The Hot Button: Immigration

I admit that when it comes to the subject of immigration, I have some mixed and contradictory feelings and thoughts. I think this comes from the fact that with the exception of one great grandmother (who was a full blooded Cherokee Indian) my ancestors weren't as they say "from around here". They came from a variety of other countries (Scotland, England, Ireland, etc) so to oppose immigration can seem somewhat, well, hypocritical. But here are some of my (sometimes random) thoughts on the subject, in no particular order and not necessarily applicable to every instance of immigration.

1) When my ancestors came to America, there wasn't any concern that they had a backpack with a nuclear devise, chemical weapon or biological agent. The world was a radically different place than it is today. There are concerns & dangers that simply didn't exist back then.
2) They (my ancerstors) didn't come here simply to have a child that would be taken care of by the welfare system. When they came over, there wasn't even a welfare system. At the same time I acknowledge that the parental drive to provide for one's offspring would be a motivating factor in trying to get some place where your child could get an education, food and health care.
3) If you're going to move here, learn ENGLISH. Last time I checked, that is the language that we speak here. I used to work taking inbound customer service calls for a skin care product that was sent to thousands of customers every 60 or 90 days. We only shipped to the US and Canada. So it was infuriating when customers who had been receiving this product automatically for YEARS (meaning that they had lived in America for YEARS) didn't speak English or spoke it extremely poorly and would get angry that we didn't offer customer service agents who spoke Spanish, or Japanese, or Chinese, or (insert language of choice here). They would get extremely pissed off, angry and abusive and trust me on this.....you may not understand the words, but you can tell when you're getting cussed out regardless of the language. I'm reminded of the Tom Selleck movie, Mr. Baseball, where he gets sent to Japan to play. He's been there for a while when he ends up at the Chief's (Manager's) house and discovers that the guy speaks English. When Tom Selleck asks him why he didn't speak English at the field instead of making him use a translator, the Chief points out---this is my country, it is your responsibility to learn my language. And this isn't to say that you should forget how to speak your native language or abandon your heritage, but you chose to move here, so learn the language.
4) If you want to move here, do it legally. And yes, I understand that there aren't enough spots for everyone who wants to come here, but that doesn't mean you should just come on over and make yourself at home. On the other hand, I have sympathy for those who live in oppressive and impoverished condition and can undertstand the desire to try to get someone where you and yours have a chance to live a decent life. But I do worry that there is a limit to the number of people that we can support. What happens to the quality of life when the tipping point is reached? We already have serious issues in this country that go unaddressed because there simply aren't enough resources. At some point, the entire system and economy will collapse under the presssure.
5) Jobs. Some argue that immigrants, particuarly those who are here illegally, are only doing jobs that Americans don't or won't do anyway. I am first to admit that as a general rule, Americans are spoiled, but is it really as simple as that statement implies. Could it not also be argued that illegal immigrants are willing to do the job for less than Americans who have already achieved a higher quality of living and have the related bills, can simple afford to work for. A professor I had talked about how this happened in Hilton Head. Landscaping jobs were primarily the domain of African Americans in Hilton Head until the influx of Mexicans occurred. They were willing to do the jobs for less than the current rate and ended up taking over the landscaping business. Their willingness to live in conditions that we would consider substandard (but are still a huge improvement over where they came from) made it possible for them to undercut the wages and yes, push Americans out of their jobs. Undoubtedly, there are jobs assumed by immigrants by virtue of the fact that no American wants to do.
6) Don't rewrite the National Anthem. And sing it in English. Don't try to sell me that you're changing it out of respect for Americans. Sorry, not buying it.
7) Have you tried changing your country? I realize that this isn't an easy task and in some cases, it might be impossible. Considering dictators like Hussein, the unarmed masses probably don't really have a chance.
8) I hate that people live in conditions that make poverty in American look like a cake walk. I hate that they live under oppressive dictatorships. And I know that given some of these conditions, risking life and limb to get here is probably a good deal. But I think that there has to be a better way.
9) I'm annoyed by those who do come here illegally and then act entitled to treatment as a citizen and act as if Americans who oppose those are in league with the devil. I can't imagine smuggling myself into another country and then demanding rights as if I were a citizen.

I admit that sometimes I feel rather cold when it comes to the subject of illegal immigration. And then at some point, I feel guilty about it. I have been blessed to not have endured the hardships that drive people to take the risks that they do to get here. Ironic that some people would live life and limb to get here to try for a better life while others would give life and limb for a chance to destroy us. Such are the complexities of the world in which we live. I wish I had a solution, but unfortunately, I don't.