The Alternative

By: 
Fritz Groszkruger

A nation of immigrants

Two weeks ago there was a letter to the Hampton Chronicle pointing out the negative consequences of the increasing Latino population. In response, there were four letters to the editor and a short editorial

by the publisher.

The lady who wrote about the bad side of our immigrant population mentioned several examples of programs they supposedly shouldn't qualify for: “SNAP, WIC, EBT, Obama phone, healthcare, free breakfast and lunches during school and through the summer, heat and rental assistance and Christmas gifts.” Christmas gifts?

Is the problem invaders from south of the border or entitlements? I say it is the entitlements that are degrading our community. They are the reason we can't simply be neighborly and explain to new arrivals

that an orderly and neat neighborhood is more in tune with our standards. The stinking entitlements take the place of neighbors and even families. In fact entitlements have been linked to declining populations in several socialistic countries because where children cared for elderly parents there is now social security. Where parents cared for their children there is now government schooling. Where I grew up in California we had a big wall around the back yard. Everyone did. When I moved to Dumont to help my grandpa I would visit Willard Weibke, who lived next door, as we hoed our gardens together. We could look up and down the whole block full of neighbors and wave and smile as we went about our business. We could share without a wall.

I thought it was rather odd when I read the article, that may have set-off the lady letter writer, about the expert who came to speak on assimilation of immigrants. The whole article was full of mindless catch phrases about accepting each other through this or that initiative or program. This is more evidence that we need to ditch these barriers and be friendly.

Language and culture are surmountable walls. It wasn't easy in days past when this country was settled by people from different cultures. But the children helped the parents communicate and the differences in

cultures were one reason we flourished like we did. Do we want to limit our potential, as a nation, because some people don't think they are capable of competing in the job market? The focus on abuse of entitlements is very telling. The quest for special favors is trumping the offer of an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. People need to be happy with who they are and happy there are others with that same situation, even if it happens to be that they are happy for different reasons.

The part of this whole discussion that really hit me was where a child was declared to be worth $6291.00 worth of state money for the school. A child begets special favors from the state so we don't have to nurture them on our own dime. What a bizarre way to look at children and how sad it is widely accepted as normal.

My solution: Bring all the troops home from foreign lands to screen potential immigrants. Phase out all entitlements because they evidently lure disreputable immigrants and we know they are abused by natives. Let immigrants contribute and the entitled natives move to the counties that have not yet discovered the destructive nature of the welfare state.

Hampton Chronicle

9 Second Street NW
Hampton, IA 50441
Phone: 641-456-2585
Fax: 1-800-340-0805
Email: news@midamericapub.com

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