I’ve written about the need for immigrants from other cultures to assimilate when they come to the United States but as a conclusion to my last couple of posts I felt like I wanted to bang that drum again.
It’s been said that the writing on Black Shards is anti-Mexican, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim and from a certain – limited – perspective that is the case. To the extent that it is true, I regret the need for it to be so. But the world demands that we be for some things and against others and I have chosen to be against groups of people who threaten the America that I grew up in. Some would disagree and call me a fool. So be it.
It might surprise some readers to know that I am married to a 2nd generation Mexican-American Princess. To make this reality possible, my father-in-law came here illegally. The fact that the result was his gift to me of the best part of my life does not make illegal immigration right. Nor does being against illegal immigration make a person a hater of Mexicans, obviously.
Neither does being here illegally automatically disqualify a person from being a good person. But the addition of even a single illegal immigrant to the U.S. population does marginally diminish economic opportunities for Americans and legal immigrants. It also places additional burdens on already strained social services, schools, and law enforcement that are not being paid for by illegals. This is an injury to Americans that we should not bear.
What of the illegals themselves? They are bound to their immigration status hand-and-foot and have only limited opportunities to move out of the separate, not equal society of other illegals. They live a fraction of the American dream but can never be a real part of our society because of language and legal barriers.
This lack of assimilation is the real problem with illegal immigration because it creates a shadow society that does not share American values and mores with her real citizens. It should be understood that assimilation is not a matter of renouncing the entirety of one’s history. But it is a declaration that one’s first allegiance is now to the new homeland and that you will comply with the customs, laws, and ways of living that country defines as being the minimum standard of acceptable behavior.
It is a fact that too many illegal immigrants have not met these standards. Ultimately this played a part in the deaths of two Houston woman and an unborn child only a few short days ago.
It is also a fact that Muslim immigrants, converts, and activists are beginning to “explore the possibilities” of changing America’s cultural and legal landscape to make it more to their liking. Yesterday’s post about the Muslim woman who sued a judge for refusing to let her testify in court with only her eyes visible is just the beginning of the steathy challenges that they will be bringing. See yesterday’s post for an interesting link and also read about how it’s already happening in Germany thanks to a misguided legal system.
For people like me who value the future of a (relatively) free and republican society it is not an acceptable outcome that foreigners come here and establish isolated pockets of alien nations. Neither is it acceptable that these groups attempt to re-write American laws and customs to suit themselves.
There are, after all, countries where immigrants can practice their religions, politics, business arrangements, and family arrangements according to their own cultural standards; namely, the countries from whence they came.
To the extent that immigrants enter the U.S., live, work, and worship within the parameters of the American system their presence is more than welcome here. Immigrants bring more determination, drive, and spirit to the table than most Americans and their contributions are invaluable – as long as they become Americans.
It’s incumbent on Congress and the President, therefore, to put aside their petty differences and implement a workable, far-reaching, long-lasting plan to reign in illegal immigration, promote cultural assimilation, and entice “best of class” immigrants to emigrate here.
Thus far both sides have failed miserably in this important work. Let’s encourage them, shall we?
Update