My family, on my dad's side, immigrated here on December 18th, 1964. They came here on a ship named the Anna Marie and did not know what to expect of this country. They left because of the lack of any opportunity for advancement in Greece and essentially my grandparents wanted their family to be someone, to be important. They first lived in Brooklyn with a family that helped them come over; a family who we are now very close with. After their few months there, they moved to Perth Amboy due to the massive Greek population there. My grandparents struggles to get by, my grandfather working as a cook and in a copper refinery and my grandmother in a sweater factory. As time progressed,college was in the horizon for my Aunt Aphrodite but the money needed was in an entirely different atmosphere. To support his siblings, my dad began to work as a busboy at a restaurant when he was 12 years old. This work did help my aunt attend college but it had a heavy price. My father never went to college because his academics suffered because of his decision to work towards a college educational for his older sister and younger brother. Looking back, my grandparents tell me that they ultimately achieved what they wanted by having one successful, happy, Greek family in The United States.
Concerning others immigrating to the United States my grandfather has a very strong opinion. Frequently he explains to everyone how our family came over legally and it was not difficult. One must be patient however which, when an opportunity is looming in front, is very hard for some. The United States needs immigration reform because not only is illegal immigration a problem, but so is the government stomping on illegals. The government has no moral right to force anyone to leave the country that they now call home. Many come here as refugees, looking for a safe haven from the persecution of their countries, but our government does not take that into account. Overall, any immigrant can come here legally if they tried, however, if they come illegally the United States just cannot deport them to a country that they no longer refer to as home.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
AMERICAN DREAM (The original immigrants)
Patty E Padgett
Ancestors came across the waters
Men, women, sons and daughters
Ellis Island is where they’d debark
Record numbers to make their mark
Immigrants dreamed of no more strife
Craving the chance for a better life
Always unsure but determined to cope
Never turning from their faith and hope
Denouement unknown, they came ashore
Reaching their destination, America’s door
Every day was an adventure anew
As they adjusted to their new milieu
Many saw their dreams come true
Analysis:
This poem by Patty Padgett is describing no only the hardships but the reasons that immigrants came over to The United States. For the oh so coveted American Dream. many questioned it's existence entirely but thought that life here would still be an improvement over life in their homeland. Immigrants did not know what to except because not only did most of them leave their families but they left them very far away, frequently over seas which for anyone is not an easy task to accomplish. As the poem says "Many saw their dreams come true" however what about those that did not accomplish their goals? What happened to their families? Those are the questions Americans should be asking themselves when they are so quick to accuse, attempt to deport, and discriminate against immigrants that are here legally or illegally.Is it Even Possible to be Anti-immigration?
Think long and hard about this next question: Is anyone truly indigenous to the United States? Even though some people may be a minute part of Native American descent, there is no one left that honestly has claim to the country. Whether on the Mayflower, off a boat, or via plane a part of everyone's family has migrated here, but still people are against immigration. Being first generation here, I do not comprehend how people can be against an institution that has formed our country. We are not only a possible "new life" for some people but, a safe haven from the hardship and persecution from their country. That naiveté is why racism and discrimination is still prevalent in this country even though 10 years ago President Bush described the United States as a "Kinder, Gentler Nation" for his campaign slogan.
Besides the moral factor of being cold hearted against immigration only a callous person can be so ignorant to ignore its evident benefits. Immigrants do jobs that no American would want or have the patience to do, and do the job more efficiently than the average lazy American would. At my family's restaurant, the dishwashers are all legal, documented Mexican immigrants who work for every single penny that they receive. They not only provide efficiency, but, as said in an article written by the media resource KBPS of San Diego, "Their low wages increase employers’ profits and lower consumers’ costs." (St John 1). If Americans did jobs such as farming, constructing, and dish washing all our everyday expenses would rise tremendously because Americans would want to get paid more, for doing less.
Continuing with the monetary aspect of immigration, if the U.S. government reformed their immigration policies to include a legalization of all the undocumented immigrants in this country, the economy would actually spur the economy. "Immigration reform would increase U.S. GDP by at least 0.84 percent. This would translate into at least a $1.5 trillion cumulative increase in GDP over 10 years, which includes approximately $1.2 trillion in consumption and $256 billion in investment." (Economic Benefits 1). As some already know our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as of 2009 was 14.67 trillion dollars, however our national debt is 45.67% higher than our GDP, making our national debt 14.01 trillion dollars (After subtracting the GDP). Ultimately our country would almost have to double its GDP to outset the debt which is completely impossible however the legalization of immigrants can help decrease that enormous amount of debt. Legalization would also help American employers because it would allow for immigrants to have a higher productivity by eliminating petty fees, which then would lead to the expansion of their company, and finally more opportunity for advancement for Americans employees in skilled occupation. Also an increase "under an optimal visa tax would be 1.27% of GDP or $180 billion." (Dixon 1).
With all of this information at hand, how can one truly be against immigration? We truly are an immigration nation, and that fact is unarguable. Our culture has been influenced and consists of fragments of various cultures however people continually ridicule immigrants, specifically Hispanics. However, if those said people were not ignorant they would have noticed that, historically, a portion of The United States that we know today, was once their land. Nevertheless we must let bygones be bygones and set aside our malice towards others because arguing ultimately goes no where. Best said by Gus Portokalos in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "We all different, but in the end, we all fruit."
Works Cited
Besides the moral factor of being cold hearted against immigration only a callous person can be so ignorant to ignore its evident benefits. Immigrants do jobs that no American would want or have the patience to do, and do the job more efficiently than the average lazy American would. At my family's restaurant, the dishwashers are all legal, documented Mexican immigrants who work for every single penny that they receive. They not only provide efficiency, but, as said in an article written by the media resource KBPS of San Diego, "Their low wages increase employers’ profits and lower consumers’ costs." (St John 1). If Americans did jobs such as farming, constructing, and dish washing all our everyday expenses would rise tremendously because Americans would want to get paid more, for doing less.
Continuing with the monetary aspect of immigration, if the U.S. government reformed their immigration policies to include a legalization of all the undocumented immigrants in this country, the economy would actually spur the economy. "Immigration reform would increase U.S. GDP by at least 0.84 percent. This would translate into at least a $1.5 trillion cumulative increase in GDP over 10 years, which includes approximately $1.2 trillion in consumption and $256 billion in investment." (Economic Benefits 1). As some already know our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as of 2009 was 14.67 trillion dollars, however our national debt is 45.67% higher than our GDP, making our national debt 14.01 trillion dollars (After subtracting the GDP). Ultimately our country would almost have to double its GDP to outset the debt which is completely impossible however the legalization of immigrants can help decrease that enormous amount of debt. Legalization would also help American employers because it would allow for immigrants to have a higher productivity by eliminating petty fees, which then would lead to the expansion of their company, and finally more opportunity for advancement for Americans employees in skilled occupation. Also an increase "under an optimal visa tax would be 1.27% of GDP or $180 billion." (Dixon 1).
With all of this information at hand, how can one truly be against immigration? We truly are an immigration nation, and that fact is unarguable. Our culture has been influenced and consists of fragments of various cultures however people continually ridicule immigrants, specifically Hispanics. However, if those said people were not ignorant they would have noticed that, historically, a portion of The United States that we know today, was once their land. Nevertheless we must let bygones be bygones and set aside our malice towards others because arguing ultimately goes no where. Best said by Gus Portokalos in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "We all different, but in the end, we all fruit."
Works Cited
Dixon, Peter B., and Maureen T. Rimmer. "Restriction or Legalization? Measuring the Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform | Peter B. Dixon and Maureen T. Rimmer | Cato Institute: Trade Policy Analysis."The Cato Institute. 13 Aug. 2009. Web. 05 Jan. 2011. <http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10438>.
"The Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform." Immigration Policy Center. 11 Jan. 2010. Web. 05 Jan. 2011. <http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/economic-benefits-immigration-reform>.
St John, Alison. "Costs And Benefits Of Illegal Immigration Are Unequally Distributed | KPBS.org." KPBS San Diego: Public Radio, TV and Web. 23 July 2010. Web. 05 Jan. 2011. <http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/jul/23/costs-benefits-illegal-immigration-unequal/>.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Interview with an Immigrant
On December 18th 2010 I interviewed my grandmother, Stylani Vosinas. Exactly 46 years before the interview she was boarding a boat with her husband and three children to, The United States of America.
Why did you decide to immigrate to this country?
-Well, I wanted a better life for my children and grandchildren. Also there was no chance for my children to succeed if we stayed.
Have you gone back to your village Kokkina Louria or to Greece since you left?
What was the hardest thing for you to leave behind in your homeland?
-For me, it was extremely hard to leave my family behind. It brings me to tears just thinking about how much more time I could have spent with them if I had not left. Instead I was either called or written letters about all of my siblings and the rest of my family dying. It broke my heart to know that I did not do anything to help or that I was not there for their last moments. Currently, out of all my 3 siblings I am the only one left, and the same with my husband with his 9 siblings. We are seeing some of your nieces and nephews die before we do and 46 years later it still hurts.
What was your job before you decided to move to The United States?
-Me and my husband were olive farmers on our fields. For the majority of the day we were picking olives while my mother-in-law raised my children so the first child I truly raised was you.
In the beginning, what was the biggest change financially for you and your family?
-Paying bills was a major shock to me. In Greece, we lived on farmland therefore we did not have to pay taxes. Since our village was in the mountains we did not have running water or electricity, two commodities that were essentially necessary here.
Culturally speaking what was the biggest change?
-Even though we mover to Perth Amboy, which was a highly populated Greek area at the time, there was a lack of community. Yes, there was a Greek Orthodox church that created a somewhat sense of community, but it was not the same as what we felt at home in our village.
What do you mean by "a somewhat sense of community?"
-The church did bring my religion to this country but it also brought with it a false sense of hope. I thought that me and my family would be accepted there but that was definitely not the case. We felt outcasted because we were not financially established, unlike all the other families, and not could afford a high stewardship rate. My children never attended Sunday School, became Acolytes, or joined the youth group because those were activities for the wealthy and one could not participate unless either had money or were sponsored by a wealthy family.
Why did you never learn English?
-I never felt the need to and would rather ensure the Greek culture was being passed down through my traditions and my native tongue. Also, I was almost always around Greeks. My boss was Greek. My coworkers were Greek. And if I needed an English speaking person I would ask my children or one of my friends that also spoke English.
Why did you decide to immigrate to this country?
-Well, I wanted a better life for my children and grandchildren. Also there was no chance for my children to succeed if we stayed.
Have you gone back to your village Kokkina Louria or to Greece since you left?
-No. I cannot bring myself to go and recall of the memories of my family. All of my deceased family. I cannot walk the same streets I walked on when I was a kid in a village that is now abandoned. I cannot look upon the rubble of my old house that was neglected after we left. To me, my life in Greece is comparable to a past life because I try to completely forget the painful memories. My kids, grandchildren, and husband have all gone back, but I refused to go with them.
-For me, it was extremely hard to leave my family behind. It brings me to tears just thinking about how much more time I could have spent with them if I had not left. Instead I was either called or written letters about all of my siblings and the rest of my family dying. It broke my heart to know that I did not do anything to help or that I was not there for their last moments. Currently, out of all my 3 siblings I am the only one left, and the same with my husband with his 9 siblings. We are seeing some of your nieces and nephews die before we do and 46 years later it still hurts.
What was your job before you decided to move to The United States?
-Me and my husband were olive farmers on our fields. For the majority of the day we were picking olives while my mother-in-law raised my children so the first child I truly raised was you.
In the beginning, what was the biggest change financially for you and your family?
-Paying bills was a major shock to me. In Greece, we lived on farmland therefore we did not have to pay taxes. Since our village was in the mountains we did not have running water or electricity, two commodities that were essentially necessary here.
Culturally speaking what was the biggest change?
-Even though we mover to Perth Amboy, which was a highly populated Greek area at the time, there was a lack of community. Yes, there was a Greek Orthodox church that created a somewhat sense of community, but it was not the same as what we felt at home in our village.
What do you mean by "a somewhat sense of community?"
-The church did bring my religion to this country but it also brought with it a false sense of hope. I thought that me and my family would be accepted there but that was definitely not the case. We felt outcasted because we were not financially established, unlike all the other families, and not could afford a high stewardship rate. My children never attended Sunday School, became Acolytes, or joined the youth group because those were activities for the wealthy and one could not participate unless either had money or were sponsored by a wealthy family.
Why did you never learn English?
-I never felt the need to and would rather ensure the Greek culture was being passed down through my traditions and my native tongue. Also, I was almost always around Greeks. My boss was Greek. My coworkers were Greek. And if I needed an English speaking person I would ask my children or one of my friends that also spoke English.
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