On the application for residence in the United States, the U.S. Immigration Services asks, "Have you knowingly committed any crime of moral turpitude or a drug-related offense for which you have not been arrested?"
My wife, a New Zealander, who married me, an American, was applying for her green card, so that she can live legally in the United States. Unfortunately (it would seem), my wife places great value on honesty, so when she filled out the I-485 application for residence form, she felt inclined to mark "Yes" to this question and explain that she had smoked marijuana in New Zealand. Keep in mind that my wife, who doesn't smoke marijuana, drink alcohol or even drink coffee anymore, was never caught by New Zealand police for doing this, and the only way immigration services would have any idea that she smoked marijuana is if she told them.
The end result is still pending as my wife's green card has been put on hold, and we have had to pay a $265 fine. Immigration services, in other words, punished my wife for being honest.
My wife's experience is one example in the immigration reform debate going on across the nation, as the fate of 11 million illegal immigrants hangs in the balance. Competing legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate would either make illegal immigrants felons or give them a path to citizenship. The possibility of stricter immigration policy has sparked mass protests across the nation, especially in big urban areas like New York City and Los Angeles, where there are a higher portion of illegal immigrants.
I think this much debated issue is only being made worse by people directly trying to fix it, rather than both sides examining their own values and looking within for where they can sacrifice and "do better" in the most 1950s-good citizen sense of the words. Everyone (who is anyone) can agree that strong values, like honesty, kindness and harmony, are good things that are good for individuals, good for cities, good for nations and good for the world.
My wife's experience, and immigration services apparent dislike of honesty, shows the way in which good values are lacking on the part of the U.S. government's immigration policy.
Also, I think kindness and compassion are lacking in their ignoring the fact that many of these immigrants are hardworking, taxpaying citizens. In New York City, we see a seemingly endless number of Latino workers, delivering food by bicycle, making food for low wages, doing the menial jobs that no one else will do and pretty much keeping the social super structure of a major city like New York City in place.
And then there are probably hundreds of thousands of second generation illegal immigrants who are not citizens, and who have grown up in the United States. Can we simply kick these people out, and still consider ourselves kind and compassionate? (No.)
I also think the immigrants need to improve their values and place emphasis on being good upstanding citizens—not on fighting against the system for their rights. On May 1, millions of immigrants and immigration reform advocates rallied for the "day without immigrants." Immigrants were encouraged to take a day off work or school to rally, and one even held a sign in New York's Union Square boasting that he lost his job to be there. There have also been talks of forming mass boycotts to show how much economic power immigrants have. This trend in immigration advocacy clearly lacks kindness and compassion toward the country, and its economy—which, let us not forget, many generations have given their lives to defend.
Let's go back to common good values—that are apparent to your average American, or Mexican—and think about it. If you value your own rights to citizenship and government benefits over the nations own stability and welfare, aren't you against the nation? I think you can value both, but you need to remember which one comes first.
As for the politicians, on both sides of the issue who make the laws, I don't think digging into the legal issues is going to solve anything—at least not in the long run. What we have to focus on is returning good values to the government of this nation and to the people of this nation.
I have been to City Hall many times and heard many politicians speak, and what becomes increasingly apparent each year that goes by is that the lawmakers are making laws only because that is what they are paid to do. They have to come up with a "good bill" and put their name on it, and get their photo taken, and then they get reelected or move on to a higher office.
While politician's publicity process is not wrong in and of itself, and making legislation is their job, politicians need to be careful not to lose sight of what they are doing, and what their real responsibility to society is. They should remember first and foremost that they are public servants, not publicity hounds.
In today's world, what people need most is not new and better laws, but instead good old-fashioned values, like honesty, compassion and harmony—these have always been the most important.
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