By Larry Wiwi
For years, the open borders crowd has painted those of us in favor of border control and controlled, legal immigration as racists, and charging one with racism is very powerful and intended to shut down debate which it sadly often does. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, I ask that you at least consider that opposing illegal immigration is an act of love on several levels.
Our country of course has defined borders and laws based on our founding documents and these founding documents led to the development of what I will call a “US Culture.” This US Culture has no specific race or religion but it does have a binding set of behaviors and beliefs including the rule of law, respect for the law, and a common language. This culture has by most measures proven to be superior to other cultures as no other country has generated so much innovation, wealth and generously spent so much treasure, both monetary and human for the defense of freedom worldwide.
Those who come here legally for the most part want to become Americans, to become part of and build on our amazing culture. Those who come here illegally regardless of their desperate circumstances demonstrate with their first act that they do not respect our laws or culture and therefore do not necessarily want to become American and build the culture, but rather simply want the benefits of the culture. Illegal immigration, the lack of assimilation, the resistance to adopting our language dilutes and weakens our winning culture. Those of us opposing illegal immigration do so for love of country for love of our American culture and we would be just as opposed if white Canadians or white Europeans were illegally crossing our borders.
I have two friends and their families, one from Mexico and one from Columbia, and over the past 10 years, they came here legally, lived here legally, fell in love with America and became naturalized citizens. I am proud to know them and personally congratulated them on becoming Americans – America gets stronger when we get legal immigrants like that.
Second it is well documented, economic fact that illegal immigration lowers wages for those at the lower end of the economic spectrum – American citizens at the low end of the economic spectrum. For the love of my fellow American citizen, I will gladly pay higher prices if needed to help lift my fellow American to a better place. Notice that I said higher prices not higher taxes – I will gladly pay more to create opportunities not hand outs. My opposition to illegal immigration is based in part on love for my fellow American. I don’t have the resources to help everyone in the world and as such have to make choices and I choose to help Americans first.
Opposing illegal immigration is about love, not hate, not racism…
Larry Wiwi, Franklin County resident