When I immigrated to the USA I had to fill out papers quite often for various requirements. For the first time in my life, I encountered items asking for my race such as black, white, Hispanic, Chicano, etc.
To me it was weird. I was told that those questions were used to compile data regarding races in general.
It seems that race is somewhat “driving” our society, and that the assumption is that people who were born white somehow are the main cause of racism in this country. Since I am considered white, I am automatically guilty of racism.
That could not be further from the truth, and that is wrong. When people know me they understand that I love people, and I am far from being racist.
I also have noticed that people I have met are not racists. As in any racial group, there are always a few racists, I suppose, for one reason or another. I met with people of all races, and they taught me, in spite of everything, that America is the best place to be and live.
We did not have much gang activity in France, my native country, but we did have a lack of good assimilation of our largest group of immigrants, who came after the Algerian war. Then other immigrants came from other Arabic countries.
Now France is facing problems with assimilation into French society. Great Britain is facing the same problems. These types of observations really influenced my voting in the USA along with my growing up facing socialism.
I have seen firsthand what socialism brought to people, and I have concluded that it does not work so well long term for a country, its society, and cultures.
My feeling is that the USA is slowly leaning that way with socialist programs that cost money federally and statewide. In addition, we have so many restrictions, rules and regulations that business cannot be as competitive as it was 40 years ago.
I would love to see a better future but we must still live in the present, and the present still shows much unemployment and poverty in the USA.
In the name of “climate change,” new rules and regulations have increased in Europe and in the USA. Many jobs have become extinct for that reason and not enough jobs have been created to replace those we have lost.
Globalization means jobs are leaving our countries and going to Third World countries for manufacturers to remain competitive. Some people think that manufacturers are not good for the air we breathe. Many domestic jobs are also being replaced by robotics.
The American people and the European people have been losing jobs for years. The “climate change” pollution problem was only transferred to the Third World, and they must face those results to help clean up world pollution.
How are we rewarded? China gains financial and political power and is now building islands to expand its military presence in the South China Sea, where many countries fish for their commerce.
This creates many concerns for smaller Asian countries. Recently China stole from us a new working drone submarine. It does not seem that this country is developing peacefully.
Our neighbors south of us produce dangerous drugs for illegal imports to the USA. Those drugs kill our citizens and help create social problems in our country.
Drug-producing and -trafficking countries experience drug wars, civic disruptions and many deaths along the way. This cancer must be cured before the Western hemisphere is destroyed from within.
Illegal immigration poses many dangers in our country. We have laws to allow legal immigration or even temporary work visas. We also have laws to maintain security, to fight theft identity and other crimes.
Qualified, legal immigrants are welcome and are potential assets needed to enhance our society in so many ways. We must remember: We are a nation governed by laws, and “illegal” is not a good step toward desired immigration and should not be allowed or encouraged.
Anne Marie Whalley immigrated from France and lives in Canyon Country.
