This blog is nominally about my children but I'm going to post about politics today. Blame Jaelithe.
The immigration reform debate makes my heart ache. Why are we fighting so hard to keep out people who want to come to this country and work? Why do we want to spend billions making a wall along our border, to keep out a few desperate desert crossers?
What is so bad about a person of Mexican birth benefiting from a job here? Why should American citizenship confer exclusive rights to the jobs available on this soil? No wonder firms are moving jobs outside of this country. We don't want to let the people who want to do the work, do the work. We force people underground, cause them to resent the system we won't let them be part of. They have so much to contribute!
In my own field, programming, we have many foreigners working here. We also have many jobs that go overseas. In some cases offshoring is a bad idea, when clear communication is essential for doing the job. Other times it's efficient. This competition, both here and abroad, has enriched the field. We need to let more intelligent workers in if we want to continue as a world leader in technology. More, not fewer! The immigration caps on some countries (India, China) are far too low. I'm in favor of letting in as many people as want to come, in the long term. Does this lower my salary potential? Probably. But it enhances the opportunities available to my children, because more innovation will happen here.
I don't want what seems best for the American people. I want what is best for the whole world. In the long run, the two are the same.
What are your thoughts?
2 comments:
You know I loved this column!
Can you please move to Cleveland, TN, and help me try and educate people?
I think it goes back to the core of selfishness- the What's best for me philosophy that Jesus came to save us from. Too many people are so concerned about their "rights" (who gave them these rights, I wonder?) because they were born in a certain place. Apparently if one is blessed to be born in a certain spot on earth, one has rights to safe and free medical care (because they can show up in an ER at any time and be treated, regardless of whether they'll pay or not); a peaceful home where one's sons are not taken off to the army at age 14; and the ability to find a job and earn money and eat. If you were born in another spot on earth, well, you need to just stay there and suffer, apparently.
It is difficult for me to understand why otherwise compassionate people- especially people claiming to be Christians, when Jesus so obviously said to put others ABOVE ourselves- have absolutely no compassion when it comes to immigration. There is a fear that "I might lose something" which I don't even think is true; but even so, I am quite willing to take a pay cut if it will give families and their children access to food and medical care and the ability to live happy lives.
Immigrants come here to work; why can't they be given a one-year temporary visa, if they should desire- and at the end of that year they have proven themselves to be a law-abiding person; let the become a citizen should they wish.
Immigrants can't AFFORD citizenship; there are a few crooked lawyers who will help them with it, the one I know of here in Chattanooga charges $5,000 a person. These factory workers that send 80% of their salary home to their families who are starving in Central America cannot possibly pay such a price. They really don't understand why we (much of the population) seem to want to get rid of them; or find their culture or language offensive- if I hear one more person say, "I'm so tired of hearing people speak SPANISH in the Walmart!" as if the beautiful Spanish language was some sort of stream of profanity- I may smack someone!~
This issue frustrates me more than any other. We all tend to be stubborn about our own opinions; I am more stubborn than most, I'm sure- but it is VERY HARD to get anyone to even hear a different point of view. On the positive side, I have noted a few of the nurses I work with starting to make some comments about "Well, we shouldn't judge them" or things of that nature (maybe because they just want me to shut up!)
The cultural difference is most obvious when they are ER patients and have to WAIT. The average white citizen spends their time complaining, becoming hostile to the nurse and physician, threatening to call the paper, stating they "have to get home" because, of course, they cannot be inconvenienced in any way- they're Americans!
Every Latino patient we've had sits and waits patiently throught the night; NEVER utters a complaint, never asks when this or that is going to be done, and certainly never starts telling you why THEY absolutely must be seen NEXT (never mind that someone is being intubated next door) They are effusively grateful to the point that it embarrasses me simply because I am polite, respectful, and speak to them in their own language. They always ask me to tell the doctor thank you, even if he just raced in and out for five minutes.
When I get discouraged about this I remember the racial inequities that were fought in the 50s and 60s and remember that we must keep fighting for the rights of those who can't speak up for themselves, often- and things WILL eventually change. Usually what helps the most is when people actually get to know someone who has immigrated and hears their story; it's pretty hard to stay angry at Juan when you know Juan walked from Guatemala through Mexico to the States so he could work 80 hours a week and send money home to his wife and children (knowing he'll probably never get to see them again) so that his children will have health care, the ability to go to school, and a decent house to live in.
Thanks for the post Jessi! I love you! And grandmarti would say to us, rock on! She was always the champion of the underdog.
I agree with your aunt :
Matthew 25:32 - Matthew 25:46
Other traditions have similar sentiments, of course, but nowhere is it universally practiced. The flawed logic of the conservative is that right now, everything is perfect (or as good as its gonna get), without realizing that perfection is movement
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