Views on Immigration
Here's one which is sure to cause some controversy!
In this essay, I will discuss immigrants. It's worth noting that I do not have a problem with immigrants in general. After all, Gods willing, I'll be one someday! My issue is with illegal ones. As most of my readers know by now, although I was born in America and have no Hellenic blood, I am strictly a Greek patriot. But since I am more familiar with certain aspects of life in America, having never left the country, most of what I will say here will relate to that country.
There are several reasons why someone might move to another country. A better life, job or educational opportunities, being close to loved ones, and a desire to be in the land of ones' ancestors or loyalty are just a few of them. But there are only two types of immigration itself, legal and illegal. In the past, this wasn't a serious issue, though of course, problems did exist. Today, however, it is becoming more and more difficult to ignore.
When visiting a country, it's usually a good idea to learn a few important phrases, at the least, so that you can ask for common things and receive aid during an emergency. But actually moving to a country is different. Now, you won't just be staying for a week or two but for years, maybe even for the rest of your life. Therefore, it's essential that you truly endeavour to learn the language, culture and customs of your new home. Even if you don't plan on fully assimilating, you still need to live and work with those around you, and having a clear road to communication and a sense of understanding of traditional values and expectations is beneficial for you and for your friends, colleagues etc. Upon observing your consideration, many might then be willing to learn about your own customs, food, music, language and so on. But it is quite rude to expect the people of your new country to cater to you by learning your language and changing laws to suit your cultural views. Yet this is precisely what many illegal immigrants do. I have often called businesses, particularly when I was involved in business to business telemarketing, only to hear "for English, press 1. For Spanish, press 2." I also know that many products and webpages now have Spanish on them. It's difficult to describe the anger that I feel towards these things. Not all immigrants speak Spanish! What, then, of all the other languages? The answer is simple. in most cases, the nonHispanic immigrants are forced, by necessity, to learn English, which is how it should be. The problem is that English is not the official language of the country. Every civilised country that I know of has an official language. Canada has two! If I wish to become a Greek citizen, which I do, then I must pass a test, and even though they've dumbed it down in the last few years, I would still be required to speak Greek at a high school level. Here, people can take driving tests in their own languages, have their own radio stations, newspapers, television channels and the like, and now, certain jobs are requiring employees to learn or to know Spanish! I have no issue with immigrants keping their cultures and languages alive, as this is the very essence of a diaspora. It's totally fine to speak them in speciality stores, with friends and family etc. But when dealing with the general public, the right thing to do is to at least attempt to speak to them in their own tongue! As for laws, while I have no issues with Muslims, I do remember one Canadian case which angered me. It involved the saying of the oath of citizenship. Certain Muslim women were concerned about lifting their veils to show their faces. This kind of rule-bending should never be tolerated. If the law states that you need to show your face, then your religion shouldn't matter under the eyes of the law. You chose to live in Canada, where most of the people do not follow Islam, and you've decided to remain and to become a citizen. Now you must follow their rules.
Another issue that I find with illegals is that many demand to be treated like everyone else. This is a problem both in America and in Greece. These ridiculous protests over human rights, sallaries, and worst of all, affirmative action, which I do not agree with in any case. Of course, I would never support human trafficking or people being lied to or taken to a country against their will. But many of these people choose to leave their countries and knowingly enter their new one illegally, take another name (which is also illegal), take jobs away from the citizens and legal residents and then demand fair treatment! They should have no right to anything but either deportation, or if they're really serious about remainingin their new country, to take a loyalty oath to their new land, to renounce citizenship of the old, to join the military in some capacity for two years, and to be forced to learn the language fluently. Then, they can talk about rights, as they could earn citizenship as does everyone else. But they should never be given benefits and the like before attaining citizenship. This even holds for legal immigrants if they're not working! If you can't support yourself, why are you burdening another country of which you're not technically a part? Likewise, scholarships should not be given to illegals either. But if the immigrants were either made to come by force or by lies, then I could understand their grievences. Even so, these are not average immigrants who have proper paperwork and either came alone or with loved ones, and something must be done about them. I think their options should be less harsh, but they should still either be given the option of deportation or of declaring loyalty to their new country and then, with an assigned caseworker, determining their strengths for employment and their language skills. If none are found, this could lead to further difficulties. As it is, children, , are allowed a free education. But adults must pay for their GEDs. Perhaps, private organisations could be set up to help those forced into the country. But for those who willingly came, there should be no such options. All of this special treatment is like saying that no, you shouldn't break the law, but if you do, you can still get help. That's sending a mixed message and one that, to me at least, is quite unacceptible.
Unlike Greece, America is a citizenship by birth country. This means that, regardless of the citizenship status of the parents, if a child is porn in America or its' territories, he/she is automatically granted U.S. citizenship. Unfortunately, many illegals use this law by having so-called anchor babies, whose main purpose is to insure that their parents won't be deported. This, I believe, is wrong, and should be illegal. If you came here illegally, you should have no right to use your children to stay. They should either be placed in the homes of citizens or you and they should be deported together. I also think that citizenship should be based largely on loyalty to the nation. This is why, once I get my Greek citizenship, I plan on renouncing my American one. It's only fair, since i do not wish to owe allegiance to both countries, and mine is only given to Ellada anyway. That said, since I do receive benefits, due to me being an American citizen by birth and due to my blindness, I'm not completely ignorant of the idea of reciprocity. In fact, my being a Hellenic Polytheist only strengthens it. So if I did get a job here, I would gladly pay taxes to help others in need, and wouldn't mind working to help teachers, the police, the fire department etc. I just won't involve myself in the U.S. military in any way.
As a nationalist, I'm naturally very concerned about the preservation and protection of Hellenic culture, history, and language. I see their erosion on an almost daily basis. From the natives and those in the diaspora who write in netspeak and Greeklish, and who constantly use foreign words in their speech, to the pop music that emulates American and european styles, to the news that MacDonalds and other fast foods are now in the country. I often wonder where all of our traditions will be in the near future, and the fact that so many illegals are now entering the country only makes me more anxious, since most hve no interest in really being a part of their communities. Of course, it's expected that they'll bring their own histories, languages and cultures with them. But if we become as diverse as America, what will happen to Hellenism as a whole?
A final issue which must be mentioned when discussing this topic is that of refugees. These people, again at times illegal, come to a new country to escape persecution, war, starvation and other terrible things in their old one. While I can sympathise, I still think that a nation needs to take care of their own first, then patriots who wish to enter, then those who can aid the growth of the economy. Refugees are often uneducated, have children/families, and don't know the language of their new land. Furthermore, they usually feel no allegiance to it, as their main goal is escape. So I'm very cautious with these types, and though I do think that some should be allowed, there must be moderation! The problem of illegals and refugees, at least a year ago, was so severe in Greece that certain islands were begging the government to stop it! Some may argue for rights and pitty, but I prefer to remain on the side of practicality and the overall well-being of the nation. While I have no answers for this, I do think that the ones being presented, in both countries, are far from adequate.
In short, while legal immigrants can be an asset to their new countries, the problems posed by many illegals must be adressed. While laws, in America at least, should be reformed to help people legally immigrate, find work etc. it is also essential to remember that immigrating holds with it certain responsibilities and is a privelage granted by the new country, one which should neither be taken for granted nor taken without concent.
Posted via m.livejournal.com.
In this essay, I will discuss immigrants. It's worth noting that I do not have a problem with immigrants in general. After all, Gods willing, I'll be one someday! My issue is with illegal ones. As most of my readers know by now, although I was born in America and have no Hellenic blood, I am strictly a Greek patriot. But since I am more familiar with certain aspects of life in America, having never left the country, most of what I will say here will relate to that country.
There are several reasons why someone might move to another country. A better life, job or educational opportunities, being close to loved ones, and a desire to be in the land of ones' ancestors or loyalty are just a few of them. But there are only two types of immigration itself, legal and illegal. In the past, this wasn't a serious issue, though of course, problems did exist. Today, however, it is becoming more and more difficult to ignore.
When visiting a country, it's usually a good idea to learn a few important phrases, at the least, so that you can ask for common things and receive aid during an emergency. But actually moving to a country is different. Now, you won't just be staying for a week or two but for years, maybe even for the rest of your life. Therefore, it's essential that you truly endeavour to learn the language, culture and customs of your new home. Even if you don't plan on fully assimilating, you still need to live and work with those around you, and having a clear road to communication and a sense of understanding of traditional values and expectations is beneficial for you and for your friends, colleagues etc. Upon observing your consideration, many might then be willing to learn about your own customs, food, music, language and so on. But it is quite rude to expect the people of your new country to cater to you by learning your language and changing laws to suit your cultural views. Yet this is precisely what many illegal immigrants do. I have often called businesses, particularly when I was involved in business to business telemarketing, only to hear "for English, press 1. For Spanish, press 2." I also know that many products and webpages now have Spanish on them. It's difficult to describe the anger that I feel towards these things. Not all immigrants speak Spanish! What, then, of all the other languages? The answer is simple. in most cases, the nonHispanic immigrants are forced, by necessity, to learn English, which is how it should be. The problem is that English is not the official language of the country. Every civilised country that I know of has an official language. Canada has two! If I wish to become a Greek citizen, which I do, then I must pass a test, and even though they've dumbed it down in the last few years, I would still be required to speak Greek at a high school level. Here, people can take driving tests in their own languages, have their own radio stations, newspapers, television channels and the like, and now, certain jobs are requiring employees to learn or to know Spanish! I have no issue with immigrants keping their cultures and languages alive, as this is the very essence of a diaspora. It's totally fine to speak them in speciality stores, with friends and family etc. But when dealing with the general public, the right thing to do is to at least attempt to speak to them in their own tongue! As for laws, while I have no issues with Muslims, I do remember one Canadian case which angered me. It involved the saying of the oath of citizenship. Certain Muslim women were concerned about lifting their veils to show their faces. This kind of rule-bending should never be tolerated. If the law states that you need to show your face, then your religion shouldn't matter under the eyes of the law. You chose to live in Canada, where most of the people do not follow Islam, and you've decided to remain and to become a citizen. Now you must follow their rules.
Another issue that I find with illegals is that many demand to be treated like everyone else. This is a problem both in America and in Greece. These ridiculous protests over human rights, sallaries, and worst of all, affirmative action, which I do not agree with in any case. Of course, I would never support human trafficking or people being lied to or taken to a country against their will. But many of these people choose to leave their countries and knowingly enter their new one illegally, take another name (which is also illegal), take jobs away from the citizens and legal residents and then demand fair treatment! They should have no right to anything but either deportation, or if they're really serious about remainingin their new country, to take a loyalty oath to their new land, to renounce citizenship of the old, to join the military in some capacity for two years, and to be forced to learn the language fluently. Then, they can talk about rights, as they could earn citizenship as does everyone else. But they should never be given benefits and the like before attaining citizenship. This even holds for legal immigrants if they're not working! If you can't support yourself, why are you burdening another country of which you're not technically a part? Likewise, scholarships should not be given to illegals either. But if the immigrants were either made to come by force or by lies, then I could understand their grievences. Even so, these are not average immigrants who have proper paperwork and either came alone or with loved ones, and something must be done about them. I think their options should be less harsh, but they should still either be given the option of deportation or of declaring loyalty to their new country and then, with an assigned caseworker, determining their strengths for employment and their language skills. If none are found, this could lead to further difficulties. As it is, children, , are allowed a free education. But adults must pay for their GEDs. Perhaps, private organisations could be set up to help those forced into the country. But for those who willingly came, there should be no such options. All of this special treatment is like saying that no, you shouldn't break the law, but if you do, you can still get help. That's sending a mixed message and one that, to me at least, is quite unacceptible.
Unlike Greece, America is a citizenship by birth country. This means that, regardless of the citizenship status of the parents, if a child is porn in America or its' territories, he/she is automatically granted U.S. citizenship. Unfortunately, many illegals use this law by having so-called anchor babies, whose main purpose is to insure that their parents won't be deported. This, I believe, is wrong, and should be illegal. If you came here illegally, you should have no right to use your children to stay. They should either be placed in the homes of citizens or you and they should be deported together. I also think that citizenship should be based largely on loyalty to the nation. This is why, once I get my Greek citizenship, I plan on renouncing my American one. It's only fair, since i do not wish to owe allegiance to both countries, and mine is only given to Ellada anyway. That said, since I do receive benefits, due to me being an American citizen by birth and due to my blindness, I'm not completely ignorant of the idea of reciprocity. In fact, my being a Hellenic Polytheist only strengthens it. So if I did get a job here, I would gladly pay taxes to help others in need, and wouldn't mind working to help teachers, the police, the fire department etc. I just won't involve myself in the U.S. military in any way.
As a nationalist, I'm naturally very concerned about the preservation and protection of Hellenic culture, history, and language. I see their erosion on an almost daily basis. From the natives and those in the diaspora who write in netspeak and Greeklish, and who constantly use foreign words in their speech, to the pop music that emulates American and european styles, to the news that MacDonalds and other fast foods are now in the country. I often wonder where all of our traditions will be in the near future, and the fact that so many illegals are now entering the country only makes me more anxious, since most hve no interest in really being a part of their communities. Of course, it's expected that they'll bring their own histories, languages and cultures with them. But if we become as diverse as America, what will happen to Hellenism as a whole?
A final issue which must be mentioned when discussing this topic is that of refugees. These people, again at times illegal, come to a new country to escape persecution, war, starvation and other terrible things in their old one. While I can sympathise, I still think that a nation needs to take care of their own first, then patriots who wish to enter, then those who can aid the growth of the economy. Refugees are often uneducated, have children/families, and don't know the language of their new land. Furthermore, they usually feel no allegiance to it, as their main goal is escape. So I'm very cautious with these types, and though I do think that some should be allowed, there must be moderation! The problem of illegals and refugees, at least a year ago, was so severe in Greece that certain islands were begging the government to stop it! Some may argue for rights and pitty, but I prefer to remain on the side of practicality and the overall well-being of the nation. While I have no answers for this, I do think that the ones being presented, in both countries, are far from adequate.
In short, while legal immigrants can be an asset to their new countries, the problems posed by many illegals must be adressed. While laws, in America at least, should be reformed to help people legally immigrate, find work etc. it is also essential to remember that immigrating holds with it certain responsibilities and is a privelage granted by the new country, one which should neither be taken for granted nor taken without concent.
Posted via m.livejournal.com.