A Day without Immigrants

I usually don't bring up political issues in my blog, but this one is important to me. It is something I feel strongly about. We know several "illegal immigrants" and we they are wonderful human beings trying to give their children a better life. They are hard workers, willing to work in horrible circumstances simply to put food on their table, while putting it on yours.

We see people working the fields all the time. Right now, it happens to be onion season. The temperature is in the upper 90's with high humidity, it is getting uncomfortable to be outside for long periods of time and yet, there are men and women who spend the entire day outside pulling onions from the ground. It is back breaking work. They spend the entire day slumped over picking onions. They don't get paid by the hour, they get paid per bag. Sometimes, they work for crew leaders that give them next to nothing and keep any profits for themselves. Day after day. I say, anyone who thinks that immigrants are criminals and should be deported, should have to spend a day picking onions.

Opponents to immigration make it sound like Mexicans are lined up at the border waiting for nightfall so they can cross. The are preying on people's fears. They make it sound like every person in Mexico wants to come here. That is simply not true. We know people in Mexico that would never even consider leaving their country. They are just as patriotic for their country as we are for ours. The majority that do come over, are merely seeking opportunity here. They are good people with strong work ethic. I say, let them come. This country was built on the backs of immigrants from all over the world.

I do agree the with bill proposed in the Senate. We need to close the borders. There needs to be order. We need to stop criminals and terrorists from potentially entering our country. There needs to be more protection. Let those who are good people and do want to come, pay the money they would pay a coyote to our government and come legally. Let those who are already here, pay a fine and work towards citizenship. They are important to our economy. They are making the U.S. a better place.

I worked with a nurse here. Whose parents brought her to the U.S. when she was 7 years old. I don't know if they did it legally or not. I believe in the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. She was placed in a remedial classroom because she couldn't speak English, even though in Mexico they teach at a faster pace in elementary school and she was farther ahead in the actual curriculum than students here. She picked up English quickly, as all the students do. Her family started migrating for work. They would travel to Minnesota to work the fields there in the summer. She would start the school year there. Each day after school she would be expected to come straight home and work in the fields until dark. Then, she would do her homework and go to bed. Her parents were paid for the work that she did. When there was no more work up north they would return here until the spring, when they would head north again. She decided she didn't want to work the fields for the rest of her life. She finished high school and worked her way through nursing school. Now, she is a great nurse and her father is so proud of her. I could tell story after story like hers. I know of teachers, doctors, politicians that grew up working in the fields. Now, they are people who are influencing our society for good. They are not criminals. There is one thing you can learn from working the fields, that education is the only way up.

So I hope that next time you eat an onion, tomato, carrot, cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe, or any citrus (these are some of the crops grown here), you might pause for a moment and think about the literal blood, sweat, and tears that went into putting it on your table and maybe then, it will be harder to judge the person that made it possible for you to enjoy it.