Illegal Immigration

Okay, I've talked myself out of it for a really long time. But now I'm going to take the plunge. I'm going to talk about the sizzling hot topic of Illegal Immigration. And I'm not going to take the popular stance.

I guess I should start off by saying that certainly I don't keep up on all the economic implications and I can't spout off statistics as many can. But I can say I've seen impressive statistics to support whichever side of the debate you choose to be on. That's something that has always amazed me... how you can find statistics to back up whatever you want to believe. I read a quote once that said people generally don't form opinions based on the facts, they look for facts to support the opinions they already have. And this is definitely one of those areas where you see people doing that. Any fact presented that supports their opinion, they hold on to. If it doesn't, they send it on its way.

My opinion on this matter has never changed, but it has become a lot more passionate since I now have a son-in-law who is an illegal immigrant. Before you all fall off your chairs, we have filed all the papers to try to get him on the road to becoming legal. But it pains me along the way to have to read and hear such hateful things being said about illegal immigrants, and him.

The people spewing hatred... they have never met Aaron. But would it matter? Would it matter to them that he came here when he was 16 years old, alone and afraid, in order to be able to work hard and send money to support his mother and sisters? He gave up life as he knew it and came into a country where he couldn't even speak the language. He worked hard to learn the language, and he went through things that most of us would be unwilling to go through. Yet we let our pampered selves sit back and judge these people for attempting to live a better life. How dare they? This isn't their lot in life. It's not their place to live as well as we do.

And what is it we did to deserve our good life? We were lucky enough to be born here. I wonder how many of these people that are so worried about their tax money would change their tune if they were born into REAL poverty.

Now, I don't have my head buried in the sand. I know that not every illegal immigrant that enters our country comes with good intentions. I know there are some who come to deal drugs or to live off welfare. But I personally know of a lot of them who DID NOT come for that reason. Because I know this, I think it's crazy to try to come up with one blanket solution that will fit all illegal immigrants. If they get convicted for dealing drugs... ship them out of here! There's no need to tolerate such things. But if they have come to try to build a better life, who are we to take it away from them? That goes against everything I believe in.

I've heard it said many times that if they want to come over here, they should do it legally. I'm sure it would be much nicer for them if they could. But the truth is, most of them can't. If they don't sneak over here, they won't be allowed to come here at all.

About 3 years ago, one of these illegal immigrants met my daughter, and they are now married and have two beautiful children. When my daughters were young, Leonard & I tried to sell them on the idea of letting us pick out their spouses. Of course, they didn't go for it. But I can tell you if we had searched the world over for the perfect husband for Rachel, we could not have found a better man than Aaron. He is a hard worker, a loving father, and a kind and gentle husband. (Funny, too... that's important in our family!) We love Aaron as if he is our very own son. And it hurts my heart to hear all the terrible things being said about him just because he isn't here legally.

Aaron makes good enough money to take care of the family, but he does not have insurance available to him. Under any other circumstance, I would tell Rachel to get the kids on Medicaid until they can get insurance... just in case something bad happens. But instead, they are living without insurance because we don't want to feed the scorn of the people who think illegal immigrants are costing them money. Of course, the kids are citizens, as is Rachel. But people already have their biases and I don't think it would matter. If they could lump Aaron and Rachel into their statistics and make them fit into the opinion they already have, they would do it. So we do what we can to pay the doctor bills without insurance, and pray that nothing serious happens along the way.

I guess I write all this just to say, I don't get it. I don't understand how we can be so hateful to a whole group of people. I don't understand how we can be so worried about our money being used to benefit others, especially when we live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. I don't understand being selfish and greedy.

I just want the whole world to meet Aaron. Because I think knowing him would warm a lot of cold hearts.