A nation of immigrants
So there I was... no kidding. Waist-deep in the pool at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Paris Island, SC. Broken ankle slowly healing, must've been a Tuesday or a Thursday, those being the days for pool therapy, when I was asked this question:
While proud of my family, I don't write this blog as a proud German-American. Assimilation matters.
And, like most Americans, I'm growing tired of the ludicrous straw man argument that those pushing for enforcement of our current immigration laws are anti-immigration. How could they believe that? More importantly, how could they expect us to believe that?
The sheer, brute force of pragmatism may very well force us to grant amnesty to most of the 11 million illegals in this country... but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And I will not support any amnesty program without concurrent sister programs to secure our borders and promote assimilation. Anything less would be 1986 all over again. The ideal of zero illegal crossing is what ought to inspire us, not the ideal of open borders.
It's sad that we've let ourselves get to the point where enforcement of the current laws is impossible. Sadder still is the message we've sent that it's okay to flaunt the breaking of our laws.
Where's the incentive to assimilate? It doesn't exist anymore. The multiculturalists have effectivly killed off what it means to be an American. And that's the saddest thing yet, because if those 11 million illegal immigrants could taste for themselves even a fraction of the immense pride I felt telling off that Drill Instructor who dared question my namesake? They'd stand in any line, fill out any paperwork, jump through any hoop to secure that feeling for themselves.
Drill Instructor: Delp!
Me: Sir!
DI: Delp. What kind of name is Delp?
Me: An American name, sir! German via Dutch, sir!
DI: What?
Me: It's a German surname but this recruit's family first immigrated to Holland before coming to America in the 1800's, sir!
DI: Ummmmm....
Me: The first American Delp was actually a Delph, but this recruit's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather dropped the h for reasons unknown making Delph into Delp.
DI: But...
Me: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennesee, sir!
DI: What?
Me: That's where the Delp clan settled, sir! First Pennsylvania, then Kentucky and Tennesee, and finaly Indiana where this recruit's parents and grandparents were born.
DI: I'm confused... What does...
Me: Sir! The Drill Instructor asked this recruit what kind of name Delp was! This recruit is simply answering the question!
While proud of my family, I don't write this blog as a proud German-American. Assimilation matters.
And, like most Americans, I'm growing tired of the ludicrous straw man argument that those pushing for enforcement of our current immigration laws are anti-immigration. How could they believe that? More importantly, how could they expect us to believe that?
The sheer, brute force of pragmatism may very well force us to grant amnesty to most of the 11 million illegals in this country... but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And I will not support any amnesty program without concurrent sister programs to secure our borders and promote assimilation. Anything less would be 1986 all over again. The ideal of zero illegal crossing is what ought to inspire us, not the ideal of open borders.
It's sad that we've let ourselves get to the point where enforcement of the current laws is impossible. Sadder still is the message we've sent that it's okay to flaunt the breaking of our laws.
Nineth Castillo, a 26-year-old waitress from Guatemala, said she has lived in the United States for 11 years "without a scrap of paper."
Asked whether she was afraid to parade her undocumented status ["undocumented status"? Sheesh - ed] in front of a massive police presence, she laughed and said: "Why? They kick us out, we're coming back tomorrow."
Where's the incentive to assimilate? It doesn't exist anymore. The multiculturalists have effectivly killed off what it means to be an American. And that's the saddest thing yet, because if those 11 million illegal immigrants could taste for themselves even a fraction of the immense pride I felt telling off that Drill Instructor who dared question my namesake? They'd stand in any line, fill out any paperwork, jump through any hoop to secure that feeling for themselves.