Re: Immigration: Does America Need a Leader like This?
Thanks for the correction LL! Those civics classes seem like a long time ago...wait, they were a long time ago...sigh.
Anyway, I'm not certain that envoking an immigration policy that was in effect more than a century ago is practical or smart. As a nation we are significantly different in at least a couple of very important aspects. I will address just one here. The masses of immigrants who came through Ellis Island did not come to a country with a social services network funded by taxpayers. They quite literally had to fend for themselves in a very Darwinian sink or swim environment. Nowadays, many, if not most, illegals have access to social services paid for by us and that stresses what is available to our legal citizens. One can argue that that is a good thing, but you cannot deny that it is an important difference. Studies have been done showing that the money brought into the economy by the work of illegals offsets these social expenditures, but others show that we are actually losing ground.
And if you think illegal Mexicans are reviled in modern society, it pales in comparison to the prejudices against the Irish immigrants of the 19th century. Dig up some old editorials regarding the worthless nature of the Irish "breeder" from actual newspapers, for an interesting stroll down memory lane.
While we're on the subject of immigration (legal or otherwise), how many of you harbor negative attitudes towards Micronesians? It seems to me that they are the modern equivalent of the Irish to many here in Hawaii. I have found the willingness of people here to demean Micronesians disheartening. I mention this as an illustration of how easy it is for human beings to fall prey to racism and bigotry. It's a human instinct that requires vigilance to guard against and overcome.
Thanks for the correction LL! Those civics classes seem like a long time ago...wait, they were a long time ago...sigh.
Anyway, I'm not certain that envoking an immigration policy that was in effect more than a century ago is practical or smart. As a nation we are significantly different in at least a couple of very important aspects. I will address just one here. The masses of immigrants who came through Ellis Island did not come to a country with a social services network funded by taxpayers. They quite literally had to fend for themselves in a very Darwinian sink or swim environment. Nowadays, many, if not most, illegals have access to social services paid for by us and that stresses what is available to our legal citizens. One can argue that that is a good thing, but you cannot deny that it is an important difference. Studies have been done showing that the money brought into the economy by the work of illegals offsets these social expenditures, but others show that we are actually losing ground.
And if you think illegal Mexicans are reviled in modern society, it pales in comparison to the prejudices against the Irish immigrants of the 19th century. Dig up some old editorials regarding the worthless nature of the Irish "breeder" from actual newspapers, for an interesting stroll down memory lane.
While we're on the subject of immigration (legal or otherwise), how many of you harbor negative attitudes towards Micronesians? It seems to me that they are the modern equivalent of the Irish to many here in Hawaii. I have found the willingness of people here to demean Micronesians disheartening. I mention this as an illustration of how easy it is for human beings to fall prey to racism and bigotry. It's a human instinct that requires vigilance to guard against and overcome.
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