Mmm…mmm…mmm… Tossin’ Salad

Using the “Tossed Salad” metaphor IS probably more appropriate than the “Melting Pot” metaphor. Immigration still doesn’t seem to be getting the attention it needs here in the US. I just got a chance to read the Richard D. Lamm speech about his “Plan to Destroy America“. For those of you who don’t know, Lamm was the Democratic Governor of Colorado from 1975 to 1987. I had at first not put any stock into references to his speech because I had heard it mainly from right-wing ‘purists’, who probably just mis-construed his arguments to fit their hateful views.

The arguments he makes are actually quite lucid and masterfully worded. The speech is far from politically correct, a phrase you usually associate with fundamentalists now a days, but it does not originate from hate. He makes a very good point that, historically speaking, bilingual-bicultural nations do not make it, torn my tension within their own borders.

I still have no idea whether I agree with everything he has to say, but its definitely something to stew over. One thing I can definitely agree on is this: illegal immigration is creating a second-underclass that are thought of as outsiders. This is absolutely true. Low wage workers from Mexico aren’t assimilating into American culture and society. Quite the opposite. They are keeping their own culture and language and sending the bulk of their earnings back to family in Mexico.

Probably one of the most disturbing facts of this whole conundrum is that they basically do not pay any taxes, yet they use quite a bit of the services those taxes pay for. This is probably the most important reason that something needs to be done about the situation. I have zero problem with anyone coming into this country to live and work. Let’s just get that straight. I have no ‘purist’ or ‘racial’ agenda here. But we do have immigration laws for a reason. And if we do have them, why aren’t they enforced?

Turning the other way because undocumented workers provide “cheap labor” for a number of areas, which therefore translates into lower prices for the consumer, followed by a stronger economy is complete poopswaddle. The strain these undocumented workers put on the public infrastructure, in the form of medical, social, and educational assistance, is immense, and far outweighs any good effects they might have.

OK, so I’ve made my point from the American Citizen point of view. Easy, right? Of course it is. Its always easy to point at an outsider and say, “You make me uncomfortable, go away!” So let’s look at it from the immigrants’ point of view: These people are ’sub-citizens’ to the rest of America. They will never be accepted here as anything other than a lower class. This is due in large part to the fact that they will never get past menial labor jobs without actually being US citizens.

Not to mention that becoming successful in business and enterprise here requires understanding English and the American culture. So it is really in their best interest overall to become legal citizens of the US, be recognized legally, be afforded all the protections that being a US Citizen affords, and be able to provide viable economic strengths to their communities as well as the rest of the country.

I used to think ‘celebrating diversity’ was great, but when you really think about it, I think the best point Lamm made in his speech is that we should be ‘celebrating unity’. Afterall, our similarities are what allow us to get along and communicate right? No one should ever be forced to abandon their culture or language, but having a common language and culture in the US would just strengthen the things that the citizens can count as similarities they have with their neighbors, whatever their race, religion or sexual preference.