It was 9:00 PM and the business owner was grabbing some paperwork from his small shop. His 13 year-old son tagged along with him that night. As they were getting ready to leave, he noticed an Asian man staring at him while smoking in the darkest part of the shared business parking lot. His business had a big window and he had seen the same man staring at him before. He knew him to be an employee of an Asian restaurant next door. One that was rumored to have many illegal immigrant workers.
When he left with his son he did something that he’d never done before and walked up to the man and said hello. The man just nodded his head. He tried to make small talk with the 30 something year-old but he could barely say one word in English. So, the man, son in tow, smiled a lot and quickly said goodbye. They got into their SUV and as they pulled out of the lot he beeped and waved goodbye to the man. The man still in the shadows, didn’t waive back but kept staring. As they pulled out of the drive the son turned to his dad and said, “Man, that guy gave me the creeps”.
A second later the son asked who the guy was and what the dad knew about him. The dad told him that he knew very little about him other than he might be an illegal or undocumented immigrant. He also said that the odds were good no one in America really knew much about him. Furthermore, he said, “That’s a big problem with undocumented or illegal workers in America. No one here really knows much about them and in many cases, nothing about them.”
I heard this story and empathized with what the dad was feeling and what he told his son. America’s immigration system is surely broken. It’s a system where people can easily illegally come into the country. When here, they go and do as they please, unbeknownst to anyone. And if that doesn’t scare you it should.
If someone crosses our border illegally we have no clue if they are great people or scoundrels. We have no idea if they’ve lived a decent life elsewhere or if they’ve been chased out of their country for criminal behavior. We have no clue who may be hanging in the shadows near our homes or business. None. They have no records that could be reviewed when crimes need to be investigated. One can say that’s the way it was in the beginning stages of our country as it developed and to some degree that is true. However, we have a vast civilized country that deserves to have reasonable safeguards regarding those who come into our cities, neighborhoods and businesses.
Some say that we should let everyone with a need into America. Well, that may be true as Lady Liberty, “The Statue of Liberty” stands beaconing people in need to our country but there are reasonable ways that can be accomplished.
Imagine opening up your home to people in need. Great altruistic thing to do. But how do you limit it. Do you let everyone into your home or yard who wants to come and stay? I guarantee you will get some criminals. I guarantee you’ll get users. Mean people. Untreated mentally ill people. But yet, I think it’s a good thing to want to have those immigrants in your house but how many can you hold? Or how many with criminal mindsets will you allow to stay. Will you have rules and limits? Eventually, I guarantee that you will.
But yet, in America, there are no limits. Sure on paper there are some. But all that really curtails are the ones who legally want to come and stay. If you want to illegally come here and work and I guess even get some governmental benefits you can do it and millions ARE doing it.
It’s hurting America and so many people seem to be blind to its folly. It is similar to piling up huge amounts of debt. We don’t seem to realize that neither of them can continue if the country is to keep intact. Having said all this, I also say that immigrants are what makes this country great.
All of my older blood relatives are immigrants. Every one. They came here from Europe. Some just after the Second World War and some, later. Most of their friends whom I grew up with were also immigrants. Could hardly speak English. Every one of them became well-off. Not rich mind you, even though some did get wealthy but they all had decent amounts of money, cars, families and they all produced and smiled a lot here in America. Loved America! They did well for themselves and did well for America. Every one of them came to this land legally.
I have some good American friends who are recent immigrants too. One from Greece and one from Italy. Both of them are citizens now. Fantastic producing Americans and absolutely fantastic human beings. They are both a poster-child of what makes America great. They also came here legally. One studied and received advanced college degrees and the other worked in a machine shop and now programs the computerized manufacturing machines that America needs so much of. Immigrants are the salt of this land! Always has been and always will be. And of course if we go back to our origins everyone here was an immigrant but I don’t want to get esoteric here.
All of earth’s peoples, no matter what race or creed can contribute to America. But we have to set strict boundaries and laws that are adhered to and enforced. Tomorrow is now. Every day that goes by with our ridiculously porous borders, unknown workers and millions of unknown people in our midst is another day closer to more chaos in America.
Steve's a three-time survivor of violence in his youth, a former police supervisor and a graduate of The Police Executive Leadership College (PELC) and was also an award winning part-time college Criminal Justice instructor.
For several years, Steve did written and radio political and current event commentary and was the former host of the long running 'The Kovacs Perspective' Internet radio and TV talk show.
Steve presently owns a small businesses in Ohio--The Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense.
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