Letter from Harvey Brody

Replace Violence with Civility

All historians will readily admit that the matter of legal and illegal immigration is not a new issue, and that our nation was built upon cheap human/migrant labor. I even include the Revolutionary War, and our expansion of sovereignty and influence. The only difference in the previous and current matter was the lack of a “safety net” for our “illegal” immigrants.

Mr. Celler’s Congressional Judiciary Committee provided the 1965 Immigration Act with impact consideration. The only thing relevant from the passage of the 1965 [law] was the clear statement that all immigrants to this nation may not become public charges. A public charge is someone who is dependent upon the state and national government for health, housing and even income. These are things that American citizens take for granted, but not the case in most countries.

Mention must be made of the “Dreamers.” The “Dreamers” are individuals of questionable legal status, yet have followed the “American Dream,” and have been treated with lies by both political parties. Dreamers continue to contribute to our national wealth.

Mr. Trump is an interesting political figure. I would suggest he is a composite of Andrew Jackson and FDR by actual deed. The solution is to stop the use of “migrants” by both parties for political gain. Certainly, remove the criminals and violent “migrants” from residency, but replace violence from both sides with civility. Why not charge the public or private organization that facilitates the “migrant’s settlement” be legally responsible for the cost? The media must admit editing news instead of actual reporting causes violence. Peter Zenger’s case creating Freedom of the Press must be taught in our public and private school system.

The only viable suggestion to this issue is the need for immigration reciprocity among all nations. This nation provides more “foreign aid” by public and private entities than any other nation. Let us never [forget] a statue in the New York/New Jersey harbor, a gift from France in the celebration of this nation’s 100th birthday that has an interesting sonnet, “The New Colossus.”

Harvey Brody
Oneonta