Ok so... a few days ago I was talking with a friend of mine. We were discussing immigration. We both believe that there's nothing at all wrong with immigrants. In fact, we rather like the idea of people coming to our nation to make a new life and home.
The two primary reasons I can tell that people hate immigrants is (1) cheap labor and (2) being different. I feel that the first can be solved or at least minumized while the second one people just need to get over. (Seriously, why do people conviently forget their great grandpappy came from over the sea and was a cheap labor too?)
How about this:
First you send a letter off to the USA department of... I dunno, Immigration, requesting to become a citzen. (This should be avaliable online.) First they'll send you a pamplet. The pamplet will talk about the USA, explain the hardships and rewards. Give an over view of US history and customes, plus talk about the rights of American citizens.
I also believe some good ol' fashioned capitalism would work very well here. I think companies looking to hire workers should be able to offer their own pamplets. All companies would be screened by the Department of Immigration to ensure fair wages and good working conditions, of course. But the idea is to give people looking to live in the US some idea of what type of job they could get.
They would then sign a form stating that they have read the information and request forms for becoming a citizen.
So a second package will be sent. A photo and a thumb print should be required. All information about birth place, country, whatever should be filled out and sent. People coming from countries that harbor known terrorists (like Egypt) should have extensive background checks.
Once the person(s) is cleared a passport of citzenship should be sent. It will have the photo and finger print and will be completely in English. There will also be a pamplet that tells the immigrant what to do *once they are in the USA/airport*. There should also be English instructions for the person to show employees at the airport so they know what to do with them [immigrants].
All airports that accept international flights should have "immigration stations". Here each immigrant will be "checked in". They will be told (or shown) to once again make a copy of their fingerprint and take a photo. The passport will be marked with the date they entered the country.
These "immigration stations" should have (1) companies that are looking for workers (pre-goverment-approved of course), (2) housing/apartment businesses looking to sell/rent and (3) charitable foundations looking to help out. All in their own sections (picture and color labelled to prevent confusion). This will give immgrants coming from poorer countries a better chance to find a job, housing, or help.
After they check in and get their bearings, they should be left alone for, say, 2 years. (I'm just making up a time here.) After 2 years they should be required to take a class on US history and their rights. This could be done in a class locally or through the mail. Upon successfully completing this class they should be considered full US of A citizens. They would be sent a new passport or whatever that basically says "USA Certified". :P
I know you're thinking "Wow, that's a lot of money." But I believe a legal immigrant more than makes up for the money initially spent on them with the taxes that they and their great grand children will end up paying. Not to mention the businesses they'll start. :D
If the goverment (local and federal) were REALLY smart they'd spread immigrants out. Oh, not split up families, but place immigrants all over the US. So instead of the boarder of Mexico being filled with JUST Mexicans, you can have... Oh, I dunno, a MexicanTown (like ChinaTown) in Missori. Just to spice things up and keep the immigration population a reasonable level for local towns and cities to handle.
Now, as for the Mexican/American boarder... well, we know for a fact Mexican immgrants will come whether we have guns or not. So instead of just wasting money keeping them out and scarying the crap out of everyone, why not just streamline and expedite the immigration thing and let them IN LEGALLY? It's a whole lot better, in my opinion, to let people in and keep track of them, than it is to try and force them out and they get in anyway. (Sounds like a security risk.. hm..)
But also, I think by letting them in legally it would be good to make sure businesses are--once again--NOT taking advantage of them. Part of the reason they're "cheap labor" is because they're illegal. So if we make them legal, and make sure they know they're rights and how they should be paid, and make sure any company or business caught paying "under the table" will be IMMEDIATELY CLOSED DOWN.. it might help. Just a little. Don'tcha think?
I would like to close with saying that Americans shouldn't be angry at immigrants for taking "their jobs". A lot of the jobs immigrants are taking are jobs Americans DON'T want. Like being maid, a janitor, etc.. anything that requires backbreaking work and getting messy. Americans should get their head out of their asses and realize that these people are only filling the "job gap" white-collar America is making.
And also, we all came from immigrants. At some point in our family, someone came over in a boat or plane and did all the dirty work the upper class didn't want. At some point our family was poor and doing "cheap labor". How can we begrudge modern immigrants that which our family once had to do? Instead of villifying them and treating them like crap, we should treat them like WE would want to be treated.
Yeah I know. The idea of treating people well, no matter what their station in life is mind boggling. Perhaps impossible. But I still say we should, dang it. :P
The End.
The two primary reasons I can tell that people hate immigrants is (1) cheap labor and (2) being different. I feel that the first can be solved or at least minumized while the second one people just need to get over. (Seriously, why do people conviently forget their great grandpappy came from over the sea and was a cheap labor too?)
How about this:
First you send a letter off to the USA department of... I dunno, Immigration, requesting to become a citzen. (This should be avaliable online.) First they'll send you a pamplet. The pamplet will talk about the USA, explain the hardships and rewards. Give an over view of US history and customes, plus talk about the rights of American citizens.
I also believe some good ol' fashioned capitalism would work very well here. I think companies looking to hire workers should be able to offer their own pamplets. All companies would be screened by the Department of Immigration to ensure fair wages and good working conditions, of course. But the idea is to give people looking to live in the US some idea of what type of job they could get.
They would then sign a form stating that they have read the information and request forms for becoming a citizen.
So a second package will be sent. A photo and a thumb print should be required. All information about birth place, country, whatever should be filled out and sent. People coming from countries that harbor known terrorists (like Egypt) should have extensive background checks.
Once the person(s) is cleared a passport of citzenship should be sent. It will have the photo and finger print and will be completely in English. There will also be a pamplet that tells the immigrant what to do *once they are in the USA/airport*. There should also be English instructions for the person to show employees at the airport so they know what to do with them [immigrants].
All airports that accept international flights should have "immigration stations". Here each immigrant will be "checked in". They will be told (or shown) to once again make a copy of their fingerprint and take a photo. The passport will be marked with the date they entered the country.
These "immigration stations" should have (1) companies that are looking for workers (pre-goverment-approved of course), (2) housing/apartment businesses looking to sell/rent and (3) charitable foundations looking to help out. All in their own sections (picture and color labelled to prevent confusion). This will give immgrants coming from poorer countries a better chance to find a job, housing, or help.
After they check in and get their bearings, they should be left alone for, say, 2 years. (I'm just making up a time here.) After 2 years they should be required to take a class on US history and their rights. This could be done in a class locally or through the mail. Upon successfully completing this class they should be considered full US of A citizens. They would be sent a new passport or whatever that basically says "USA Certified". :P
I know you're thinking "Wow, that's a lot of money." But I believe a legal immigrant more than makes up for the money initially spent on them with the taxes that they and their great grand children will end up paying. Not to mention the businesses they'll start. :D
If the goverment (local and federal) were REALLY smart they'd spread immigrants out. Oh, not split up families, but place immigrants all over the US. So instead of the boarder of Mexico being filled with JUST Mexicans, you can have... Oh, I dunno, a MexicanTown (like ChinaTown) in Missori. Just to spice things up and keep the immigration population a reasonable level for local towns and cities to handle.
Now, as for the Mexican/American boarder... well, we know for a fact Mexican immgrants will come whether we have guns or not. So instead of just wasting money keeping them out and scarying the crap out of everyone, why not just streamline and expedite the immigration thing and let them IN LEGALLY? It's a whole lot better, in my opinion, to let people in and keep track of them, than it is to try and force them out and they get in anyway. (Sounds like a security risk.. hm..)
But also, I think by letting them in legally it would be good to make sure businesses are--once again--NOT taking advantage of them. Part of the reason they're "cheap labor" is because they're illegal. So if we make them legal, and make sure they know they're rights and how they should be paid, and make sure any company or business caught paying "under the table" will be IMMEDIATELY CLOSED DOWN.. it might help. Just a little. Don'tcha think?
I would like to close with saying that Americans shouldn't be angry at immigrants for taking "their jobs". A lot of the jobs immigrants are taking are jobs Americans DON'T want. Like being maid, a janitor, etc.. anything that requires backbreaking work and getting messy. Americans should get their head out of their asses and realize that these people are only filling the "job gap" white-collar America is making.
And also, we all came from immigrants. At some point in our family, someone came over in a boat or plane and did all the dirty work the upper class didn't want. At some point our family was poor and doing "cheap labor". How can we begrudge modern immigrants that which our family once had to do? Instead of villifying them and treating them like crap, we should treat them like WE would want to be treated.
Yeah I know. The idea of treating people well, no matter what their station in life is mind boggling. Perhaps impossible. But I still say we should, dang it. :P
The End.
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