My grandparents were immigrants. All four of them made the journey, from different countries, by ship. They came because of their deep genuine desire to become Citizens of the United States of America. Their presence here was, for the most part, welcomed and needed, and they came with great pride and dignity to assume their new identity. They were poor and uneducated, but they had a deep respect and gratitude to the country that would become their home. They worked hard and never asked for a handout. They learned English and refused to let my parents speak anything but English in their home. They assimilated into the melting pot and each, in their own way, contributed to the building of America. Because my grandparents were so grateful and respectful of America and her ideas, I was brought up in this environment.

It is a part of who I am and it is a part of my deep patriotism and protectiveness of our beautiful America. I truly love my blessed country and because she means so much to me, it grieves me to see her treated like nothing more than a flop house for illegal aliens who care nothing about our country, our people, our laws, our traditions, and our culture.

To see my treasured home treated so callously, so disrespectfully, breaks my heart. She deserves so much better.

When I see garbage strewn across our border lands, I am filled with great sadness. To see her mistreated so, is more than I can bear.

When I see our flag flown below the flag of another country or trampled in the mud, like garbage, I am ashamed before the fine Americans who have fought and died for this country. I am ashamed before my grandparents and the millions who came here to become citizens and endured great hardships, to achieve that goal. I am ashamed before my children who have a right to feel great national pride but so often find themselves the minority in that opinion.

It is the intentions of those who now cross our borders that bother me so very much. To come crawling over a fence, digging through a tunnel, disregarding an expired visa, sneaking through a river, or hiding in the backs of trucks like human cattle…leaving strewn garbage behind in piles shows an inherent disregard for our home and our people. In their very first act, upon stepping on our precious soil, they break our laws and abuse our homeland. They rob us, harm us, and protest our desires to secure our borders. They call us xenophobes and racists and every other ugly hateful name intended to insult. Perhaps they are projecting onto us, their own contempt for who we are.

If they do not love our country, what are they doing here? If they do not wish to become Americans, why come? If they do not treasure our great nation, why sneak in?

They come for the riches that belong to our children. They come because they are being allowed and even encouraged to do so. They come because they are taught we owe them and that we are being selfish in holding onto what we have earned. America is being used. The Citizens of the United States of America are being used. And we, through our representatives, are allowing it!

President John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. Wise words indeed. For the new masses that cross our borders in the dead of night come here not for what they can do for America but for what they expect America to do for them.

It is an abusive relationship, and like many abusive relationships, that continue through years of misery and devastation, low self esteem is an issue.

It must appear, to the world, that our nation and its people, have a severe case of low self esteem and even lower expectations. You can see it in our media reports, our movies, our music, and most especially, in our government. If we do not respect ourselves and demand dignified treatment, we cannot expect that others will give it.

There almost seems to be a sense of shame that we have so much in this great country and very little explanation of the hard work, struggle, and sacrifice of those who came before us, to provide for future generations. It is rarely mentioned, the extent to which, the United States of America cares for the needy in other nations. Our children are not being taught of the sacrifices we have made in blood and treasure to free other countries from tyrannies. You can bet that children of other nations can recite chapter and verse, the accomplishments of their society.

There are so many, even among us, who are so quick to wave the banner of contempt for America. We have become accustomed to the abuse. Perhaps there is even a consideration that we somehow deserve derision, like a beaten spouse who has suffered through many beatings, and involuntarily becomes a party to the degradation and shame. Could it be that we collectively worry that, if only we had done more, tried harder, acted better, maybe just maybe, the abuse would stop? Maybe, in penance, we should give up more of ourselves, sacrifice more for others, and impoverish ourselves to lessen our guilt.

You see, the simple truth is, you must teach people how to treat you. And we as Citizens are represented by people in our government who do not seem to think very much of the American Citizen. It is their responsibility to enact laws and set policies, it is also their job to set the tone for discussions. It is their job to demand that our country be treated with diplomacy, respect, dignity and honor. It is their responsibility to remind the world that Citizens of the United States of America deserve respect and admiration.

The companies that we have supported, enriched and grown old serving have betrayed the American people. We are replaceable in their work forces. They have no patriotic sensibilities as they move to foreign countries, taking their tax revenues with them and all for the love of the mighty (now, not so mighty) dollar and globalism. What a shame that they would sacrifice their own people for a profit. There are days I am completely grateful to be an average American without stake in a company who has sold out my country. I don’t think I would sleep very well knowing I had profited at the expense of my nation and her citizens. I am thankful I do not have that cross to bear.

We currently have a president that panders to Mexico, Latin America and Canada. He panders to the Saudi begging and pleading for mercy from excessive oil prices. It is degrading and embarrassing but par for the course in an abusive relationship.

When the illegal aliens who come without welcome have stripped our assets, companies have abandoned us into financial despair, our government has spent us into poverty to enrich poorer nations, and the world has tossed us aside into the ash heap of history for our self sacrificing foolishness, Where will you and I be?

We will still be in the United States of America, doing what Americans do best, picking up the pieces and making due. We will rebuild and we will restore because that is who we are. It is who we have always been and it is who we will always be. We will still fall asleep at night in thankful prayer for our beloved America. Of this, I have no doubt.

The American spirit will never be permanently defeated, deflated or invalidated despite the best efforts of those who resent and wish to destroy us. We are a good and decent people. We just need to remember who we are and where we came from and we need to pull ourselves back up onto our feet, straighten our backs, hold our heads high and act like our immigrant ancestors. We will fight through the depression, the oppression, and the opposition and we will bring America back to her former greatness. Of this, I am quite sure. But, we could sure use some support and encouragement.

How I long for a President with quiet dignity, courage, pride and willingness to stand out in front of the world and declare, in no uncertain terms, that the United States of America is the greatest nation on earth. The citizens of the United States of America are the greatest people on earth.

How I wish our President would tell all future immigrants that, if they are very lucky, they might be invited to join us but we are going to have very high expectations of them.

We will expect all immigrants to come here legally, with heads held high, and to be law abiding. Immigrants will be encouraged to add to the tapestry of American culture, but not to step on and oppress it. They will learn our national language and our traditions. They will fly the American flag with respect and dignity, and if asked, will serve their new country with pride and honor. They will learn the history and the culture of our nation, and they will teach it to their children enthusiastically.

We deserve and we will accept nothing less from our newest citizens, because you see, we have self respect and a high national self esteem. We expect to be treated in a manner befitting the greatest nation on earth. If you can embrace this idea, please come and be a part of our family. If you cannot abide these requests, we suggest you stay where you are and disparage us from afar.

This is what I want my president to say. This is what I want to hear from my congress and my senators. This is what we must hear from our governors and our mayors. This is what I long to hear from our media, our educators and our business tycoons. This is what I need to hear from my fellow Americans.

Anything less, is beneath the dignity of my great nation, my country, my home, my heart.

CJ Graham

cjgraham2008@gmail.com

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