OK. That does it! I’ve been sitting here thinking of what I
wanted to write about and after hearing the same excuses
from people on the news, I just can’t take this anymore.
The issue I am bothered with is Immigration.
The excuse I hear being made is that immigrants do jobs
that Americans won’t. But let’s finish that sentence and
add the words “at those low wages”! The fact is the US
Congress has not raised the minimum wage since 1997.
There is no way anyone can support a family on $5.25 an
hour. Now if these jobs started paying a living wage,
there would be LOTS of Americans lining up for them.
Americans simply aren’t willing to do work that doesn’t
pay fairly — and can we blame them?
The REAL problem is the Americans who hire immigrant
for cheap labor and complain that they can’t find anyone
else to do the work. IF YOU PAY THEM THEY WILL
COME! I hear daily how if it weren’t for immigrants our
toilets wouldn’t get cleaned and our lawns would not be
mowed.
Well, I am here to tell you that I get my toilets cleaned and
lawn mowed by American Citizens to whom I pay a living
wage. I pay $15/hour to my house cleaner and $25 to my
landscaper each time he comes — it takes him about
75mins/week. That’s a living wage! Now if I wanted to
break the law I could hire an illegal immigrant for half the
price, and when I am caught I should be punished. And
that is where the punishment should lie — on the people
who hire illegals.
If you can’t afford to hire a landscaper or house cleaner at
$15-$20/hour, then you need to get up and learn how to
use that lawn mower and toilet brush yourself. No more
excuses! No more breaking the law! There ARE
Americans out there who will do the work, but you MUST
pay them fairly! I know — I employ such folks myself!
I don’t believe we should be severely punishing the Illegal
Immigrants. I DO believe they are breaking the law, and
if caught they should be deported. There are legal ways to
enter this country. I know life might be very hard for
them at home, but that’s no excuse for breaking the law. It
just really gnaws at me how some people feel they have
some sort of “right” to break the law if it suits them. No
one is above the law, not even the President — although I
think he needs to be reminded of this!
We need Congress to raise the minimum wage
SIGNIFICANTLY! We need laws that have REAL
punishments for people who hire illegal immigrants.
These employers are trying to get away with slave wages
— they should be ashamed of themselves!
The bottom line is we need to treat people like human
beings. To be honest I don’t know what to do with all the
folks who are here illegally. It bothers me greatly that
some seem to feel like they are entitled to be here, no
matter what laws they break. It bothers me that some of
these people have been here for over 10 years and STILL
do not speak English. (I don’t mean just the Spanish
speakers — when I worked in Salem I found a Russian
community where many did not speak English, even after
10+ years.) I just think it’s disrespectful to live in a new
country and not learn the language.
It bothers me that all this bothers me! I keep asking
myself am I being racist? I honestly don’t think that’s ever
been an issue for me. I am slightly comforted by the fact
that I DO ask myself the question and actually take the
time to examine how I really feel. I am hoping that
probably means I am not racist.
Is there any REAL solution to all this? I’m not sure there
is one that will please most people — and that’s what
REALLY bothers me.
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Angela C. Byers
Copyright © 1996 - 2006 Angela C. Byers