The Reality of Immigration in America

If you read my last post, you may have come away thinking "he painted the picture with some very broad strokes there, not a lot of detail...." Immigration in this country is a very divisive, complicated, and controversial topic, one which resists clarification in a short essay. That's why I will attempt to address this issue with several essays over time, to bring clarity, and cohesion to my side of the argument. I intend that they be taken as a whole, though human nature dictates a point by point discussion, as those who take offense or issue with my stand will want to make their point of view known. Very cool! I welcome anyone who wishes to comment with an open mind to do so freely. If however you post with a pseudonym because you can't be associated publicly with your beliefs, I will call you out. People who wish to have their voices heard should never fear revealing who they are; if they do, they need to ask themselves two simple questions: Why? And: What does this say about our society, that I have to hide behind a pen name so my countrymen will not persecute me for my beliefs?
We are a nation built on the individuals right to the pursuit of happiness and freedom. America, is a republic founded by the sons and daughters of immigrants, pursuing those very rights, in a land that did not belong to them. Surely in the eyes of Native Americans who witnessed the invasion of their land, these intruders had to be what  we term "illegal aliens". As the descendant of European immigrants to this country, I think it's critical to recognize this fact when discussing immigration, and who exactly these immigrants are.
These people are humans, they have for the most part been blessed with the same capabilities, and burdened with the same frailties as the rest of us. As humans they also have basic needs, such as steady stable employment in their own towns and cities, that will provide a real living wage; not one of mere subsistence. Absent this employment, one must expect that any self respecting man or woman, would then search out a job where ever they may find one. I'm pretty sure we would all do the same. Immigrants legal and illegal feel the pain of leaving family behind to make a few bucks in a country that for the most part despises their presence; an ugly experience that God willing none of you have to share. So why is it that we feel this need to demonize human beings trying to feed, clothe, and educate themselves and their families? Didn't our ancestors emigrate to this country for the very same reasons? Do we harbor this bigotry because this newer wave of immigrants come from places other than Western Europe? Perhaps because English is not their mother tongue? Surely you realize not all of us whose families have been here for multiple generations arrived from nations speaking English. After immigrants from England, the second largest group of arrivals came from Germany, as my sperm donors family did. I refer to him as "my sperm donor" because we never met, he's dead, his loss. The point is that after generations of assimilation, we're all American, the relevance of where our ancestors come from is nil.
My gut tells me the real reticence being displayed is much uglier than that. This spate of anti immigrant legislation in Alabama, Georgia, and Arizona, is another example of spasmodic racism akin to Jim Crow or, The Marijuana Tax Stamp Act. For those of you who are unaware, The Marijuana Tax Stamp Act which made pot illegal was first and foremost a tool used by our government that allowed for immediate deportation of Mexican nationals working our fields during the Great Depression. This act was promulgated by several Senators from southwestern states who were pandering for votes from an impoverished citizenry. Same old subterfuge we're seeing today. Time tested and still working, this type of scapegoating keeps blinders on the fools who will be lead by thieves and charlatans. Left un checked we could certainly witness a further decline to the moral depths of Apartheid, the Jewish Pogroms, and God forbid Nazism.