Our citizens recently rose up in astounding numbers to call, write or e-mail their negative reaction to Congress regarding the “Amnesty” bill. The clamor was so strong that the bill was defeated.
Now, to digress a bit. Having had four children; first a son, then twin boys and lastly a daughter, my wife and I are also doting grandparents in our late 70s. We enjoy any accomplishment of our grandchildren. But, we only have two; a girl, Ashley, who begins second grade next September as well as a boy, Ainsley, who will start kindergarten. Ashley’s mother is our daughter. Ainsley’s father is our son. Both son and daughter started their families late in life. Unfortunately, our twin sons are still single.
So, it was with great pleasure that we attended the graduation of our grandson, Ainsley, during the first part of June. That is, graduation from preschool in the Willow Glen section of San Jose. Actually, I had never heard of such a thing of children wearing cap and gown. More strangely, they could chose the color. So, we had mostly little boys in red and little girls in pink; but, also, some blues and greens for both.
These multi-colored gowns peaked my brain because I remember graduating from high school in a black gown. After 12 grades, this was my first gown wearing. When graduating from college, I wore a dark blue gown with light blue tassel on my mortar.
In fact, after my U.S. Marine Corps discharge in 1953, following my Korean War service, I returned to college. By June of 1956 I didn’t have enough credits to graduate with my bachelor of arts degree; so, I went through the summer to complete my credits. During the next fall and spring, I completed the necessary credits for my master of arts degree.
Thus in June 1957, 50 years ago, I walked to the podium and received my bachelor’s degree. Then, put the master’s mantel around my shoulders and returned for my master’s degree. Unfortunately, I never completed the PhD. program.
But, back to the multi-colored graduates of preschool. Of course, there also were multi-hued faces of many diverse ancestries. Including my grandson.
His mother is from the Philippines. We have a Filipina daughter-in-law from Mindanao, who became “naturalized” and a U.S. citizen. My son and she were married in Ozamis City. Although she had married a United States citizen, it took a year before she could legally come to San Jose. It took seven years for her to become a LEGAL citizen.
So, the preschool many hued cap and gowns as well as faces led me to thoughts of diversity and my family.
Here is my point.
In the past, America became a melting pot. But, not a multicultural community. All cultures are expected to meld or melt into our culture.
Nevertheless, the premise of our country’s philosophy, the staunch belief of our people from our beginning, has been that those who come from another country to our country must cast off their old governmental rules, ideologies, morays, and practices. They must then accept the new ideas of the United States of America.
That’s the way it has been for some 200 years.
Pioneers came from England, of course; but, also from Germany and the Scandinavian countries. Then, the Irish, Scots, Italians, Spaniards jumped on the ships to New York.
From the East, came the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipinos and the rest. And, of course, Mexicans and Latinos were here or came, later.
The point was that our country had an amalgam of the best rules and regulations in the world. You see, our country’s philosophy could accept the idea that immigrants could honor their countries’ culture; but, when they came to our country, they must accept and promote our agenda.
Yet, we have Congress
pursuing a terribly flawed “Amnesty” bill.
Stop! Wait a minute! Today, all these diverse people come here to our country for a better life. But many don’t accept our country’s sociologic establishment – they keep their own.
Many are illegal! Some of these have no allegiance to the U.S.A., nor want it. Many of these undocumented immigrants come to make some money and either send it back home or stay surreptitiously, receive free hospital care and more; with no intention of becoming citizens.
Why should we accept these “illegal” aliens. Why should they receive “fast track” amnesty?
A multi-colored preschool graduation and a sea of many colored faces is wonderful, but they must be legal.
Fortunately, Congress didn’t pass that horribly conceived “Amnesty” bill. But, I am sure that they will try again in 2008. I pray that before then, Congress will have an intense review of all categories for “fairness.”
Burton Anderson, a U.S. Marine veteran of the Korean War, has lived in California for about 50 years. He has a background in aerospace industry. He can be reached at ba****@*ol.com.
