed to be Grandfather, from the realization my grandmother was looking for love in other places, hence the McLaughlin name I should have.
Welcome to the blog Neal. When I was a child, I thought I had a very unusual last name. Later I was shocked at the large number of McLaughlins in the world. Our ancestors in "the old world" seem to have been very prolific at producing children -- many of whom found their way to the Americas.
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