3 Bedroom Bungalow to Let in Crazytown: Lady Liberty

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Lady Liberty

I was brought up to believe that everyone is equal. No man is better than any other. There is only those who try and those that do not. "You can be whatever you want to be!" That wasn't just lip service served up by my parents. I really believed it. I was brought up to believe that my country was great. My United States embraced all races, religions and creeds to build a better nation. My United States took the attributes of all her people (native and immigrant) and used them to make a better America. To me the poem at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty most closely represents my America.

The New Colossus

By Emma Lazarus, 1883

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

I have always loved this poem and now as I see my country fractured I can't help but wonder has the America in my head disappeared? What happened to the America that respected the immigrant? What happened to the America that wanted to embrace all and give everyone a shot at the American Dream. The America who with gall and enthusiasm said "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send THESE, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I life my lamp beside the golden door!" What makes the immigrants of today any less deserving of the immigrants that built the skyscrapers of New York or settled the farmlands of the Mid-west? Only one thing, time. Time for people to forget that America was built on the backs of immigrants. Maybe America just needs to remember that.

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expat mum · 758 weeks ago

The funny thing is that they only seem to object to certain types of immigrants. When I hear people bitching about immigrants, I point out that I am an immigrant, and you can see them swallowing the words "Oh but we don't mean you". Hmmm. I wonder why.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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Kat · 758 weeks ago

They probably only like you because of your posh accent ;)

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Mellodee626 · 758 weeks ago

I agree that without the immigrants of prior generations our country would have become something vastly different. There is, however, a difference between our ancesteral immigrants and those flooding over our borders today. Our fathers (and mothers) worked hard to become "Americans." They didn't expect our country to accommodate their different cultures, languages, and ethnicity. They adopted our traditions and melded them with their own. Our forefathers were honored and eager to be assimilated into our melting pot". They wanted to become an "American Citizen". It was a matter of pride.

Continued in comment below!

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Mellodee626 · 758 weeks ago

A large number of immigrants still enter this country....many of them illegally, then expect all the goods. the language, and services be adjusted to accommodage their needs. Many do not even try to learn our language!! They come to this country in order to send money to support their families who remain in the "homeland" wherever it might be! And frequently when they accomplish the goal they go straight back home. They are not interested in becoming Americans. They never were. They will always remain Indian, or Iraqi, or Mexican, or whatever. They were here to take advantage of our good life, but many don't want to give anything back.

I know this is not true of EVERY current day immigrant to this country. Many, many come to this country and become good and model citizens who work hard and feel the same way our forefathers did.

Continued in comment below!

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Mellodee626 · 758 weeks ago

Nevertheless, it occurs often enough to cause resentment in a great many whose great great grandparents came to this country under horrid conditions in order to become free. They worked damned hard to pull themselves and their families into mainstream America. And most of them succeeded. That kind of immigrant is nothing like some immigrants today. It's prettty hard to shrug off the difference!

Sorry to be so long-winded. I didn't mean to rant; I just feel strongly about it.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Kat · 758 weeks ago

Unfortunately our broken immigration system is not helping anyone out. Also, I agree that there are people who come to America and adopt our culture, but lets face it the people who are coming to America for work and sending money back home are doing jobs that most typical Americans would not want to do. So until the boarders are properly enforced and a true migrant worker system is in place, people are going to continue to come to the US to find work illegally because the process now is flawed. Believe me I am all for stopping people from breaking the law and coming into the country illegally, but saying "we need to send them all back" is impossible. I think a massive fine for employers and those who are in the country illegally is a good start and might slow the free flowing tap of illegal immigration but nothing is going to be accomplished by deporting people already in the US if nothing is done legislatively and boarder security wise because they will just come right back as soon as they are deported.

What I was getting at is the nasty tone of people who are standing on their soap box yelling about being Americans and not facing the fact that 200 years ago someone their own family was most likely an immigrant too.

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AuntieGal · 758 weeks ago

All four of my grandparents were immigrants to this country. They are the reason I was lucky enough to be born in this country, and to be protected by brave men (and women) like your husband, supported by families like yours.
That's exactly why I agree with Mellodee so strongly. There is a huge difference between proudly flying the American flag and disrespecting it by flying the flag of another country above it., literally or figuratively. And if you do that, expat mum, they do mean you.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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Kat · 758 weeks ago

As for Expat Mum I would not say that she would ever fly the UK flag above the American one, but I bet she would fly them side by side. Can't fault a person for being proud of where they come from as well as where they choose to reside.

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ecogrrl · 758 weeks ago

I don't look back at America and see us as always welcoming everyone. Our forefathers committed a massive holocaust on the Native Americans when they arrived, had slaves soon thereafter, rounded up thousands upon thousands of anyone who even LOOKED Japanese during WWII, and segregated and violated African-Americans, not to mention kept women from voting until the turn of the last century - that's about as anti-American dream as I can think of. If you look back at history, there were always sentiments about too many Irish, too many Germans, too many Poles, too many Japanese, etc.

While I agree that there needs to be an opening of the heart towards all people, I disagree that our American history shows any kind of background of being accepting towards all. It's like the comment about 'the good old days', know what I mean?

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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Kat · 758 weeks ago

I know what ya mean. It just seems that out and out racism is becoming acceptable in America judging by some of the horrid emails I have received lately. Maybe that is just my rose colored glasses tainting my perception.

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Joanie Mack · 758 weeks ago

I have to agree with Mellodee on this.

1 reply · active 758 weeks ago

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Kat · 758 weeks ago

The good thing about my blog is that we are all free to disagree or agree. I would never block someones comment because they had a contrary opinion. Thanks for stopping by Joanie :)

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SueAnn · 758 weeks ago

Immigrants who want to come and help build up this country are definitely a plus for all! Ones who learn the language and pay taxes like the rest of us. But those who come to destroy this country? No! They want a free ride with no thought to becoming American. No attempt to learn the language and no taxes paid!! This is not acceptable. And not fair to those who have come before and paid their dues. We need a strong, undivided nation to rise up and be what it can be!! With everyone taking part in it's building. Not tearing it down!!
Hugs
SueAnn

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Granny · 758 weeks ago

Kat,

You and I agree on so many things but this is not one of them. I agree with you that we can't send all the illegals home but we can stop more from coming by closing the borders. We need people to come legally and when their turn comes. These are the productive people the US and every other country needs. Unfortunately, what we have now is a flood of people who have no intention of assimilating into the American culture and a lot of them will never be productive citizens. They will always be takers and abusers of the welfare system. Our schools and health care systems are breaking under the burden of this horde.

We will always welcome immigrants who come here legally, get a job, learn the language and pay their way. Now, that is the American way.

I love you.

Granny

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Lady Liberty

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