Born Elsewhere, Made In America

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Op-Ed

Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t fall asleep like Rip Van Winkle twenty years ago and have suddenly woken up in some sort of alternate reality where common sense is barely more than a quaint old fashioned idea.  In a move which demands strong action by the US DOJ, the State of California has decided to ignore the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution and allow non-citizen, criminal trespassers to vote.  In case you’re not familiar with the specific language of the 15th Amendment prohibiting such a measure, here you go:  

“Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”  Futhermore; “Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”  Please note it says the right of CITIZENS..!  Non-citizens, criminal trespassers or not, are simply NOT eligible to vote in these United States of America any more than you or I would be eligible to vote in their home country.

I am not a lawyer and don’t pretend to be, but I can read and reason, and it is abundantly clear what Gov. Brown and the legislature of CA are attempting.  By intentionally ignoring the US Constitution in this matter, they are attempting to establish some sort of illicit precedent which will be attempted in other states if the measure is not reversed.  The ultimate purpose of which is most certainly to create a dependable new voting bloc for their political party.  

Sadly, there are measures being bandied about in Congress which will ultimately result in expanding that same voting bloc.  Such items as pathways to citizenship via military service and the attempts to perpetually extend the “Temporary Protected Status” program for Haitians and others with little to no skills and therefore increase the strain on already over-burdened resources.  

All of this is done in a quest for political power without a care as to the negative impact on our nation.  It is way past time to fix and control every aspect of our broken immigration system, not only for the economic burden, but also as a matter of National Security.  It saddens me to no end that my own representative in Congress supports any, let alone several such initiatives; especially given that he knows very well that the majority of the constituents in the district adamantly oppose such measures.  

Look, I am all for immigration and recognize that this country was built on it and I’m eternally grateful that all of my grandparents chose to emigrate here.  Like countless others, they risked everything to do so, and they did it legally.  They learned the language and embraced the culture.  They honored our flag and our laws, they became citizens, they made better lives for themselves and their families, and with tears of joy, they proudly called themselves Americans.

On the other hand, and I don’t expect most “dreamers” or those who support them to get this but perhaps they will at least begin to understand the “other” point of view. 

Regardless of their reason for fleeing their homeland, when “dreamers” subvert the process in any way, such as illegally crossing any of our borders, they have just become a criminal trespasser as certainly as if they broke into one of our private homes.  What sane person would disagree that any stranger breaking into one of our private homes is not welcome..?  I am going to step out on a limb here and imagine that few of us would welcome a trespasser into their home that had just burst through the front door or a window, much less offer them food, comfort, and sanctuary.

So let me unpack that for you, they are trespassing if they enter our private homes uninvited; as American Citizens, the United States is our collective home and we should extend the same level of angst to anyone breaking into it as we would our private homes.

The other day, a dear friend of mine who is herself a LEGAL immigrant and now a proud citizen recorded this very simple to understand, plain English viral video explaining her story and her point of view as an immigrant of our broken system and DACA.  Given that it was posted on social media, I cannot guarantee how long it will remain accessible.

Not surprisingly, she has taken some heat and nasty comments, but also not surprisingly, the majority of the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.  

If you take a moment to listen to her story, you will hear a woman who, just like the countless others I mentioned above, went through the process, became a citizen, and earned her place in America’s story.  Nothing was handed to her, and certainly not as a reward for bad behavior. She truly embodies and personifies the spirit of the huddled masses who arrived from the four corners of the world and worked hard to become "made in America."

She is like the countless legal immigrants that she is speaking up for who have sat by silently and watched their dreams become threatened by too many who don't respect what America has to offer and would destroy it by turning it into what they fled.  That makes her an American hero in my book.

To our leaders at every level of government in both parties, We the People are just fine with legal immigration, but we demand that you do your jobs and protect us.  Stop importing votes, slam the door shut and build that wall, reverse the “anchor baby” misuse of the 14th Amendment, end the insanity of “sanctuary” cities and states, and stop pandering to trespassers who come here with their hands out.

It is also way past time to address our egregiously broken voting system and standardize it across the board.