LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Here's what immigrants really are

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Some getting immigration wrong,” Sept. 13)

Here’s some fact-checking of Lou DeHolczer’s latest rant against immigration.

A U.S.-supported coup in Honduras in 2009 has resulted in much immigration from there since.

U.S. interference in Latin America has destabilized that region going back to the 19th century.

In spite of Sweden’s selling off of state-owned companies, they and other Scandinavian countries still have the same strong safety-net that provides good jobs, pensions and a decent amount of leisure time. Not to mention that they have the same complete health coverage that every western democracy — except us — have.

The fact that most immigrants work long hours at slave wages rebuts DeHolczer’s characterization of them as takers. Just as many U.S. citizens working long hours at slave wages are not takers.

The takers are the wealthy who benefit from this hard work, but do not properly compensate those who do it. They support politicians who push through tax cuts for them that they don’t need while cutting services for the poorest who desperately need them.

Luckily, not all those services have been cut. But those who are most needy and accept such services get labeled by DeHolzcer as takers.

The wealthy also oppose raising the minimum wage to a level above poverty. In fact, before the minimum wage was established, they opposed it. They oppose laws that eliminate obstacles to unions trying to organize workers.

Force employers to treat all workers (whether citizens or not) fairly. Provide health care for all, which is necessary to prevent premature death. It should be a right, not a commodity.

Let’s not refer to those who accept government assistance to survive as takers when the true takers are those who take from them a full day’s work or more without giving them a full day’s pay.

Richard Warren

Richard Warren

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