by Sebastian Talon

Created on: April 29, 2010   Last Updated: May 04, 2010

Views on illegal immigration in the US

Before we get started, I want to remind everyone of one important fact. In the harbor of New York City stands a statue, actually one the defining images of our country. On that statue is a plaque that reads, in part, "Send us your tired, your hungry and your poor." That statue is, of course, The Statue of Liberty, and it is indeed one of the things we point to and say, "See how great we are!" What kind of a country have we become that we have forgotten how we began and grew in the first place?

Immigration in the US is a topic that I have very mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I love our country's history and the fact that we began by allowing people of all types, nationalities and backgrounds to come here and try to find a better life for themselves and their families.

For whatever reason they left their former home, we welcomed them with open arms (with a few bumps and bruises along the way, of course) and let them join in the dream of a free country. It is one of the things I admire most about our country.

Even those who did not seek to come here, but as slaves were forced to come here, have been given all the rights and privileges of a citizen and the opportunity to be a part of the "American Dream".

Okay, I'll admit, the world was different then. Or was it? We have more technology today, but how else has the world really changed since the 16th Century? Since the 17th? Since the 18th up to today in the 21st? We still have political refugees running from oppressive and repressive governments, we still have war refugees running from the horrific wasteland their homelands have become.

And we have our Southern neighbors who live in a country that cannot, or will not, try to meet their people's needs for education, employment and opportunity. These people have little or nothing at home, and we offer opportunity. Where else are they to go?

We have jobs in this country that we used to be willing to do ourselves. And indeed, some Americans still do. However, it is these same jobs that we have worked so hard to leave to someone else. We keep saying we want to provide a better life for our children, and for many that means our children not having to work in the fields, or repairing roofs, weeding and mowing lawns, and others. I'm not trying to stereotype here, but we all know these jobs are now mostly done by crews comprised of our southerly neighbors. Denying that, or arguing about stereotypes is counterproductive. We have,

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