Much has been written about immigration on these pages the last few weeks. Here are my final thoughts on the subject after reading various opinions expressed by my neighbors.
I am an advocate of immigration. I think immigrants only add to the fabric of America, in diverse areas such as art, food, music, culture, politics and religion.
I am not a Native American, both my husband and I had grandparents who were immigrants, and I am thankful that they came here seeking a better life and instilled a love of this country in our parents. Our grandparents learned to speak English and made sure that their children learned it as well. This is the classic immigrant story for every immigrant group that has come to America. I have not heard anyone express a dislike for immigrants on these pages.
There are many people on waiting lists attempting to enter this country, and using the legal process to do so. The immigration process needs an overhaul, to be sure, because too many people have been waiting years and years to become citizens.
Illegal immigration is a different matter, it is problematic; entry into this country should not be as simple as hopping a fence or exiting a plane, but it shouldn’t be a decade-long process either.
The problem that has been ignored by those who favor instant amnesty for illegal immigrants is that granting citizenship to people who have broken the law of the land is not fair to those who have been waiting years while following legal measures to gain citizenship. It is akin to someone breaking a window to get into Macy’s before the store opens. While inside, the person who broke the window may shop, treat other customers kindly and pay for their clothes. While Macy’s may appreciate the business, the person responsible for breaking the window has still broken a window. A crime was committed, regardless of the actions that followed that crime. This is the major problem with illegal immigrants. They didn’t follow legal procedures for entry into this country. No matter how nice they are, or the good that they’ve done, there is a prior bad act that they must be held accountable for.
Acknowledgment of this reality is in short supply by those rallying in the streets. While the illegal immigration debate here centers on Mexican immigrants, the same reality exists for immigrants who are here illegally from other countries in other parts of the United States. Compounding the problem here is that a large number of Mexican immigrants don’t completely buy into becoming an American citizen. There is reluctance on the part of many to learn the English language. There are more Americans of Irish and German descent than there are Mexican Americans. How many Irish or German flags do we see prominently placed outside of homes or on cars on the freeway?
At a recent student protest in Whittier, students stormed a nearby campus, stole the California State Flag, removed the American flag, hung a Mexican flag, and then placed the American flag upside down on the flagpole beneath the Mexican flag while students cheered. This is an abomination to the millions of Americans of Mexican descent who are proud to be American citizens. There is an alarming lack of respect for the law of the land by many protesters that no one wants to talk about. This is a conversation that must take place before any meaningful changing of hearts and minds can take place.
This week there were Open Houses at both of the schools my children attend. At Brownell school, turnout was light on Monday.
Perhaps scheduling an Open House after a long weekend should not be done next year. On Wednesday night, Gilroy High School held its Open House, also with light turnout by the parents. Maybe it is the time of year, but everyone is so busy right now. Students are in the midst of CST testing, and high school students are cramming for the AP exams and the upcoming SATs. I don’t know what the answer is, but it is disheartening to see so few parents take the opportunity to see what is happening in our schools.
Denise Baer Apuzzo has lived in Gilroy for 5 years. She is married and is a parent of three children who attend Gilroy public schools. You can reach her at lu*****@****ic.net.
