Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A Letter to the Editor

From:
"David LaBonte"

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined. Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:



Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.


Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.



They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.


Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy , France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan . They were defending the United States of America as one people.


When we liberated France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.



And here we are with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.


And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty , it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.



(signed)
Rosemary LaBonte

15 comments:

Jeff Stone May 12, 2010 at 2:35 PM  

Well said Rosemary !

Thanks for posting this. There are so many Americans that feel as if they are alone in having these very sentiments.

Anonymous,  May 12, 2010 at 10:09 PM  

I will cross post this inspite of my break.

Right Girl May 14, 2010 at 4:54 PM  

Very well said. I'm cross posting.

No Sheeples Here! May 15, 2010 at 10:45 AM  

I loved this poignant letter to the editor. Posting it online gives it much more play than a "dead tree" medium.

My deepest thanks for posting it.

Bob Qat May 27, 2010 at 5:53 PM  

Thank you for this post.

By the way, the remark in Chinese is for a pornography site. You probably wish to remove it.

Covnitkepr1 June 20, 2010 at 10:24 AM  

I’ve enjoyed looking over your blog. I came across it through another blog I follow, and I’m glad I did. I am now a follower of yours as well. Feel free to look over my blog and perhaps become a follower as well.

Imola June 23, 2010 at 5:38 PM  

Could not agree more!

Red June 27, 2010 at 11:15 PM  

Sorry it's been awhile since I've been by to check out your blog. I've got you linked at Corndog.

Libertarian Advocate October 20, 2010 at 11:57 AM  

Whatever happened to your blog? Hope your alright!

Covnitkepr1 November 26, 2010 at 8:51 AM  

Been a follower sinse June. Just checking back for new posts. Hope your ok.

Covnitkepr1 November 26, 2010 at 11:28 AM  

This article was well written and contains the truth about the "new type" of immigrant. Thanks for sharing.

Toyin O. June 3, 2011 at 11:44 AM  

That is a great letter, thanks for sharing.

About This Blog

This blog is about my opinions and world view.  I am a conservative, evangelical Christian.  Generally speaking, if you post a comment, I'll allow you to express your view.  However, if you say something hateful, untruthful, or just generally something I don't like, I may remove it.

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