Are we all immigrants?

The media says “We are all from immigrant families, how can we discriminate against new immigration.  Immigrants built this country and helped make it great”.  Of course, this is technically true, but I fear that this line of reasoning is actually having the opposite effect of what they are trying to accomplish.  A significant number of people in this country, especially in the south, do not consider themselves immigrants, or their family immigrants. Tens of millions are descended from families that have been in this country for 400 or even 500 years; they were the ones that actually settled the land, build the first cities and farms, fought in the revolutionary war, wars with native Americans and Mexicans, the Civil War, WW1 and WW2.  They consider themselves truly “Americans” and fundamentally different from the immigration waves in the 19th and 20th century.  They see a completely different set of values in immigration, and many believe that every new immigrant is taking a job away from an American citizen (this is especially worrisome for in the immigrants do not share their Christian values).  Exposure to new immigrants is also particularly interesting.  19 states have a foreign born population less than 5%.  8 states have a foreign born population over 15%.  The two states with the largest percent of foreign born residents (New York and California) are actually very supportive of this population.  Sorry, drifting off topic.

The media, by their insistence on the “everyone is an immigrant” message is actually feeding right into Donald Trump’s message, which is that the media is trying to manipulate you and they are part of some un-American liberal conspiracy (and not to be trusted).  Which raises the question of what would be a better strategy to communicate the importance of immigration and diversity in a language that everyone can relate to.  The media can make a stronger correlation between diversity and “Patriotism”.  "That the founding fathers valued diversity; and that all Americans were willing to fight and die to protect others in WW1 and WW2.  That Trump is trying to destroy the values that our grandparents died to protect.  They understood that American has the opportunity to be the good guys, to protect those in need, to shelter those who fled from tyranny, and embrace diversity.  We cannot, and will not be the bad guys, we will not destroy families, we will not torture people, or turn people away.  It isn’t Christian, it isn’t American, and if they support the walls and the bands, they are the ones who are part of an un-American conspiracy."

In the end, you cannot change somebody's mind without talking to them in a way that is meaningful and honest to them.  There are tens of millions of people that aren't sure what to do and think.  They are getting facts (and alternative facts) from everyone and in the end the might listen to those they trust and understand.  

And if that doesn't work, look to the bible...
Leviticus 19:33-34 and 24:22 – When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself.”

Deuteronomy 10:18-19 – “For the Lord your God...loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. 


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