Just so we all know where I am coming from, I as white as they come and nearly translucent after a winter spent indoors. I have, for a great deal of time, felt strongly about the immigration issue, just as many of you have. However, my feelings are for neither side of the debate as both sides have partially valid points. One of favorite comedians has probably said it best when he was talking about immigration, "White people did not land on Plymouth rock with visas."
When you strip away everything thrown in the way to complicate a matter that is black and white, the only people who are not immigrants here, are the Native Americans. The difference between the constant onslaught of European immigrants and Latin American immigrants is the means to take the land violently. No where in history has Might equaled Right. It is a horrific practice that we still employ today although we call it "Policing."
Everyone here, either by birth, or by boat, is here to find a better life for their families, just as our ancestors wanted a better life for their families. With every immigrant group that moved into the country, they faced hardships, mistreatment, and eventually equality. With the current state of agriculture, were we to hire American born people, they would make minimum wage, face long days in the fields, and the price of food would sky rocket. The American farmer as it is, needs subsidies from the Government to keep producing food or they would go out of business.
Would any national born American, take a job that paid pennies on the dollar when they can get more for pretending to look for work in the unemployment system? It may sound surprising, but we need immigrants here as much as they want to be here.
On the other side of the bell however, I fully believe that if you wish to be an American, then you need to embrace the American spirit, and show pride for the United States. If a group of people is proud of their heritage so much, than why come here in the first place?
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