My little town has an incredibly beautiful marina park and campground on the Columbia River. It is truly an oasis in the desert. Over the years it has become a favorite with the Canadian geese. They stop here during their migration. Many have chosen to stay. At first, this was exciting, it was so cool to walk there during the winter and watch the flock. Some even chose to stay year round. In spring we’d walk around looking at the families showing off their new additions.
Slowly, the numbers grew. The entire park was filled with these loud, noisy, big birds. Even worse, it became impossible to walk anywhere due to big yucky goose poop. The beach was covered with birds and their droppings. No one could swim because the geese felt it was their territory. In short, it became a nightmare for people and geese.
A year ago, the town decided it had to take action and measures were taken to reduce the number of birds. The other day I went for a walk along the river side and appreciated the reclaiming that had taken place. A small flock was there, enjoyable to watch, but the best part was being able to walk around the poop and not through it.
We have the same problem with Hispanic immigrants, most of who are illegal. In the beginning it wasn’t much of a problem. They added color and flavor to the area. We were willing to offer help and programs. We welcomed them.
But they kept coming…….and the damage on the community has been great. Before I go on, please understand that I am not prejudiced. But I am pragmatic and I’d like to share the results of “an open door” policy.
Our classrooms are ninety percent Hispanic. This doesn’t matter in the higher grades but in the K-3 classes it matters very much. These children start school not knowing any English. The teachers have to spend most of their time helping them to understand what is going on. The English speaking children get very little. I have known parents who were unable to get their developmentally disabled children into summer school because it had been filled with the immigrant children.
The immigrants believe that working the system and getting everything you are “entitled” to is the correct way of life. They lie to get food stamps and health care. Since most of the workers are working under the table there is nothing to prove that they indeed have an income. So they are treated as non-income families and able to access all the “helping” programs out there.
When they do have the “correct” paperwork it has been bought and usually belongs to someone else. I dealt with this a lot as an apartment manager. Having denied one young man because of false documentation, he asked (through an interpreter) if he could try again with another social security card. I explained the best I could about false ID’s when suddenly the interpreter’s eyes grew big and she gasped, “Are you talking about identity theft?” Yes, that’s exactly what it is.
He tried again anyway. This time the number belonged to a 65 year old woman in Ohio. I had to turn him in and he was deported. But he was not a bad young man. Most of them are not bad. I’m not sure that they even know that these things are illegal. It’s all part of the lifestyle. They think everyone does it this way because in their world everyone does.
It sucks for them too. I took a farm worker to the hospital when he almost cut his thumb off at work. His employer paid under the table. It was less than minimum wage, no benefits and you were screwed if you were hurt on the job. The boss wouldn’t even give him a ride. Because we were neighbors and had become friendly, his frantic wife ran over to beg for help. I was furious at the “boss man”.
Just like the geese, this situation is out of control. And I haven’t said a word about the gang and drug activity that has invaded our peaceful town of less than 5000 residents. Not ALL Hispanics belong to a gang but let me tell you, they pay huge consequences if they don’t. A fourteen year old boy was shot and killed in his front yard a few years back because he didn’t want any part of gang life. Who’s going to say no after that?
Plans need to be made and carried out that will change all this. Making employers accountable if they hire illegals is a great start. I think it’s in the best interest of everyone involved. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Slowly, the numbers grew. The entire park was filled with these loud, noisy, big birds. Even worse, it became impossible to walk anywhere due to big yucky goose poop. The beach was covered with birds and their droppings. No one could swim because the geese felt it was their territory. In short, it became a nightmare for people and geese.
A year ago, the town decided it had to take action and measures were taken to reduce the number of birds. The other day I went for a walk along the river side and appreciated the reclaiming that had taken place. A small flock was there, enjoyable to watch, but the best part was being able to walk around the poop and not through it.
We have the same problem with Hispanic immigrants, most of who are illegal. In the beginning it wasn’t much of a problem. They added color and flavor to the area. We were willing to offer help and programs. We welcomed them.
But they kept coming…….and the damage on the community has been great. Before I go on, please understand that I am not prejudiced. But I am pragmatic and I’d like to share the results of “an open door” policy.
Our classrooms are ninety percent Hispanic. This doesn’t matter in the higher grades but in the K-3 classes it matters very much. These children start school not knowing any English. The teachers have to spend most of their time helping them to understand what is going on. The English speaking children get very little. I have known parents who were unable to get their developmentally disabled children into summer school because it had been filled with the immigrant children.
The immigrants believe that working the system and getting everything you are “entitled” to is the correct way of life. They lie to get food stamps and health care. Since most of the workers are working under the table there is nothing to prove that they indeed have an income. So they are treated as non-income families and able to access all the “helping” programs out there.
When they do have the “correct” paperwork it has been bought and usually belongs to someone else. I dealt with this a lot as an apartment manager. Having denied one young man because of false documentation, he asked (through an interpreter) if he could try again with another social security card. I explained the best I could about false ID’s when suddenly the interpreter’s eyes grew big and she gasped, “Are you talking about identity theft?” Yes, that’s exactly what it is.
He tried again anyway. This time the number belonged to a 65 year old woman in Ohio. I had to turn him in and he was deported. But he was not a bad young man. Most of them are not bad. I’m not sure that they even know that these things are illegal. It’s all part of the lifestyle. They think everyone does it this way because in their world everyone does.
It sucks for them too. I took a farm worker to the hospital when he almost cut his thumb off at work. His employer paid under the table. It was less than minimum wage, no benefits and you were screwed if you were hurt on the job. The boss wouldn’t even give him a ride. Because we were neighbors and had become friendly, his frantic wife ran over to beg for help. I was furious at the “boss man”.
Just like the geese, this situation is out of control. And I haven’t said a word about the gang and drug activity that has invaded our peaceful town of less than 5000 residents. Not ALL Hispanics belong to a gang but let me tell you, they pay huge consequences if they don’t. A fourteen year old boy was shot and killed in his front yard a few years back because he didn’t want any part of gang life. Who’s going to say no after that?
Plans need to be made and carried out that will change all this. Making employers accountable if they hire illegals is a great start. I think it’s in the best interest of everyone involved. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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