to Richard

Submitted by Sidda (United States), Jun 2, 2006 at 23:07

Yes, Richard, you are right that the root causes should be addressed. However, flooding Western countries with people that those countries are unable to continue to absorb is not the answer. Countries, including Western ones, have a finite amount of resources. Allowing unfettered, open borders immigration stresses those resources to the breaking point. What will happen when ALL countries are reduced to third world status? Then what?

Nobody should demonize immigrants for wanting a better life. But, allowing dysfunctional, corrupt governments to continue to push their poor off on Western countries only allows those corrupt regimes to continue with the status quo while using the better off, functioning countries as their safety valve. It is those dysfunctional countries that need to implement reforms to their systems, not Western countries who need to be reduced to third world status.

The US accepted many immigrants from poor countries in the beginning of the 20th century. But then in 1926 the welcome mat was pulled indoors. For 40 years, immigration was curtailed in order to allow assimilation of the newcomers. This ensured successful integration of most of these new immigrants into American society and culture. And those immigrants WERE expected to assimilate. If unlimited and unfettered immigration had continued during that time period, assimilation would have been much more difficult, and the outcome might have been much different. We must be prudent and use common sense.

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