Is America so insecure that it no longer believes in the American Dream?

Question

This is my take on the anti-immigration people: There are certain characteristics that mark an individual that is fervently anti-immigrant (they will insist 'anti-illegal'). That is: fear, intolerance, worry, and selfishness. I say that because only such an individual would fret about some impending doom as a result of letting people come here undocumented (which they have been doing for more than a century) to work for low wages in jobs that are hard to fill. They have to be so afraid that a small group of mostly illiterate, uneducated people will somehow be able to tip the balance of power and turn this country into a third world crackhouse (which, by the way, is a very arrogant and ignorant claim). Only a person that was secure in themselves and did not have a "what's in it for me?" attitude could accept people from other countries with an open heart and an open mind - just like it reads on the Statue of the Liberty. Ask yourself, what would Martin Luther King or Ghandi say?

Look at the anti-immigrant person's justification for their position - security, money, and the rule of law. 'The rule of law' argument is just a clever turn of phrase that puts people on one side or the other - either you are for the law or against it. Obviously, everybody wants to be just and good so they say they are for the law. Never mind the fact that laws are written arbitrarily by self-absorbed politicians and that there have been many unconscionable laws - Jim Crow laws, Prohibition, Slavery laws, etc. The law is what everyone decides is the law. But is it morally correct to turn your back on people that want to work? I don't think so. The other two arguments are purely selfish and insecure arguments: security & money. These same people might support a war costing half a trillion dollars in a far away country but will balk at paying $50 billion in human services to the poor and indigent and undocumented. The security reason is a farce because you can't build a wall bi

big enough to stop ANYONE from coming in. Think of the thousands of ports we have or the expansive Canadian border. There are so many ways to get in. Frankly, if people want to come and kill us, they will do it. Closing up and shutting down is also economic suicide and completely against what this country stands for - freedom and openness.

Answer 1

I am open to for anyone to come and get the america dream. Just because they don't speak english nor have a education i will not say throw them back to threw country when in the first place they don't have the money to apply for papers. that's why they come here, sicne they don't have time to wait 10 yrs or longer to get denied. i totally agree with your statements.

Answer 2

By by American pie the American dream is long gone where have you been . Not sure where you live but where i do i cant even read the signs on the stores i don't know what building is which there all in Mexican . I never see an American flag flying hear there all Mexican flags unless its a government building . No lie i feel like I'm in Mexico. All the restaurants are Mexican except McDonald's but they cant understand me and get my order mixed up . Hey martin Luther King spoke English . I have nothing against Mexican or any other culture but if there going to be Americans then speak the language and fly the flag . Anyway the American dream flew out the door and took any good paying jobs with it . We may as well live in Mexico with all the low paying jobs . How can you full fill the American dream when your getting scab wages

Truthfully i think Americans are getting sick of it the middle class is all most extincted maybe someday you will open your eyes and take a real good look around .Its like an infection and keeps spreading. Don't worry it will infect you before long

Answer 3

Being against illegal immigration is actually a way to protect the American Dream.

An immigrant who is illegal and not in the system has no ACCESS to the American Dream. All they have access to is low paying dead end jobs and government social programs and the Emergency Room of any hospital.

Just like you mentioned about the laws about slavery and prohibition, the immigration laws have changed over time too. America used to be a country that needed to grow and we wanted people to come here and start a new life. Now we have limits on how many people we allow to come into this country. There is a REASON why we have limits. There is a reason for the immigration laws.

And if you just tell 30 million people "Hey, don't worry about our laws. Just give us $5000 and we will forget about all the problems." Sounds like Mexico to me.

Answer 4

As long as it legally an not to take an take breaking our laws an sovereignty is not part of the USA dream, Supporting our flag not burning it. Demanding every free benifit possible. Murdering ,raping, Stealing our IDS & SS#, robbing our health system,not paying taxs in your our own name. The list is long thats not the dream we live by , maybe where you come from but not us legel citizens. NO AMNESTY & close the borders enforce the laws we have.Yes we are secure in how we feel. As the Citizens have spoken.United we stand.
300 million strong.

Answer 5

I think you missed the picture here, people are against illegals because they are coming here, not paying taxes and reaping all the benefits of the American wellfare system and the acting like they are entitled to them. America is a country of imigrants, my family included, my grandparents came here because Germany blew, when they got here they learned english, got a job, paid taxes, ect. Never once did they hoist a German flag up and trash on America, they didn,t expect people to learn to speak German because they were too un-motivated to learn English, basically if Germany was so good they would have stayed there. Take a look at the present trend of immigrants, see any difference?

Answer 6

Why don't you stay in your country and build it up? Why do you have to come here? If you all are hard working law abiding people why not build your own country instead of try to stealing from our country?If some one could answer that I might give some credence to your argument but until then save you own country and leave our alone!

Answer 7

Ahhh, the "American Dream" ... I am a 63 year (young) white woman, trying to get by on Social Security. I am too young for Medicare and I live in a senior housing community that takes nearly 75% of my income for rent. I work whatever jobs come my way (I spent the first 40 years of my life being a wife and mother, didn't go to college or work, the last 23 years I have worked as receptionist for this company and that, but none of them offered retirement benefits)...I do not ask for nor get 'hand-outs', I paid my taxes and followed God's and our country's laws all my life. But living in today's society becomes harder and harder each year; my personal opinion about illegal immigration is this...you want to live in America, leave your trash at the boarders. Learn English, teach your kids English, work an honest job, get out of our Welfare lines and ER's (because you have a cold), teach your children respect for others, become LEGAL!

The American Dream is still here, you just have to work for and at it...It's not yours just because you (sneaked) here, you have to earn it, as I did did, my parents did and their parents did. America was built on blood, sweat and tears; the belief was, if you worked hard, you could obtain your dreams (whatever they may be), it still is...the dreams have just gotten out of hand, that's all.

America, with all her faults, is still the best country in the world, just don't come here with your hands out asking (demanding) a free ride!

Answer 8

I still believe in the American Dream, and I am not insecure about it at all. Nor am I anti-immigration. I just want anyone who comes to follow the laws. If they want to live here, they have to follow our laws, just like anyone else who lives here.

Answer 9

The American dream has become a nightmare thanks to the illegals. I live in Az. and I swear i'm in Mexico when I step out the door. I really miss the U.S. and i'd like to go home!

Answer 10

First of all, there never was an "American Dream." That was government propaganda.

Second, many illegal immigrants make very good money.

Third, nothing is going to be done about illegal immigrants because they benefit big business who actually run this country.

So stop worrying about it.

Answer 11

I ought to start believing in the "illegal immigrant dream" ... do you know how many times (at least four) that I've gone to the grocery store and seen Mexicans buying sundries with their Food Stamp Credit Card ... and there's not enough on the card ... so they max out the card and then whip out a big fat stack of $100 bills to pay the remainder, all the while jibber-jabbering in Spanish.

F***in' incredible.