Category: News and Views
Hot button topic...What are you guys' and ladies' ideas about immigration reform in the U S? I personally don't think we can afford not to reform it both legal and illegal. We've gone from the generation where my great grandparents became American & spoke English and none of their kids learned any German or French to a modern generation of children of immigrants who are perpetually stuck in bilingual classes or, even at ages like 3 and 4, struggling to speak in ANY language because of bi and even trilingualism in the home. A friend's father stopped the Greek only in their home when what should have been a routine tonsillectomy for his daughter was a nightmarish experience as the nurse couldn't understand the child's request for a glass of water before midnight, so she never got it, and was more upset and sore after the surgery than she should have been. Once he found out the miscommunication, he put a stop to Greek only until everybody spoke English, now they are much older and fluent in both. Today's new arrivals just don't seem to get a clue about this.
At one time new arrivals were expected to learn English and be productive. Those seen as a high risk for charity were repatriated at Ellis Island, and women coming alone, being seen as risks for prostitution gangs of the lower East side, were among the repatriated. Various studies have shown more recent immigrant households more likely to receive public assistance than native born.
My ideas would be to drastically reduce the # of both legal and illegal immigrants granted residence here. IMNSHO, the Green Card Visa Lottery should be totally eliminated...who else grants permanent residence visas in as casual a manner as a bingo game? "The winner is E3, from rural Morocco, less likely to integrate than Spongebob is to dance the lead in a ballet." Criteria for permanent residence would be as it was before this sham of a program...sponsorship and a signature from that sponsor that he/she will not let the applicant go on public assistance should they not be willing or able to meet their own expenses. Also the physical exam should be much more thorough & cover more conditions. At Ellis Island people could be rejected for conjunctivitis, now we have people from the Communist world with hepatitis B and Haitians with HIV. Perhaps we should only be able to take those with minimum high school educations or specific technical skills? This is the case in Canada, where you must speak English and/or French and have to show ability to support yourself in a profession or capital to start a business of your own.
I live someplace where no one is encouraged to integrate and these folks cost more than they contribute. We have interpreters in every language on the Medicaid hotline, are even being forced by the Justice Department to provide voting ballots in Chinese. ?! I thought someone had to be a citizen to vote, & the citizenship exam requires English. I also think when men send for wives the wives should have to demonstrate literacy & willingness to work. We have too many wives who remain ghettoized as stay at home moms and again cost more than they produce in programs like free health. In short I don't think the U S can afford to hold off on immigration reform.
This was an extremely well-written essay and I agree with you on almost every point. Now as a Greek patriot myself, if I ever had a child and chose to do it here, I'd make sure that he/she would learn both Greek and English at a very young age because I'd hate it if he/she would have to learn Greek when older because I kept it from him/her. I extend this to other immigrant families in America who refuse to teach their children about their culture etc. But I draw the line at not teaching the children English. There is no excuse why people who move to a country shouldn't learn that country's language or why they shouldn't allow their children to speak it. But I do think that America helps these people far too much in this regard due to all the interpretors. It makes me sick that the television has a button to switch from English to Spanish, that there are Spanish radio stations, tv stations, newspapers (not just in nitch stores like those for other languages) and that whenever I call a business I seem to get the "for English press 1 for spanish press 2" bullshit. I have half a mind to hit 1 and start speaking Greek just to annoy them when I hear this. Many other foreigners come here and they're not catered to in this manner. Even if they were, it wouldn't be right. Why should there be 20 or more languages on the signs? Since when did the driving test start getting offered in multiple languages? And if you really want to get technical, they should put braille on things, since that's a separate language too. They accomidate the immigrants but not their own blind citizens? I don't think that it's right to force women to go back to their native countries just because they came alone, but I do think that it's important that people come here with actual job skills and a desire to work, unless they're elderly or children coming with families. The green card lottery, as you said, is unfair. I think that if you can demonstrate that you truly deserve it, you should be granted a green card. In order for me to become a resident, let alone a citizen, of Greece, I need a sponsor and to prove that i have enough money to fend for myself. I do think that public assistance should be given to citizens and to those who are very close to obtaining citizenship if it can be proven that they stopped working due to a disability, the death of a spouse wherein they'd need to take care of a child etc. Why on Earth they'd let people with hepatitis or AIDES into the country is beyond me. I think that should be outlawed, unless they're here to test new drugs or something, and even then, they should be closely monitored. But I think that people should be able to come to the country for surgery that will cure them of their ailment if it's not available where they live. I also like your ideas on education, unless it's a couple and one parent intends on staying home with a child. Even then, I think said parent should receive some kind of training so that they can start working once the child is five or so.
Let's add a few more issues to the pot...First, around here, and in a lot of places from what I've heard/read, there are immigrants willing to work for less than minimum wage, unsafe work environments, ETC, and that takes the jobs away from us Americans who want to work. My husband and I have been searching for over a year for jobs, and neither of us have had luck. Now, I know where in a "Economic Crisis", but come on; when I know of immigrants; (who aren't even legal), working? Also, an illegal immigrant is not forced to pay child support if they get a divorce from their spouse? My sister is 22 and has a young son by an illegal Mexican. She has put herself through school; (she has a Medical Assistant licence). They were married when their son was both conceived and born; (I think he married her in hopes of citizenship). He is the one who filed for divorce, but he doesn't have to pay her child support? When she takes her baby to his place; (he gets joint parenting), she has to provide everything? Come on? This simply has gotten rediculous especially when you consider that a Mom with two sons who has only full time custody of one of them; (long story), is required to pay child support when she doesn't work, her eldest son is handycapped; (mental) , and she herself is applying for disability do to her own physical issues. I'm in complete agreement with post 1. Cut back on legal immigration and force the others to go back!!! Oh, for the record, I hate the language issue. Not only does every business/government agency have an option to speak to others in other language, but even when you do choose English you get someone who has such a heavy accent that you can't even understand them.
I think that all illegals, unless they can prove that they know the language and are willing to abide by the laws, should be sent back to their country. That's sick about your sister's husband. How could he have even married her if he didn't have legal papers? Also, couldn't she tell the court that she didn't know he was illegal and thereby have him arrested or deported? Of course, I know she can't if it's not true but if it is, could it work? I don't understand at all how he can't be forced to pay child support but yet is allowed to see his child. I also hate how immigrants, in general, marry people here just to gain citizenship. People have often asked me why I don't just find a Greek and marry him and thereby become a citizen of Greece. Well, I'd need to live with him for several years to do that, and in any case, I think marriage is far too sacred to enter into without love. As for the heavy accents, that's because of outsourcing, which I think should carry some kind of financial penalty. It's disturbing and upsetting how many people here, those who speak perfect or even near perfect English, would be willing to take these phone jobs, but instead, they're outsourced to India.
Yeah it's sick, but while I'm not sure of all the legalities some how in Arazona a citizen can marry an illegal immigrant and have to abide by American laws. Yes she knew he was illegal, but she wanted to help him, and she loved him. He didn't come over here under his own steam, but he was a child, and far as I know none of his family who has moved over here is legal. His parents even go so far as to refuse to learn English. I know about the Arazona Immigration law; (or at least I know a little-a very little), but so far no difference. He sees his son 2 days a week, and every other week-end. Though, he can't keep him overnight because he isn't 2 yet.
I understand the argument about outsourcing, particularly in a bad economy where people are having a hard time finding work right here at home. However, I blame labor unions and the outrageous demands they make on employers for at least part of this phenomenon. Many nurses up here in MA are unionized. I am personally against the right to unionize, as at one time working conditions in the U S were truly deplorable and even women and child labor needed a group to advocate on their behalf. However, laws make workplaces now not nearly what they were a century ago, so I don't understand why unions don't take their advocacy where it is truly needed, like the farms where many migrant workers work and live in slave like conditions, or to developing countries where a CHILD might do a job like removing used needles from a syringe. Probably because such people aren't able to pay the big dues that line the pockets of the union leaders.
Anyway, nurses up here are unionized. Sure nursing is a tough job and I wouldn't be able to handle it, but should the nurses be making almost as much as a licensed MD? I don't think so. They haven't had go through 4 years of grad school or do an internship that has 'em up 36 STRAIGHT HOURS. Anyway, with the outrageous demands for wages and benefits, it's gotten to the point that young middle/lower middle class women who might have gone to work as hospital nurses w 2 year degrees & RN licensure can't anymore, at least not in Messychoosetts. The major hospitals require now a FOUR YEAR DEGREE, which will shut out those who might have the motivation and finance to do a two year degree, but not the four year. A woman I work with is proud of her union nurse doctor, even brags about her salary. I am disgusted & will not let anyone at Brigham & Womens even touch me.
Even positions you wouldn't think outsourced, like reading an x-ray at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, are being outsourced to New Delhi. Well I had an ultrasound at 20 weeks pregnant at MGH, and was given a false positive reading that showed a heart defect Mimi doesn't have. Said defect is associated with Downs' Syndrome, and I was "counselled" to seek further testing. If a tech in New Delhi...I worked with east Indians some years ago and they're very educated, very hard working, serious people...can do a better job, why not let him do it for a fraction of the cost instead of giving it to a union employee here who will screw it up? Incidentally someone who was much younger than myself was given that same false reading...by the same hospital for TWO pregnancies. People think the Indian people are being exploited by being paid much lower wages when in fact Indian workers at Canon make far more than the average Indian in areas where that company employs. One time we called with a technical problem with a laptop and the woman in Texas didn't seem to know what to do, but the man in India got us up and going, and some wonder why outsource?
I say while the economy is still in recession do complete and total immigration moratorium until we're totally out of recession & booming, than restrict the # of legals to the most likely to integrate & be self sufficient. Also having lived in AZ for 10 years am a supporter of the new law. If I understand correctly, immigrants don't have to provide info about their status UNLESS there is a law infraction that the police have to deal with 'em, for example a traffic stop or shoplifting arrest. They are not just looking for characters who "look Hispanic" lawfully abiding traffic laws or in airports. I think this Governor Jan Brewer is totally no nonsense as she has also limited the # of "ethnic studies" classes that concentrate on one race in the public high schools. It's one thing, say, to take A History Of North American Indians in a college anthropology class, but in the high school or lower levels? Sounds like ethnic pride and Anti American teaching to me.
sorry union nurse daughter, not doctor...
I have no problems with people learning about other cultures in high school. One of the things I hated about history during those years was the huge conscentration on American history. Thankfully, I got to take AP (advanced placement) courses and while one was U.S. History, the other was European and was far more interesting to me. But the regular classes acted as if America was the only country in existence and that got on my nerves. Plus, they didn't tell the truth about many things, only the traditional views which are either out of date or plain inaccurate. I've noticed that this superiority complex carries on into many people's adulthoods and can be seen in American policies towards countries. Then again, how am I supposed to expect Americans, who were brought up with the U.S. as the centre of everything and who weren't taught about other parts of the world unless they went to college, to be able to understand or respect foreign cultures? Now I know that I'm being hypocritical here, because my ethnocentricity would insure that, if I did have children, they'd definitely learn about all aspects of Greek history etc, but I'd still want them to learn about other cultures etc, especially at the high school and college level. I would've loved to learn about ancient history but it wasn't offered, and by the time I went to college, I had to take other courses so was unable to take that one.