Risking lives for the American promise
The recent news about the death of nine Haitian immigrants aboard a boat bound for Florida was a sad reminder of how poorly we sometimes communicate the intent of immigrants. Even in the midst of the greatest economic crisis most of us have seen in this country, there are people willing to risk their lives to make it to the land of opportunity.
The economic nightmare that has unfolded in Haiti over the last handful of decades is heart wrenching, especially for those of us who have interacted directly with the country. People are boarding boats incapable of withstanding the ocean’s tides, even so they climb aboard in hopes of opportunity and a better life. Capturing the American Dream remains a journey fraught with peril.
What anti-immigration forces forget – and often what those of us who believe in open borders forget to emphasize – is that America still offers the promise of a better future. While so many choose to imply maliciousness on the part of America’s newest immigrants, most are seeking what our grandparents and great-grandparents wanted: a chance to reach their potential. I am in favor of the American Dream for all of those who seek it -- to me that is the essence of this country's promise. Nativists are clearly opposed to this interpretation.
Personally, I'll stick with the inimitable words of Emma Lazarus inscribed on the Statue of Liberty's pedestal:
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
