Comments about ‘Braiding the strands of cultures: The path to assimilation is a difficult one for immigrants’

Millions of immigrants came to this country for economic reasons and for better lives for their children. Hispanics came for these same reasons.
This is history, this is the truth, these are the facts. Nowadays that we have so much information at our fingertips why are so many people so easily deceived by dishonest politicians or by their own unfounded fears?

Millions of Hispanis were already in this land way before the Mayflower. They've been here for centuries. They haven't changed the culture only contributed to it in positive ways.

Hispanics are family oriented, hard working, service oriented, religious and want education and success for their children. They are like any body else here in Utah. Illegal immigrants are generally poor like the pioneers who settled this state.

There is no reason or excuse for people to be full of fear, prejudice and hatred based on lies and deceit when they can find the truth so easily.

Of course racism is a choice. It is a choice for those who feel insecure, helpless, hopeless and victims. Who don't believe they can succeed. They have to blame somebody.

Hispanics come from all walks of life. But the majority of Hispanics I know personally have college degrees, own businesses, have good careers, some are married to anglos. They are good people just like people here in Utah. There are bad apples among Hispanics just as there are bad apples among Utahns.

I'm frightened by the hatred being spread by otherwise good and decent people towards other good and decent people. Please people!! Wake up and judge all people by the content of their character and not their national origin. Yes, I know what illegal means! I also know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony! It's time to find a more reasonable way for people to immigrate here so they can do so with dignity.

I'm really really really trying to be open-minded about this entire debate, yet every article I read like this just makes me more frustrated. Every time I read a post like from Christine, I simply can't understand how seemingly intelligent people can't grasp the simplest concepts.

I'm not a racist. I have compassion for all human beings. I don't like to see anyone suffer from oppression. Yet as soon as I take a stand in support of honoring the borders of this sovereign nation and upholding the many laws that protect legal citizens, I'm attacked as though I espouse such terrible traits.

This is not a complicated issue.

We have a process by which people can legally come to this country. So if that is your desire, then follow the established process.

We have laws that make it illegal to live in this country without permission. These are just laws due to the immense priviliges and responsibilities associated with taking up residence in this great country. If you don't like the laws as established, then work to change them. Period! End of Discussion.

Ya know....I COULD see assimilating into a culture as pretty difficult.

Kind of tough to fit in when you don't understand a freaking thing being said all around you.

Hint! Hint!.....

Kristy -

In arguing for what essentially amounts to eliminating the borders of America, you wrote: "There is no reason or excuse for people to be full of fear, prejudice and hatred based on lies and deceit when they can find the truth so easily."

Interesting.

Also totally false.

Do you ever open your eyes when you watch TV, read the news, surf the internet or talk to others?

There are an estimated 10-20 MILLION illegal aliens in our country today. Arizona alone has more than 400,000.

Law enforcement agencies all over the country have documented violent crime after violent crime after violent crime committed by illegal aliens: murder, kidnapping, car-jacking, human-traffic-ing are just some. Many of the most violent gangs in our prisons are composed primarily of illegal aliens.

Then there's the toll on our resources: our roads, our hospitals, our schools, our government, our taxes. These belong to YOU, Kristy.

No, not every illegal alien is a murderer.

However, your an enormous fool if you really believe that there is absolutely NOTHING to be concerned about with illegal aliens.

All conservatives want is for them to come legally or not come at all.

Big Skies I know what you mean. I too am an immigrant to Utah from Canada. I came legally. I file taxes. I obey the law as best as I can, speeding on the freeways is hard not to do. :)

But why am I a racist when I say that other immigrants should do as I have done? Get in line. Pay for your papers and wait as I did. One of the reason it takes so long to complete the paperwork towards naturalization is that so many are trying to do it incorrectly. Too many people cross border and expect everything to be given to them. That is not how the great USA works! You have to work for things and show integrity and above all honesty.

I love my homeland Canada. But I love my adopted home the USA even more. If asked to fight for her I would. I would die for this country if needed. Assimilation is a necessary requirement for citizenship I believe. As it helps to create better citizens and a better country.

Illegals, please follow the legal process. Assimilate and become part of the melting pot that is the USA.

Great article in itself, but it misses a major element in this discussion... NOT ALL WISH TO STAY! History shows that through the centuries huge part of the people did NOT come to stay. Figures of people returning were as high as 36% (Finns). Some would make a trip to work in the US even 4-5 times. They wanted to establish their lives at home and came to the US to work. This is totally forgotten in these discussions.
The ONLY way to correct the present "immigrant" situations is to make a law penalizing employing of illegals.

Two categories of immigration:

First - legal immigrants...I have a lot of respect for their wanting to come to America to have a better life. Traditionally it takes a few generations for the family to be fully assimilated and the American Dream to be realized. The process is challenging and sacrifices are required, but ultimately the family and America are better off because of it.

Second - illegal immigrants...I have no sympathy for these law breakers. They want the benefits of living in America, but are not willing to respect the laws and due process that make America such a great country. Generally, their loyalties remain with their "home" country. They do not intend to assimilate but rather just want to take what they can from America.

My mother legally immigrated to America. My wife legally immigrated to America. A regular flow of legal immigrants make America diverse, strong, and dynamic. Tolerating a regular flow of illegal immigrants reflects poorly on our values.

The executive branch of our government is sworn to enforce the law until the legislative branch can write better laws to deal with the situation.

Seal the border, penalize employers, deport law breakers, allow legal immigration.

I like Big Skies comment. But I want to try to advance this discussion by suggesting that IT IS a complicated issue.

If one could simply say the law is the law and that's it, it would be fine, but the point with immigration is that there are lots and lots of grey areas -- most created by the nature of our laws. For example, a Ukraine student and his wife come to America to study. He goes on to graduate school, and then gets a graduate degree and then an internship -- all legal. The couple now have two children age 14 and 12. They lose all future internships and employment -- the times are bad -- and they can go back to Ukraine, but their children are in the American schools and don't speak Ukraine. And the employment situation is worse in Ukraine. The LAW provides that if they go underground -- work for cash at a restaurant or something -- then in six years, they become citizens. No problem. No penalty. Their children sponsor them.
Are they illegal? Yes. What would you do? The law provides that they should hide out.
It's not simple.

There seem to be two different poles of opinion on illegal immigration.

One holds that illegal immigrants enter the country illegally -- sneaking across the border.

The other holds that these immigrants are God's children who contribute to our society in difficult, dirty and dangerous work that otherwise would not be performed. And without illegal immigrant farm workers lettuce would cost $8 a head.

Which stereotype is true? Both of them.

The government calls those who cross the border illegally EWI's "enter without inspection".

EWI's comprise roughly half of the illegal immigrants.

The other half are those who have entered legally, but have lost whatever visa status they once had. And for them, some are contesting their status in the courts, some are hiding till they can become legal, -- they are not so much illegal as they are quasi-legal, or soon-to-be legal.

In other words, these are "undocumented" more than illegal.

And many churches and social organizations prefer that term -- so they aren't being judgmental -- "compassion" "All are God's children" and some are branch presidents and on the high council.

You don't need a visa to serve in the Church.

I'm sure there are other ethnic groups and races that are good hard working people.

That's not the point of the illegal immigration debate.

It's the fact that they are here illegally. Instead of waiting their turn, they became criminals, and broke our laws.

Immigration is not a complicated issue unless we chose to make it so. Some givens:
1. Moving to a new culture is always going to be tough. It's Darwinian and the tough survive and make America better.
2. Immigrants always bring their culture but always lay much of it aside as they get along with their chosen country.
3. Immigrants who wish to assimilate learn the language. Accommodations to their language here should be minimal. Business will accommodate fastest because they want the business. Governments will lag and should do little. It is up to the immigrants to obey the law.
4. Americans are no more anti-Hispanic than anti German, Irish, Slavic, etc. New people always have a rocky start. It's okay. Take a deep breath and, if Obama is his cronies haven't ruined the American Dream, you'll find the chance and opportunity here.
5. No one really minds people coming here on a temporary visa and staying longer. That tends to get worked out. But we do mind an invasion across our borders. They must be secured.
6. When you come, love America and be careful not to embrace your past too much.

I grew up in Arizona and loved my Mexican friends and their family-oriented lifestyle.

However, when I was in the supermarket the other day behind a young Mexican woman using food stamps to buy her food, I wondered, is she an illegal? Is she taking funds from a system that she doesn't contribute to?

I believe in immigration, LEGAL immigration. Let them come the proper way, get a social security number and pay taxes like I do, and I'll welcome them with open arms.

American culture created the wealthest and freest society the world has ever known. We don't know how many illegals are here, 12 to 30 million. Let's say there are 20 million illegally here. If we grant them amnesty, the first thing they will want is family reunification. Each person will then bring, on average, 5 family members. That's hitting America with 125 million poor people within 5-10 years that don't speak English and most are uneducated. I believe it will end our freedoms and culture and America will be reduced to a 3rd world country. We can't absorb that kind of poverty, think what it will do to the environment. For starters, where do we get the water, power, schools, roads for 125 million more within 10 years!!!

I agree, assimilation can be difficult. And attitudes toward immigrants can be difficult to overcome. But, that is a choice the immigrants made. Two things might make it easier. 1) learn the language. I grew up with lots of Eastern Europeans who refused to speak their native tongue until fluent in English. Were they in some way more capable of learning a new language? Or just more motivated? 2) BECOME AMERICANIZED. Just one example from the news. On cinco de mayo 4 students (some hispanic) wore US Flag type shirts to High School and nearly caused a riot. If the Hispanics that want so badly to be accepted would just add tolerance to their own list of characteristics, maybe it wouldn't be so hard on them.

How 'star trek' ian.... LOL

I never see negative comments about legal immigrants, only about illegal aliens. Some people just can't figure that out. Compassion for illegals is selective compassion, no compassion for the Sudanese or Indian or Filipino who has been standing in line for 11+ years to immigrate legally. Go figure.

Not complicated indeed. But obviously too complicated an issue for Big Skies.

The limits on legal immigration do not "protect legal citizens." Not from crime, not from economic hardship. They simply limit the number of people who can immigrate.

(Laws excluding criminals and terrorists are a different matter, but no rational person is suggesting that those descriptions would apply to any but the smallest fraction of immigrants.)

And to suggest that the laws are "just" is laughable. They're as just as "we got here first, and we're pulling up the drawbridge after ourselves." They're as just as "I was born here, and you weren't. Aren't I special?"

In your favor, BigSkies, at least you didn't write "boarders" like so many of your illiterate comrades.

let it be known, that there will NEVER be a society that praises itsself for being free.

as long as people believe in the big 3... Religion, The State, and CHINA. lol.

Peace.