The Quote Below – More Misinformation from the Media
According to Gallup, more than 75 percent of American say immigration is good for the country. . . .
To start, immigration is at the heart of the American story. It is part and parcel of the country’s growth, with each generation seeing a new influx of people from across the globe. Look back far enough and nearly every American can trace their heritage to people who came here in search of a better life. For some, it’s their parents. For others, it’s their great-great-great grandparents, or maybe further back. All are testament to America’s appeal and its power to uplift all who come here.
Immigration is essential to the American economy. . . . To keep the economy growing, our country needs more immigrants, not fewer, to foster innovations, build companies, take new jobs, and create opportunities and prosperity that benefit us all.
Finally, immigration is an expression of America’s commitment to justice and human dignity. . . . We believe in the ideals of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” even for those who weren’t born here. We welcome people who want to use their talents to contribute to America’s success.
These views are widely held across our country. If we hope to turn that consensus into concrete action, Americans of all stripes need to come together and demand better from our leaders. Cooperation isn’t just possible, it’s essential to achieve the kind of immigration reform that Americans deserve — and want. — Let’s Show Congress How to Cooperate on Immigration Reform, The Hill, 3/10/20. [Link]
Fact Check on Quote Above: When most Americans say immigration is good for America, this can mean different things. One possibility is the belief that some limited and selected immigration can be useful. And this indeed is a very reasonable viewpoint. But another matter entirely is the huge numbers and unprecedented diversity of present immigration. Just which of these positions are the 75 percent of respondents endorsing? And do a lot the people who support the latter really understand its negative impact? Most certainly they don’t if the pro-immigration propaganda of the mass media is their only source of information.
Asking if immigration is good is like asking if fire is good. It depends on whether you’re talking about a hearth fire or a forest fire.
The claim that immigration is the “heart of America” is a gross exaggeration, a flight of rhetorical fancy that distorts history. Immigration did not create America. Our country was created by pioneers and settlers. Immigrants (people who move from one settled country to another) arrived later. Certainly they made many contributions to America, but their story is hardly the heart and essence of America.
Just because we had large-scale immigration in the past doesn’t mean that we still need it now. Times and conditions change. An immigration policy appropriate for a horse-and-buggy era when we had vast undeveloped territory is not appropriate for the 21st century. We don’t need large numbers of immigrants anymore to help build America. Our country today is modern and developed society.
Mass immigration is not essential for the American economy. Between 1924 and 1965 we sharply restricted immigration. During that interval we developed a prosperous economy that enabled the majority of Americans to enter the middle class. Since that time, with mass immigration going full tilt, the middle class has shrunk. The notion that our prosperity will require mass importation of foreign workers is absurd given the fact that our economy now making a major transition to automation. Before very long, computers and machines will be doing a large share of jobs now done by humans. Once again, horse-and-buggy era immigration is out of step with modern times.
The cultic ideology of unending mass immigration is injustice and an assault on the dignity of American citizens. It says that they have no right to decide what kind of country they want to have. Those who promote this ideology deny the very essence of our nationhood by implying, as the article above does, that America exists just as much for foreigners (those who weren’t born here) as it does for citizens. A nation, to be a nation, puts its own people first. After that, it may show generosity to others.