Thread: Todays immigrants much like early arrivals

Today's immigrants much like early arrivals

July 22, 2006

BY SUE ONTIVEROS SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST





I think the thing that bothers me most about the current immigration debate is the mean-spiritedness. There's this underlying opinion of many of those who want to curtail new immigrants' entry into the United States that their immigrant ancestors were better than the current folks who want to call the United States home.



That's why I like the dialog that writer/publicist Elaine Soloway has started in Humboldt Park. Soloway is that rare individual who can see that there are more similarities than differences between people.

Soloway recently wrote a book called The Division Street Princess (Syren Book Company, $19.95) in which she describes her years growing up in a three-room apartment above a mom-and-pop grocery store that was her beloved father's American Dream.

One could look at her memoir as simply one of a daughter of Jewish immigrants living along that stretch of Division Street.

But Soloway recognized that her story is more than that. "I am convinced it is not just a Jewish story," Soloway said. "It is an immigrant's story."

So, with that in mind, Soloway sent her book to Paul Roldan, executive director of the Hispanic Housing Development Corp. This spring, while touring her old neighborhood, Soloway saw that now at that corner of her childhood -- 2501-11 W. Division -- is Paseo Boricua Apartments, which was built by Roldan's corporation.

And right then, Soloway decided she wanted to share her story with the residents of these apartments, which provide affordable housing for the near-elderly. Despite the fact that the five-story, tan and white building is modeled after architecture in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and looks nothing like the grocery store and apartment of her youth, Soloway could feel more of a kinship than disparity with the residents.

When Roldan read Soloway's book, he shared her opinion.

"The transition of immigrants is so generic," Roldan said. "The experiences are so similar."

So on Thursday, Soloway met Roldan and other Latino leaders from Humboldt Park at Paseo Boricua Apartments to talk to the building's residents and donate copies of her book to the community room there.

"I wanted to share what the neighborhood was like in the '40s," said Soloway, to show how very much alike, rather than different, they all are.

No matter what the mean-spirited immigrants' opponents today may think, the Jewish immigrants to Humboldt Park, just like the Puerto Rican newcomers who settled in the neighborhood after them, pretty much held the same hopes and dreams. They all came to our country for a better life, more opportunities for their children, freedom.

And while many people may mourn the loss of their original buildings in the old neighborhood, Soloway is more open-minded. She can see that some things actually are better. She likes the economic, political and community groups who are banding together to keep the Puerto Ricans rooted in Humboldt Park. A chamber of commerce like the one that exists there today would have been helpful to her father, who struggled with his business.

"My parents would [have] loved to see what has blossomed on this site," Soloway said.

The Thursday gathering turned into an opportunity for some of the current neighborhood leaders, including Ald. Billy Ocasio (26th), to talk about neighborhood history with Soloway and see how things changed. Ironically, what put her family's little grocery store in jeopardy was the arrival of the large supermarket chains. Today, all those chains are long gone from the neighborhood and one of Ocasio's latest victories has been securing a new supermarket for his constituents.

And in the end, they all could see how much alike their experiences on the streets of Humboldt Park really were. Soloway remembers a Jewish community where life revolved around family nearby and children were the center of it all. That's not really all that different from the Latino families who live in the neighborhood today.

Some people just don't want to acknowledge that today's immigrant really isn't all that different from people who came here before them. But on that little stretch of Division Street, Soloway is trying to show that hopes and dreams haven't changed all that much since the days when she played outside her family's grocery store.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ontiv...edt-sue22.html

This is good if it's all LEGAL, CONTROLLED , Immigration, we have no control, this is a crisis that is affecting people that live here for many generations and had contribuited to society so the can have benefits and services needed, that are becoming scarce for Us , due to the fact that way too many people are here Freeloading!!!

Some people just don't want to acknowledge that today's immigrant really isn't all that different from people who came here before them.

They ARE different today. #1 they are illegal. #2 our tax dollars didn't support immigrants back then. #3 They learned ENGLISH! #4 past immigrants weren't dedicated to their homeland etc etc etc.

I think the thing that bothers me most about the current immigration debate is the mean-spiritedness. There's this underlying opinion of many of those who want to curtail new immigrants' entry into the United States that their immigrant ancestors were better than the current folks who want to call the United States home.

Thanks crazybird - you got it.
Yep, same old story. Curiously, there was no differentiation between those here LEGALLY vs. ILLEGALLY. My ancestors came here through Ellis Island - eg. were 'legal'.

Maybe the discussion is heated and pointed at times because people here (uh-hum, US citizens/legal residents) are affected directly and in a bad way... - ever consider that?)

I think the thing that bothers me most about the current immigration debate is the mean-spiritedness.

Love of country is seen as mean spirited only by those that don't love her too. The first mean spirited thing we did was put up a border to have a sovereign nation. We established a Republic that would allow our citizens to worship, voice their desires, and pursue happiness. We set up laws based on Christian principles within these borders so that civilized people could be protected from those without and within that mean us harm. We, heretofor, enforced those laws with a mean spirit. Another mean spirited thing we did was send our family members off to die to defend our land, to protect us from those outside that would do us harm. We've had a rather good history of success by being mean spirited here. My spirit will grow much meaner before I'll allow this invasion to destroy this United States. Now go and think on that, and be bothered.