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December 10, 2007

Who Loves the U.S. the Most?

This is a topic I've discussed before, but I just read an interesting commentary in Time magazine about immigration. The author, Michael Kinsley, makes an interesting point: Everybody is in favor of obeying the law. What we should be worrying about is whether or not the law makes sense -- and changing it if it doesn't.

And he asks a very good question: If it's the illegality of illegal immigration that bothers us, how would we feel if the limits on immigration were raised to, say, twice what it is now? Would we say, "Sure, no problem. As long as immigrants come into the country legally, it's fine with me."

I doubt it. The influx of immigrants has had a big effect on the job market, which is relatively healthy at the moment. But if the country goes into recession, that could change. Would our attitudes toward immigration change, too? Would we see a bigger threat to our own jobs?

Then think about these statements from Kinsley: "To characterize illegal immigrants as queue-jumping, lawbreaking scum is seriously unjust. The motives of illegal immigrants ... are identical to those of legal immigrants. In fact, they are largely identical to the motives of our own parents, grandparents and great-grandparents when they immigrated. ... Ask yourself, of these three groups -- today's legal and illegal immigrants and the immigrants of generations ago -- which one has proven most dramatically its appreciation of our country? Which one has shown the most gumption, the most willingness to risk all to get to the U.S. and the most willingness to work hard once here? ... Who loves the U.S. most? On average, probably, the winners of this American-values contest would be the illegals, doing our dirty work under constant fear of eviction, getting thrown out and returning again and again."

That's what really got me thinking. My great-great-grandfather came to America, and I bet being here meant a lot more to him than it does to me. Don't get me wrong: I love the U.S., and there is nowhere I'd rather live. But I didn't have to leave behind everything I knew and everyone I loved to get here. I only had to "pick" the right parents.

What do you think? Does the determination of so many people to get into the U.S. indicate a passion for the American way of life? Or just a better way of life than they have at home? Is it any different from what motivated the immigrants of earlier generations? I don't think so.

Posted by Marjie O'Connor, HGTVPro.com Staff at 2:19 PM | Comments (109)