What do you guys think about this?

Question

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 coun try'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 in 2007 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

P. S. Pass this on to everyone you know!!!
KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING!!
I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across the nation!!

Ever onward!!
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

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 coun try'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 in 2007 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

P. S. Pass this on to everyone you know!!!
KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING!!
I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across the nation!!

Ever onward!!
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

THIS IS NOT MY OWN FILE, I GOT THIS AS AN EMAIL. I HAD TO CUT IT SHORT CAUSE IT'S LONGER THAN THE ACTUAL EMAIL.

Writer of this letter is Rosemary LaBonte<----not me!

Woops copy and pasted twice, my bad.

Answer 1

Amen, sister!

Answer 2

I'd dump him asap. If he likes another girl and she him, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? Real love doesn't play games or have wandering eyes, it's committed and hard work. You MUST see this as a red flag, a deal breaker, strike three. Your young, i'm guessing, you shouldn't even be considering a SERIOUS relationship that is going to cause you insecurity. Have fun, don't become overly invested in this, WHAT? you can't flirt? Move on, the writing is on the wall and it spells trouble. Do yourself a favor and cut the guy loose, if it is destined to be, it will run it's course and he'll be back. But why you would take him back only you can answer.

Answer 3

My grandparents, my mother and my aunts and uncle all came through Ellis Island. My grandmother brought 6 small children, tucked under tarps, topside on an American freighter, beginning the journey in Budapest, Hungary; during WWI. Would I think there is ONE illegal immigrant that should be in the US, after hearing the stories of the hardships my ancestors endured? NOT ONE! I still have a picture of my mom at age 15 waving her American flag after her citizenship ceremony. Her family scrounged and saved to buy a teeny home in Cleveland. My uncle, at age 47, dug a basement BY HAND, using only a shovel, wheelbarrow and plank of wood to role out of the hole and empty. He added 3 BR and a bath with the basement. Basement walls were a foot thick cement, all mixed by hand, not with electric cement mixers or big loads of cement being delivered. That's the definition of hard work, desire, toil. What it should take to be a US citizen, rather than waltzing across a border and not even calling the US of A their HOME.

Answer 4

Hi Rosemary, I think it's a good letter, except I thought the part praising the European immigrants as good Americans got a bit too long. You started with the current controversial issue of illegal immigration, then in the middle paragraph, it became long and went into WWII, etc., which in my opinion, took away some of your initial momentum so much that you may lose readers at this stage. Also, it is a different century now, and the world has changed so much. I think it is dangerous to set up the argument as if you are saying Europeans are just better than Mexicans. I know that's not your point, but your letter opens you to that rebuttal by opponents. Maybe if you only write about the Ellis Island immigrants, and all that they've done, but leave out negative comments on current illegals, then you force your reader to draw the same conclusion without you having to say it. Just my two cents.

Answer 5

I also think this is somewhat opinionated although many important facts are stated that concern the freedom and liberty this country is supposed to provide us. I believe that those who came to this country thought of something a little different than when they actually got here, that's why people had to work, so they could get by. Today, a lot people outside America hope for a better life, but first they have to earn it. You can't just come here and expect to be taken in like a child in a nursery, you have to make your way there first. The point is even today America isn't really what it's supposed to be even though we try to make it the best we can, ending on the note that "everyone is created equal"

Answer 6

What more is there to say? Two of my grandparents passed through Ellis Island, when they arrived here from Lithuania. My grandfather had been a mercenary in the Tsar's cavalry, but here he worked as a coal miner in Indiana and Pennsylvania, and sent both his sons to college. He never learned English, but his sons did, even though they spoke Lithuanian in their home. Pretty cool, eh?

Answer 7

No one is going to take down the Statute of Liberty. Aside from what it represents, it generates millions in tourist dollars and a landmark destination for resdents and visitors alike.

This "new" kind of immigrant you're talking about makes it seem like people who want to start a new life in America don't want to work and just be given hand-outs. We all have an issue with illegal immigrants, but people who come here legally work very hard to secure their place in this society.

Some of them come here with Master degrees, but can't get jobs that they may be very qualified for because their degrees aren't recognized in America. There are more American born people on welfare than immigrants. No one disrespects those who came by way of ElIis Island. They worked hard and so are most of the people who com here legally.

Answer 8

When immigrants came through ellis island we were building a country. Now we are building corporations. There is a difference!

Answer 9

Thank-you for sharing that e-mail with us, as that is one of the most powerful letters I have ever read, and it is the truth, and nothing but the truth. My grandparents came from Russia,and landed at Ellis Island, where their name is imprinted there, along with millions of others, and worked hard to raise a family and live AMERICAN. Both of his sons, my uncles, were officers in the Navy, and also were in WW2. Yes, that letter hit the spot today, Thank-you again.......

Answer 10

I'd say that I agree and so does my mother grandmother who passed through Ellis Island. I recently asked her about "today's immigrants". She thinks today's immigrants are a disgrace. These are her words but not exactly: "Especially, Mexicans!" She says, "I can't understand why these people claim that they work so hard. They don't work any harder than anybody else that they can claim they are "hard workers". They get paid better and treated better than people did back in my day. They seem like a group of whiney babies who want, want, want and they remain loyal to a country that is nothing. If they are loyal to Mexico, why don't they stay a Mexico and make Mexico something. The American people struggled to make America something. These people expect us to hand it to them. Learn English for starters."

Answer 11

this letter is so true. many people who come to the united states have a picture in their head of free hand outs, because our government gave them that idea. and it's not fair that honest hard working American citizens, born and raised here from at least 3 generations ago, to pay for illegal immigrants. Americans are going broke everyday to keep their lives and happiness going so big corporate America can have cheap labor. my question is why do i have to pay for them being here and not paying their taxes and being apart of this country in equality(respecting and honoring our traditions, as they ask when we go to their country), and bring home only enough to pay bills. by response to the letter is god bless America, and my god have mercy on this country with the way it's getting run my our so called concerned government.