Thread: My Country 'Tis Of Thee (Letter to Editor)

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/opin ... leid=75440

My Country ’Tis of Thee
Michael E. Amaral
Monday, May 22, 2006
03:23 AM EST

I consider myself a friend of the immigrant, and a friend of all minorities. I have spoken up vocally over much of my life in support of these groups. I am the grandson of Italian and Azorean Portuguese immigrants. I speak the language of my Azorean grandparents (Portuguese), and I have always been open to welcoming persons to the U.S. from other lands.

I attended the naturalization ceremony of my ex-wife at Faneuil Hall, where she was sworn in with hundreds of other people of different races and cultures from all over the world. I have intimate knowledge of what it was like for all of them to go through the naturalization process.

I saw the tears of joy in their eyes when they were sworn in as American citizens.

But I must say that I am angry, very angry, with illegal immigrants, and their open flaunting of our legal system. They mock the difficulties that all of those newly-made American citizens went through. And due to my intimate experience in being involved with bringing a non-American into American culture (my ex-wife), they also mock me.

At a recent "immigrant" rally in Waltham, where I confronted illegal immigrants who were actually preparing to sing songs with lyrics like "this land is my land, this land is your land," I spoke up: I said "this land is not your land.. (in Spanish)."

What response did I get from one illegal immigrant from Guatemala? He laughed at me.

My fellow citizens - they are laughing at all of us, as they have found a way to manipulate our system and its political leaders, right up to the president himself. Illegal immigrants have never had nor will have my support, support that I have freely offered to all legal immigrants. I have come to one firm conclusion - I want our laws enforced, and I want all illegal immigrants to leave our country.

It is most unfortunate that hate groups and persons like me have found this common opinion, but we didn’t create this situation. A lax governmental policy did. Maybe we are indeed heading for anarchy...because the day when moderate persons like myself and hate groups have even the faintest link to a common cause, is, in my opinion, the day that we are in big trouble here in the United States.

It is a sign that our government is not enforcing its laws....lawlessness does have something in common with anarchy, does it not? Does the president want the average citizen to enforce our immigration laws? I assure him: there are millions of Americans who would like to do so.

I feel deeply saddened to have to say this. I have pondered ways to make this all "fair."

Perhaps we should approach this subject like this. Illegal Immigrants, you must return to your homelands. You broke our laws, and we can’t help you. Your children born here will always be welcomed back as American citizens - that is their right. Maybe in the future they can sponsor you. And please, when you return to your homeland, try to implement some of the democratic ideas that you witnessed here in the United States.

Because if the entire world was like the place that I grew up in (Walpole, Massachusetts, United States of America), then we all would be able to say, "I had a good life...and I was free."

I call on all Americans of all races, colors and creeds, whether American for generations, or newly sworn-in Americans from recent citizenship ceremonies at Faneuil Hall in Boston, the birthplace of Freedom. I call on all immigrants here in the U.S. with legal student and work visas, whether you are from India, Vietnam, Brasil, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania or any of the countries in between.

Let us speak with one voice - Enforce the immigration laws of the United States. We obeyed its laws....why can’t everyone else.

MICHAEL E. AMARAL
Walpole

Well Done! And so true.

Everyone needs to be writing letters to newspapers.

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL. I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN MY NEWSPAPER.........THEY JUST DIDN'T PUBLISH IT.
I'm thankful there are people like that. People who understands what America REALLY, TRULY MEANS AND STANDS FOR AND RESPECTS IT.

BB


Well Said!