I got into a red hot argument over immigration. Disrespect was flying left and right from both of us.

I'm left to psychoanalyze the situation on my own because we can no longer speak to each other civilly. My analysis is that for some European-Americans scapegoating is preferable because it's too difficult for us to admit that our brothers and sisters of a different phenotype also have desires for freedom, liberty, prosperity, and industry. It's too painful for some European-Americans to admit that our predecessors were thieves who invaded the land of sovereign nations and murdered my indigenous brothers and sisters to make space for themselves. It's too painful to admit that our European-Americans ancestors could not fix the government from where they came and then abandoned their native country. What are U.S. nativists afraid of? Are they afraid that immigrants will take their jobs? The argument I heard was that undocumented immigrants are "draining the system". What about the first English, French and Spanish undocumented immigrants. Were they "draining the system?" Life is not a zero sum game. Not all decisions revolve around what is the most cost effective. If that were the case wouldn't it have cost less for the Spanish, French, English, Germans, Irish, Japanese, Chinese, etc of the U.S. to have stayed in their native homeland? Why go to the expense and risk of traveling to a new land?

If you find yourself in a hot button topic debate, may I suggest you don't loose your cool. If needed, excuse yourself from the room. Count to 10 slowly before responding. Don't judge. Don't raise your volume. Ask how they feel, and why they feel that way. Ask if they are being fair. If you can't tolerate their answer, again, remove yourself from the room. Becoming loud, angry, and defensive will not win them over to your way of thinking.



U.S. Immigration History