Illegal Immigrants (Chinese Experience)

I thought perhaps it might be helpful to review our past in order to give us some perspective as to how to handle the illegal immigrants in our country at the moment.

After reading a little literature in a class I was teaching, the subject of the Transcontinental Railroad popped out at me.

This incredible feat, was accomplished largely by the help of Chinese immigrants. Without their help it may never have been done so quickly or so profoundly.

The railroads building the line were elated at the effectiveness and proficiency of the Chinese workers, plus they were VERY HAPPY with the amounts the workers were being paid in order to do the job.

Let me mention here that there is an amazing parallel between then (Chinese workers) and now (Latino Workers). Some of the very reasons the US imported the Chinese are the same reasons that current American companies encouraged the use of Latino workers. There are some differences, yet the parallel between the two is significant.

The Chinese workers were rewarded for their efforts by the following:

• Intense hatred by the American worker of the Chinese worker (perceived threat to their jobs).
• Laws put into place by the American government to restrict ALL Chinese immigration based upon national origin.
• Laws put into  place prohibiting the marriage between Chinese and Americans.
• For Chinese workers already here, they were denied citizenship or naturalization.

All of this calmed down after China became an ally during WWII.

Reading the list of rewards above sounds almost like "deja vu" as it relates to current discussions.

Let's learn from our history and NOT do the above again. Certainly, we have to be better people today than we were yesterday.

It was wrong then and what we are doing to Latino Americans (and others) NOW is wrong.

Just don't do it.