I delivered this speech at an event in Reno, Nevada featuring guest speaker, Chris Simcox, of the MinuteMan project in June 2006. This is the text.
One of my favorite American presidents, Ronald Reagan, once said,(quote) “Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction, It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.” (end quote)
Freedom, opportunity, financial security. These are some of the many reasons my father, mother, and oldest brother LEGALLY immigrated from Mexico. They were in pursuit of the American Dream.
My father came first on a visa, leaving his bride and newborn son behind. A year later, he was finally able to afford to pay for their visas so that they could join him. He missed the first year of my oldest brother’s life in order for our family to immigrate to this great country with a clear conscience. Because they loved and respected America, my parents sacrificed so that the rest of their children (who were eventually born in the United States) would have nothing to be ashamed of.
We would never have to look over our respective shoulders.
After many years of patient waiting and jumping through hoops, my father, my mother and my oldest brother eventually had the chance to solemnize their sacrifice – they became official citizens of the United States of America. At last, a firm, honorable grasp on the brass ring! My parents and oldest brother were the first pioneers in our family.
One of the things I love about my parents’ immigration story is that they got the big picture from the get-go. They taught all seven of their children to become solid, American citizens. They taught us to love the USA and all the good this country stands for, and they did it successfully.
Two of my four brothers have served honorably in the United States Marine Corp. We learned English first because my parents made sure it became the most important language in our home. We were taught to work hard and to try to bring honor to our family name.
We were taught to honor our civic duty because this land was a land of promise and opportunity that so many had fought and died for. I do not take this duty for granted.
For the past few months I have been (with growing impatience) listening to, watching and reading about the latest controversy regarding illegal immigration. As a first generation American of Mexican descent, I find it irritating to the extreme to be lumped into the group of Hispanics being currently portrayed in the mainstream media. Those Hispanics are the ones who not only broke the law to get here, but are proud of it. I’m here to tell you that not all Hispanics are like that. Shameless lawbreakers do not represent me.
The truth of the matter is that there are a great many Hispanics from all over the world who came here legally to get a chance to live the American dream. Many of these lawful immigrants have been successful because they espouse principles such as hard work and solid conservative values. More importantly, they simply do not take the opportunities here for granted.
Most lawful immigrant families are very opposed to illegal immigration, especially in light of the severe security risk it poses.
One of my biggest frustrations with people illegally entering this country is that they claim to want the American Dream for themselves.
I am confused, however, as to what their version of the American Dream is. By Illegal Immigration’s very definition, they are committing an unlawful act as soon as they set foot upon this land without propriety.
Is their American Dream, then, to break law upon law to the detriment of the law-abiding population? If so, I think it’s time for them to start dreaming a different dream.
Has anyone else noticed that there are no voices being aired in the national mainstream media which represent those Americans of Mexican or any other decent who didn't break immigration laws or who don’t want to see California handed back to Mexico? I believe it a rather conspicuous act of bigotry, because it causes one to assume that all Hispanics endorse illegal immigration.
We have been bombarded with images of protestors carrying the Mexican or other Central American flag. Representatives from La Raza and other organizations of the same ilk are being interviewed as the “voice” of Hispanics in this country. This is wholly unacceptable!
That is like interviewing the KKK as representatives for all Caucasians or suggesting that the Black Panthers represent all blacks.
The fact of the matter is the mainstream media does not want to see Americans of Mexican descent or any other ethnicity who love America. They can't stand to see people who love America.
A majority of Hispanics that have legally immigrated here have an intense loyalty and devotion to this nation as well as to the American dream because they came to this country with the idea of becoming American and not having anything handed to them – they want the privilege of earning it with their own hands. They then pass that ideal on to their children. A legal immigrant of any ethnicity with that kind of attitude makes a proud addition to the fabric of America.
In his May 18, 2006 article entitled, “Sara’s Story: An immigrant’s Love Affair with America”, writer Bruce Walker penned, (quote)“Immigrants who have a love affair with America have always been the hidden treasures of our nation of immigrants.”(end quote)
The unrestrained illegal immigration going on now makes a mockery of citizenship, sovereignty, and the rule of law. What frosts me the most is that it makes a mockery of the sacrifices my parents made to immigrate here legally.
In my opinion, the time of the humble illegal immigrant is over.
The overwhelming number of unashamed and militant illegal aliens invading our country has made it extremely difficult for people of any ethnicity who want to legally immigrate to this country to do so.
The immigrants this country needs are the ones who want to be here in order to contribute, not siphon off. The illegal population is taking jobs from and lowering the wages of legal immigrants as well as native born Americans. The argument that they are doing the jobs that no one else will do is insulting to the collective intelligence of the American people, besides being patently untrue.
In a free-market economy, if an employer pays a fair wage for services rendered, it is natural that a person will work for that fair wage.
When illegal workers are hired, the end result is a grossly unfair wage competition that legitimate businessmen have great difficulty competing with.
That is if they are even able to stay in business. Do you see how slippery the slope has become?
In addition, illegal immigrants are creating havoc with border hospitals and clinics, even forcing some to close or to sharply reduce services.
In some states, the amount of money spent to educate illegal alien children accounts for a substantial portion of the state budget shortfall.
In New Jersey, for instance, it accounts for 28 percent of the total state budget deficit. That is part of what is so basically unfair about all of this. Their crime is not a victimless crime as their supporters would assert.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (also known as FAIR) recently published a report entitled “Breaking the Piggy Bank: How Illegal Immigration is Sending Schools Into the Red”. The report points out the costs to states for providing K-12 Education to Illegal Immigrants. I’ll cite a few examples for you:
§ In California, the $2.2 billion spent educating illegal immigrants for one year could buy books, computers, and other instructional equipment for well over three hundred thousand classrooms, 79 percent of all the classrooms in California, and fully fund the state's free lunch program for poor students for almost two years.
§ In Texas, the $1 billion spent educating illegal immigrants for one year could provide health insurance to every child in Texas for three and a half years. State budget cuts are expected to trim tens of thousands from the Children's Health Insurance Program, and 22 percent of Texas's children already lack health insurance, the highest percentage in the nation.
§ In Florida, the $309 million spent educating illegal immigrants for one year could eliminate the need to cut $120 million from K-12 schools, with $190 million to spare.
FAIR’s Dan Stein noted, (quote) “This data provides yet one more illustration of the costs of turning a blind eye to illegal immigration and should provide further impetus for states to demand that the federal government finally take effective and decisive action to restore integrity to our nation's immigration laws" (end quote).
Mr. Stein, I couldn’t agree more.
Some have questioned whether it is reasonable or realistic to propose that we deport all illegal aliens. It seems to me, realistically speaking, that instead of helplessly throwing our hands up in defeat and saying we can’t,
we simply roll up our sleeves and start the deportation of those we can! We, and those we elect, have a constitutional duty to protect against foreign invasion. In my opinion, it is a foolish, lazy and alarming argument to suggest that it simply cannot be done.
I love what columnist Ann Coulter penned with respect to this issue in her May 17, 2006 article entitled, “Read My Lips: No New Amnesty”: (quote)
“How about the proposal made on Brimelow's Web site, Vdare.com, that illegal immigrants be told they have two months to leave the country voluntarily and not have their breaking of our immigration laws held against them when they apply for citizenship from their home countries — or not leave and be banned from U.S. citizenship forever?
Or how about just not giving illegal aliens green cards — as Bush is proposing — and deport them when we catch them?
Instead of choosing immigrants based on the longevity of their lawbreaking, another idea is to choose the immigrants we want, for example, those who speak English or have special skills. (And by "special skills" I don't mean giving birth to an anchor baby in a border-town emergency room.)” (end quote)
The supporters of illegal immigration have a ridiculous line of reasoning. If we were to follow their train of thought, we could justify doing away with laws against murder, rape, burglary, etc. After all, we can’t catch all the criminals breaking the law, so let’s just get rid of the law or accommodate those who are breaking the law – especially those who have broken the law for the longest time.
Am I missing something here???
Since when has this country become so unwilling to fight for its security and sovereignty because it would be “too hard” to catch all of the lawbreakers?
To further illustrate this point, I once again quote Ann Coulter: (quote)“If our criminal justice system used that logic, a single murder would get you the death penalty, while serial killers would get probation.” (end quote)
Bottom line, it’s time to enforce the laws already on the books. It’s time to stop suggesting impotent ideas that serve only to appease and start giving competent solutions for protecting our borders. It’s time to stop the political posturing and spinelessness. In my opinion, if the elected government is unwilling or unable to protect this nation, then it rests on the shoulders of the citizenry to do it.
We The People are the government. At least, we used to be.
I have noticed that in this election year, some politicians who would normally stand for what is right are acquiescing to law breakers in order to obtain or maintain poll numbers and/or votes, or to satisfy deep pocket political supporters. This, too, is wholly unacceptable. This country is not for sale.
As far as I’m concerned, this battle for control of our borders is being surrendered in the United States Senate. Politically speaking, it will come back to bite those who have forsaken the citizenry and constitution they should be serving.
I really don’t want to see the Clinton’s and Pelosi’s of the world take over leadership of this country or we’re doomed for sure. In the very near future I hope to see true conservative leadership emerge. Leadership that is strong, unwavering, and uncompromised.
As we all know, a nation that cannot control its borders will not long remain a nation. We are fighting for the survival of our ideals, freedoms and the chance to live out our respective American dreams.
I love this country. I proudly fly the American flag and know and practice all of the protocols which ensure it is treated respectfully. I pay taxes. I worship freely. I raise my children with good, solid family values. I may only be Jane Q. Public, but more important is that I am an American and I am so very proud of it.
I have great hope for this country because from its humble beginnings it has become the most powerful nation on earth. I have great hope that if this issue is resolved correctly, we as a nation will continue to prosper and flourish. What greater tribute to those patriots who have paid the ultimate price than to continue their legacy of guardianship?
I refuse to be given the label of racist or elitist, for I am neither. I am a mother who fiercely protects her children, and as well, an American who fiercely protects her country. I am an American who wants to see this great country preserved for my children and their posterity.
American patriot and founding father, Samuel Adams, stated, (quote)
“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.” (end quote)
My fellow Americans, we have been invaded.
It is our responsibility to ensure that this country, its freedoms and its opportunities, be preserved for subsequent generations.
I am not against LEGAL immigration. I am not against new and improved contributions from new immigrants to this great country.
What I am against are usurpers, gatecrashers, security risks, foreign invaders and people of any ethnicity who flagrantly break the law, use up our resources, and contribute nothing to this American society (except to save a few pennies for shady employers). They then turn around and openly mock us on our own soil. Enough is enough!
Let me be clear about something: I also love and respect my Mexican heritage. I am grateful to have Mayan blood running through my veins, because the proud Mayan culture has truly contributed much to mankind.
This love of ancestry is equivalent to and incorporated into the great love I have for this country - the country I was blessed to be born in, because this country’s founding heritage is also mine. This is the land of my birth, my home-sweet-home.
Despite what liberal media bias and ungrateful American residents say, this country is and will continue to be the greatest nation on earth.
At the end of the day, and in spite of its defects, this country is a divine gift to humanity and should be treated as such.
The United States of America has afforded me the opportunity to live my American Dream, which like the dreams of our founding fathers, espouse God-given freedoms and values. In the late 1700’s these ideologies were deemed radical. Amazingly, they still seem to be.
I believe we have an obligation, even a sacred duty, to live worthy of all the sacrifices made from the inception of this Nation. We must remain ever-vigilant to those who would destroy our ideals and our way of life.
We must be willing to challenge those in office who have forgotten that in this constitutional republic, they work for us and not the other way around.
In closing, I’d like to reiterate what the great President Ronald Reagan said,
“Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction, It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”
May God bless you and may God continue to bless the great United States of America!
