Last month U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) addressed a group of about 200 immigrants who had just become American citizens. He told them, “I’m not just here to say congratulations and welcome, I’m also here to say thank you.”
He went on to liken immigration to salt, a preservative and a seasoning which people “have viewed it as valuable, powerful and sacred.” Johnson then said that “Your hard work, your ingenuity, your decency is taking a quality American dish, and you are making it even better.”
Certainly there is nothing wrong with welcoming new citizens, but this one-sided adulation is wrong on many levels. Shouldn’t these immigrants also be advised they owe a debt of gratitude to the country that accepted them and that they have an obligation to promote its well-being? Their mere presence is not a benefit. They will become good citizens only if they choose to be good citizens.
To encourage them to make that choice, it is proper that we make demands on immigrants, most importantly that they assimilate to our culture and values. Unfortunately, we have a mentality today which regards immigrants as virtually sacred beings whose goodness will automatically bless the benighted native-born. This mentality reflects a profound lack of national self-respect.
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