Those Who Forget The Past...

There have been a number of people whom I have the occasion to speak with who have begun to quietly yet insistently belabor the immigration issue; usually by stating that the immigrants are what's driving this country into the ground and straining the (meager?) social services provided in this country. I don't know whether that ascertation is true or false as I have failed to acquire adequate research on the topic (I know nothing on immigration and it's impact on society and these people don't provide any.) However strictly from an irrational and personal point of view my ire is drawn when I hear such things, as I am the direct descendents of both Irish/Scotch and Italian immigrants. Were my great-grandparents and grandparents indolent crime ridden lay-abouts? Maybe they were but I'm guessing probably not (at least one wasn't since I knew him personally.)

So before railing against the lazy immigrants who are coming to the U.S. for a free ride perhaps asking oneself a few reflective questions could be a good exercise. For example, how many immigrants do you know personally? What are their stories? From what sources are you getting your information? How was the question of immigration handled in the past?

Comments

[TomatoMan]

Anybody who claims not to be either an immigrant or the descendant of immigrants is lying, or just plain ignorant.

Seems like a lot of the people who do this kind of criticizing are monolingual and have never traveled, either. Nobody who's ever slummed it in another country could possibly have the heart, or the stones, to complain about immigrants.