California Dreaming

We've just returned from a family event in LA. As with many families, we've been close for my entire life, and they are very curious about my running for Congress, yet it makes so much sense. My parents, the patriarch and matriarch of this clan are both gone, but were old time Roosevelt Democrats. Almost all of their offspring turned out to be small government Republicans. My nephew's wife at age 8 immigrated with her parents from the Soviet Union to escape the oppression of the Communists, and they are very attuned to government intrusion on liberties. They are aghast at what they see coming from Washington.

Our cab driver back to the airport immigrated from Ghana twenty years ago, and is proud of being a citizen. He has a B.A. in business, but is happy to be an American cabbie. He is very angry about illegal immigration, as he came legally. He can't understand how the U.S. tolerates immigrants who refuse to speak English, and is convinced that California's budget crisis is caused by taxpayer support of services to illegal immigrants.

I don't engage in an argument with him, but we can't forget that just over 100 years ago there was a wave of immigration into the US that brought odd looking people with their foreign languages and behaviors from countries like Italy, Ireland, Poland and Greece. In their neighborhoods, few of the signs were in English and neither were the spoken words. They weren't welcomed then, but their descendants are now our teachers, politicians, and scientists.

It is our nation's right and duty to secure our borders, but we must remember our history. We have no need to be afraid of immigrants. These newcomers are intensely dedicated to and very protective of their freedom and self determination. That's why so many came here.