Posted on 02/04/2005 7:30:02 PM PST by 82Marine89
It's a good thing the Statue of Liberty is in New York Harbor and not in the San Francisco or San Diego Bays. If Lady Liberty were on the West Coast, she would surely hide her face in shame at the way some immigrants are discriminated against and blamed for all of California's ills.
A California Statue of Liberty might carry this inscription: "When all else fails, blame the tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
On the other hand, New York City tends to be more accepting and welcoming, celebrating the diversity of its people and recognizing immigrants' contributions. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but in general the West Coast has a lot to learn when it comes to its treatment of immigrants. "The prosperity that our country and our city enjoys is due in great part to the contribution of immigrants," said Guillermo Linares, the New York City commissioner of immigrant affairs -- a Dominican immigrant himself.
A recently published report issued by the city's planning department found that the size and diversity of its foreign-born population are bigger than ever. There are an estimated 3.2 million immigrants in New York.
Dominicans are still the largest of the city's foreign-born population, followed by Chinese, Jamaicans and Guyanese. But Bangladeshis are the fastest-growing sector. Their numbers increased 393 percent from 1990 to 2000. The second-fastest-growing foreign-born population is of Mexicans, who increased their numbers by 275 percent in that time period. Mexicans are now the fifth-largest immigrant group in the city.
The report emphasizes the economic benefits the new immigrant population brings to the city. Joseph Salvo, one of the report's co-authors, has gone so far as to say, "If we didn't have immigration, I don't know where we'd be." Immigrants, the report indicates, replace residents who have died or moved out, they fill housing vacancies, and they revitalize small businesses.
I was surprised to see that, unlike California, which often releases reports on the cost of immigrants to the state, the study in New York made no mention of it. Linares said the reason is that what immigrants contribute to the economy of the city is so great that they don't begin to receive the benefits that are due them. "We are using the information in the report to develop strategies to make sure immigrants get the services they deserve," he said.
There is an executive order in New York City, signed by the mayor, that defends immigrants' rights, regardless of their legal status.
When you look around the country and see an increasingly hostile environment for immigrants, particularly in states like California, Arizona and Colorado, you wonder why there's such a drastic difference in New York. "Those who do not recognize the great contribution of immigrants in this country are failing to see that what maintains our economy is the wave of new immigrants that arrive every day," Linares said
In 1953, the U.S. Commission on Immigration and Naturalization stated: "Our growth as a nation has been achieved, in large measure, through the genius and industry of immigrants of every race and from every quarter of the world. The story of their pursuit of happiness is the saga of America. Their brains and their brawn helped to settle our land, to advance our agriculture, to build our industries, to develop commerce, to produce new inventions and, in general, to make us the leading nation that we now are."
Fifty years later, New York still sees it that way -- and the rest of the country still needs to catch up.
Sweet article, sweet lament. The problem in SF is complex and primarily a brawl between black and gay "communities. This article author could have done a simple check to find out more specifically about the brawl. Asian immigrants have gotten the short stick in San Francisco and the cause is due the "preferential" activities of the lefty black and lefty gay "ruling elites".
If California is so unfriendly to immigrants, then why are they moving here in such large numbers, both legally and otherwise?
yup.......they always mix up immigration and illegal immigration.........and the minute some state says they are better than another than that to me is some type of insecurity or jealousy......so what......and we better mention how much illegals are costing the state in education, medical costs and prisons.....go down to LA where it is more prevalent and you won't find alot of sympathy down there.......if they had the same number of illegals as us or Ariz or Texas they wouldn't be opening their insecure big mouths.....
A lot of reports on this type of stuff fail to make the distinction between Illegal and legal immigration. That why they can make it look like the government is trying to steal the rights of legal immigrants, when in fact the people that are causeing the problems aren't here legally.
You forgot the homeless. Your mayor and city council has given them free run of the city.
Sanctuary Francisco has an immigrant problem?
The bots will arrive shortly I'm sure. Defending criminals with the same pointless sword.
Barf.
I blame the huddled masses yearning for freebies.
To people like this, there is no such thing as illegal immigration. The concept does not exist for them, and they will never acknowledge that the term "illegal" can ever be used with regard to immigration. There are a number of posters on this board that agree with them.
To them. borders and concerns about immigration status are antiquated beliefs that have no place in the 21st century. An equally antiquated notion is making any distinction between citizens and non-citizens.
Read a thread where ACLU is going after Texas -- as Texas is trying to "ban" the homeless in certain areas. You see, in SF they don't "outright" ban, they skew the verbiage and the ACLU knows this. Ergo, "no suit" against officials "hiding" their homeless.
SF long ago was my city. It isn't and hasn't been for quite some time.
There is a group of homesexuals in SF who are objecting to the proposed gun ban. They call themselves the "Pink Pistols".
lol. Yep "we accept anybody!" SF is having problems.
"Pink Pistols"... don't get me going.. SF the land of Puppets and Puppetry and sexual aides..
If California is so unfriendly to immigrants, then why are they moving here in such large numbers, both legally and otherwise?
WINNER! of the "Great Rhetorical Question Of The Day" award....
It's easier to demonize us by claiming we don't like *any* immigration and then calling us racists. That way, they don't have to actually think and defend their positions.
I remember when Carlos Estevez, I mean Martin Sheen, displaced a bum by sleeping on his manhole cover in order to stay warm at night.
Lets see the Libertarians defend their open borders "policies" alongside an anti-gun position. You see.. it comes from this mantra, which I use too, periodically: Your rights extend to the end of my fist. The thinking here in Libertarians is: Hey, I can defend myself, ergo I don't need no freakin' borders... And its folks like these who are causing problems (from the usual anti-gun Dems) for responsible gun owners and gun groups.
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