What ever happened to "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free..."

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | 01/11/2004 | Carlo3b Dad, Chef, Author

[carlo3b]

 
IMMIGRATION INDIGNATION, holy smoke! DID YOU SEE WHAT I SAW?

What ever happened to  "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free..."

They came here for several centuries for the same reasons – freedom and hope -- and then a Frenchman created a statue that embodied their hopes and dreams. And it embodied America's promise as well. "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free..."
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

I have been watching with a bit of sadness, and more than a little concern, the debate that has been raging over President Bush's Administration proposed guest worker program. I haven't seen anything definitive yet, but I have to admit that I have some uneasiness about what is being said, and what may be done.

First and foremost, I do not wish to trivialize the genuine fear and the authentic concern that most of the protesters of the proposal have expressed. Nor do I disagree with the legitimate anxiety over what the future may hold if this proposal is actually what is being portrayed, "a blanket amnesty for illegal aliens". That being the case there would be in fact, national as well as historical principles at stake, and we must be ever vigilant in the protection of our liberties as well as our sovereignty.

"Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed."
-Mark Twain

Immigration is now and always has been a tricky affair. The delicate balance of need and want, verses can and should. We can certainly understand someone living in desperate conditions wanting to improving their lot in life. What better place to do it than the greatest nation on earth. America is the envy of the world. We are a magnet, and a beacon.

Who wouldn't choose to be free, unless as is the case in too many places, they are incapable of understanding the reality of freedom. Who wouldn't want to have wealth, if we all agreed on what wealth really is. To someone without anything to feed themselves or their children, a neighbor possessing a sack of flour, is indeed wealthy.

To a nation of plenty, it has to be understandable that a desperate and starving parent wouldn't break down a door, or cross a sweltering desert to feed their child, or a family would risk their lives in a sealed boxcar to work for a steady meal.

I must admit, and state for the record, that as a policy, I firmly believe that all law breaking must be prevented, and law breakers should be punished.. the sooner the better.

That said, I may be a candidate for a flogging I might be at most a fugitive from justice, or at the very least a shameful hypocrite, because I have in the past, and without a moment of indecision would again, give employment to someone I suspect but cannot prove, may be an undocumented worker, ..yes, AN ILLEGAL ALIEN!

I have experience with this issue.. up close and very personal...

I AM A PRODUCT OF FORMER ILLEGAL ALIENS.. Thank God.

As a young boy, I watched as my 92 year old great Grandfather, an immigrant from the bowels of depravity in Italy, as he stood in a crowded church basement and took an oath, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to his beloved country to finally become a citizen of the United States Of America. For him, becoming a real member of this wonderful country was the culmination of a lifetime of work, and struggle and hope, and prayers.

My great Grandfather, his aged body bent from years of hard work, managed to stand tall as he listened closely to my uncle, who whispered in his ear, everything that was said from the podium. In those days, hopeful immigrants had to study and be tested to prove they knew enough about this country, and it's founding, history and government, to be qualified to contribute to it's greatness.

He had done his homework, and he didn't want to miss a word.

It was that day, in the cold damp basement, in a soft grainy light, walls decorated with flags, and with his fine and honorable family looking on, he and a large group gathered to prove that they were worthy patriots. That day this proud man who had overcome language, illiteracy and poverty, was at last to be rewarded, he was finally a real American.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, he broke down and cried for the first and only time I ever remember in his long and distinguished life. At that moment,  I remember thinking, it must be special to be an American.

Yes, my family crossed a border from Canada into the United States in the dead of night in hopes of securing a better life for their children. They suffered the pain of fear, poverty and ridicule to take a chance. What was being said throughout the world, was true, America was and still is a nation of opportunity.

I do hear the call of fears and doubt of my fellow Americans, and I share the pain when my neighbors hurt as a nation. There is real worry about the costs and loss of jobs. There are legitimate concerns about lawlessness, and precedent of the apparent "reward the lawbreakers", at the expense of the law-abiding and innocent.

"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort."
-Sydney Smith

I know we cannot be the world policemen, or pantry. We are a mighty nation built upon a foundation of hard work and sacrifice. Much of that labor was done by immigrants, many of which were here illegally not by choice but by necessity. Many, as my family, didn't do it as a thief, but as poor frightened peasants, who came without documentation because the limits on Italians were reached, and they couldn't afford to wait until the bureaucracy opened the doors again.

Upon arrival, frightened and stranded in a strange place without money, friends or family, they did the unthinkable, they prayed and began working until they were safe, solid and accepted.  They raised a family that contributed and their offspring went to war, and they became solid threads in the fabric of their chosen country. There were a few that gave my folks a boost, a chance, a lifeline until they were secure.

So now the dirty laundry, I did the same for others, but I am apparently not alone. This isn't a unique thought to bend the some rules to help those who need help when the need is the greatest.

History is replete with law breakers that did what turned out to be a blessing. There has always been a few that took the law into their own hands when it seemed that was the only way. Moses, was spared by a benevolent stranger. Thank God a man named Schindler broke the laws to save a few hundred Jews from the Nazi's and where would we be if the Underground Railroad was derailed, because it was against the law to save a slave.

"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances - to choose one's own way."
-Victor Frankl

The overwhelming numbers of our newest immigrants aren't fleeing death, or slavery, and I am not Schindler, but I could see the desperation in their eyes and feel the need in their hearts. And what was I offering? A job, and friendship. A job that few Americans wanted, and friendship that has lasted decades.

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
-Nelson Henderson

There are jobs that nobody wants and few would do, unless they had no other choice, a situation which rarely arises in our country.  But they are good jobs that need to be done. By and large these jobs are hard, thankless, dirty, repetitive jobs, at odds with a normal schedule. However, they are at the limits of those that need them.

Contrary to popular belief, almost no large companies would ever pay cash to save a few dollars, or underpay wages to a poor man because he is illegal. We never paid under the table, or less than the going rate because we were a well known company, and a scandal of that pettiness, would have harmed everyone, including hundreds of employees, almost all homegrown Americans.

  "Something that has always puzzled me all my life is why, when I am in special need of help, the good deed is usually done by somebody on whom I have no claim."
-William Feather, The Business of Life

Lest you think it was all one sided, these workers were solid as a rock, and usually faithful as a clock. The work ethic in other countries is as it was in much earlier times in our history. The bottom line is they needed us, and we needed them. They stayed with me and climbed the ladder in the all American tradition, and I watched them with pride, and admiration.

For those that are really concerned about these poor people taking the bread out of your mouth, unless you are a pot scrubber, or a garlic picker, you are at little risk.. And to ease your mind, I have discovered a new money making venture, one that has a fabulous track record. This one has recent and past history has never failed to pay-off. It's remarkable in it's simplicity!

Here it is... bet against the fatalist, place all of your available milk money on the person needing something, and against the person wanting to keep it from him.. in short, betting against profits of doom.

Bet the farm, or the futon, that the screams are always louder during an election year, and the spin is more spit than polish. Just like the generations that preceded us the Italians, Irish, Germans, Haitians and Vietnamese, these folks will continue to be a blessing to our country. Take a deep breath and think about it without the shrill voices whispering apocalyptic threats.

Before you make your final decision on this matter, ask yourself a simple question. What would you do if you were in their place, but first, take a long look around your home, in you fridge and in your pantry.. and just for an added effect, and take an extra moment thinking of your children. Perhaps, you'll come away with a slightly different outlook.  Then again, maybe not.. you have that right, my once removed, illegal uncles and a lot of others died for your right to be wrong..

I am proud of our President, he knew there would be anger and once again he faced the problem head on. Dealing with this now is going to save us all in the long run, and as to the near future.. remember we are free Americans thanks to our immigrant forefathers, and some day as in the past, these new Americans may well save you and your country...

  "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."
-Abraham Lincoln

"One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency."
-Arnold Glasgow

GOD BLESS AMERICA

[carlo3b]

At least I take it that they were born and raised here or at least are naturalized citizens.

You bet, these are homegrown morons. I can't stand to stand in the isles choosing groceries with those young mothers pushing a basket full of children. They buy all crap for food, and let the kids pick the garbage that they're pushing on the kid programs.

Sometime, if I think I see what looks like a light on up stairs, I'll ask them if they would like to know how to cook something instead of buying canned or frozen. On rare occasions they are thrilled to learn. More often they look like I asked them to eat s#it because they make that face, and they respond that they don't cook and don't really care to learn..

Pity for their offspring that they didn't find sex that distasteful.. LOL. . :)

[Axenolith]

Not to mention the fact that letting third world pestholes use the US as a population pressure relief valve only prolongs the day in which the people take care of their own problems in their countries...

[carlo3b]

I thought the whole idea was not to have them here in the first place.

Great question Tom.. There really isn't any way that we are going to send the masses of workers back to wherever they came from. The outcry would never end, so if that option is off the table, the next best choice is knowing who they are and where they are.

[jellybean]

I have become.. A wolf fighter..

You're a lover, not a fighter :)

Take two hugs and call me in the morning...     

...Let me know if your prescription runs low...

-Dr. jellybean

[1rudeboy]

Maybe he should find a new union.

[Lead Moderator]

While admittedly, we don't seem to have it written or posted, people can use taglines for that if they want.

If in the future it becomes a problem (people making thousands of senseless posts just to get their tagline exposure) then we will re-evaluate.

Thanks, LM

[carlo3b]

It seems to me your tag line is an advertisement for your business in every post.

Naw, you have me wrong.. that site isn't my business.. raising my sons and slapping little candy cane newbies around is my forte, now if you've written the definitive ALL AMERICAN EPIC, about a kid from the little Italy makes the big time slapping newbies on the greatest website on the WWW, I'll play the lead.. for nothing.. LOL.. Thanks for making my day.. sigh

[carlo3b]

WOW, your diagnosis was right on.. 2 huggs and a smooch worked like a lucky charm.. My favorite Doctor.. :)

[jimt]

Carlo, were they "yearning to breathe free" that'd be one thing. Currently, altogether too many are "yearning to eat free" - free to them, at our expense. Your ancestors didn't have a welfare hammock to lay in, they got out and hustled. Currently there are both government and non-government agencies that spend their time helping new "immigrants" obtain the maximum amount of socialist services possible.

The key truth here is, we don't need any more people riding in the wagon.

[carlo3b]

Fair enough, no more riding in the wagon.. I agree, however, I have 4 simple questions..
1) Have you lost your job to an Illegal Alien?
2) Do you know anyone that has lost their job to a, Mexican, Honduran, an Hispanic, Illegal Alien?
3) Where did you hear that all of these Illegal Aliens are in fact on welfare?
4) What is the % of Illegal Aliens that are on welfare?

[jimt]

Fair enough, no more riding in the wagon.. I agree, however, I have 4 simple questions..
1) Have you lost your job to an Illegal Alien?

No.

Do you know anyone that has lost their job to a, Mexican, Honduran, an Hispanic, Illegal Alien?

No.

Where did you hear that all of these Illegal Aliens are in fact on welfare?

No one has said "all". But let's be accurate. I said "socialist services". I think a very large percentage use some form of social services, as there's an army of folks out there helping them do it. Are their kids in school? Do they use the emergency room as a clinic? Are their kids born in US hospitals at public expense? Do they live in section 8 housing? And so on.

4) What is the % of Illegal Aliens that are on welfare?

I've seen reports that claimed that 38% were on "welfare". I believe that if you count all social services the number is much higher.

Again, people working here is not the problem. The social services appetite is the problem.

[Ohioan]

This problem is a scant more complex than your puff piece.

Excuse me, but it was you who offered the puff piece--admittedly, a touching human interest story about your Grandfather, but no part of an argument as to what we should do for an immigration policy, with almost 300 million people living here in the 21st Century. My piece, Immigration & The American Future, touches on far more aspects of the issue than does anything that you have offered here.

Did you even read my "puff piece," or did you just assume it was such?

William Flax

[jellybean]

Good morning, Sunshine!!

Here's your morning smootch...
Use liberally throughout the day. If condition worsens or does not improve, see your doctor...

-Dr. jellybean

[cyborg]

At least Carlo knows someone in the world of this thread loves him!

[carlo3b]

William, I guess my patented wit was blunted yesterday, and I forgot to add my signature  :) ..and again forgot to ping you to a post that adressed this topic.. wasn't a good afternoon, I was trying to post while up to my a$#^ in cooking dinner for my large family. my apologies.. Of course I read your piece and yes in does indeed address this horrible situation head on.. and I know you understand from where I'm coming. This is truly a no win situation, I am saddened by the plight of the taxpayer (thats me too) and the guy who is desperately trying to better his family's live.. sorry for the misunderstanding.. :) :)

To: carlo3b

Ohian said "An emotional appeal, but America must as a nation, exist for her own people."

Then you said "Pretty uppity on your part counselor, and a bit dismissive....This problem is a bit more complex than your puff piece. But thanks for your suggestions, it is a start that at least we are addressing the problem."

What is so uppity about legal American citizens wanting what is best for legal American citizens? It seems to me that you are the one who is being dismissive. You post an essay (a good essay to boot) and you welcome and enourage an open dialogue, only to put down an opinion as a "Puff Piece".

I've heard that 70% of American citizens are totally against this bill and I am one of them. It's not wrong for us to demand that those who wish to come to this country do it the legal way. It's not heartless and it's not racist either. Americans should demand that those who do come to this country legally adhere to our laws and assimilate to our customs.

196 posted on 01/11/2004 8:39:07 PM CST by Arpege92

To: Arpege92

He is a long time knowledgeable FReeper that I respect, and I was pulling his leg.. :)

198 posted on 01/11/2004 8:50:10 PM PST by carlo3b (http://www.CookingWithCarlo.com)

[Ohioan]

O.K., what were you cooking for dinner? It might make a difference as to whether I would go on one of those cruise ships that you are apparently connected with. I don't let differences of opinion dictate my recreation life, nor whose cooking I eat.

Cheers!

Bill Flax

[jellybean]

LOL...Carlo knows I don't agree with him on this issue, but I won't fight with him over it. This is a contentious issue, prone to insults and accusations being hurled from both sides. Our friendship goes back a few years so I know how tender-hearted he is toward those seeking to improve their lives. One of his many character traits I find admirable. I'm just lending moral support.

[christie]

". . . I think a very large percentage use some form of social services, as there's an army of folks out there helping them do it.

Maybe we need to identify the problem, which is the army of folks helping illegals obtain social services. If we didn't make it so darn easy, those who couldn't find work would pack up and go home. It encourages a migration. Just as San Francisco welcomes the homeless (or used to!) and has all sorts of programs for them, there are homeless from across the country who migrated there.

Don't blame people for using the system . . . change the system.

[carlo3b]

.. what were you cooking for dinner?

Are you kiddin.. Sunday dinner for a large Italian family.. in an Italian Chef's home, stop it.. hahahahah .. Corned Beef and Cabbage of course!. . . burp (excuse me). . *<|:o)

[dhs12345]

My family and ancestors didn't have to be told...they did it themselves. Speaking the original language was discouraged. They were Americans now and everyone in the family had to learn english.

Not the same as with those from south of the border. Many still can't speak english and don't have any intentions of doing so. And their loyalty remains with Mexico, etc.

No, it is not the same.