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If things keep going left in Latin America, the US may be flooded with well prepared exiles, from Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, and even Mexico. Legislation will be needed to help these people because by helping them this will help the US. Visa openings for well qualified immigrants need to increased and increased fast.....

For crying out loud we don't need another Saint Louis where the alternative is turn people away and let them be executed or imprisoned…

Just commenting on the excerpt, I have to disagree with the premise. I think it's unreasonable to expect complete assimilation within one generation. It didn't happen with those previous immigrant waves and it's not going to happen with Hispanics now.

In fact, technology is one of the factors that is slowing the assimilation process down. When my parents came to US, there was no Spanish TV or radio (in Miami there was radio, but like many Cubans they didn't settle in Miami). Today you can watch one of many Spanish TV stations/networks listen to Spanish radio, read a Spanish newspaper and get information in Spanish from the Internet.

I don't blame the TV stations or thee radio stations, they are catering to an audience that would otherwise be underserved and I'm a capitalist. And don't tell me that there weren't German and Italian newspapers among the major immigrant populations of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Hispanic kids today speak English. Believe me as marketers we're not reaching them with Univision or Telemundo. All these things take care of themselves over time.

Bottom line is we have a mess on our hands because past amnesty policies which attract people to our country like a magnet.

I think a big aspect of this is the HUGE overreaction to the protests of the last few days by intolerant Americans. When we took to the street in defense of Elian, we were deeply hurt and offended when we were defamed as being Anti-American. Certainly among these immigrants there are few with Anti-American sentiment along with the usual gang of loud anti-capitalist, anti globalization nutbags. But that's not the majority.

My parents fled because of political persecution and that's admirable because they didn't want their kids to grow up in a country like Cuba. But just because these folks have financial reasons for coming doesn't make their story any less poignant. If I lived in a shithole town in corrupt Mexico I would do the same exact thing these people are doing.

Finally, my answer to this whole mess is to shut the border down, build that friggin wall already and increase the number of Visas available to people from Latin America dramatically. Start deporting illegals and encourage the others to go back by telling them that if they are caught in the US illegally that they will be disqualified from receiving a visa in the future.

Madtom, I know you are one of the regular lib a-hole trolls here so I'll keep this quiz as simple for you as I can: In what language is this blog published? What is the underlying principle that this blog lives by?

Henry, I agree that assimilation takes two generations to take hold. On the other points, I agree with the writer. To be an "American" does not mean to renounce your heritage; it means you are now a part of the new American heritage.

And George I think that process takes time too. Look at the first wave of Cubans that came over. How many refused citizenship in the beginning? Many because they didn't consider themselves American. Over time as the realization came that they were more American than they thought they'd ever be, they began to change. My grandmother in her 80s became a citizen. Same with Mexicans/Latin Americans. Many of them hold on to the idea that they will return to their country. But as time wears on and they put down roots and have children (American children) their attitudes change. I work with many second generation Mexican Americans and they feel just as American as I do and I bleed red white and blue.

No offense George, but I think the linked excerpt teeters on the edge of intolerance. Not quite there, but only a blow away from falling over.

The part that made me feel most uncomfortable is the statement about true immigrants losing their accents and retaining little of their heritage except when going over to Mom's house for some old country cooking.

Whatever happened to multi-culturalism? Isn't it perfectly acceptable to live in two cultures, speak two languages, demand that your kids do the same, and still be a proud American? Not according to the article.

It's that mentality that rears its ugly head as during the Elian fiasco.

I apologize if I'm misinterpreting the article.

It is very interesting to read this article because I have, first hand, experienced the different ways immigrants are treated and thought of.

I have been living in Virginia for the last year or so and have taught ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES here since October. I taught ESOL in Miami for 2 years before moving here and it amazes me to witness the difference between Miami and the community I work in now(in Virginia).

In my school the ESOL students are seen as a nuisance, the regular classroom teachers look at them and think they are dumb just because they can't speak the langauge. They don't see or understand, as I do, the struggles their families have been through to get those kids in an American school, to get them out of their birth country and away from poverty, politics, and any other reason they had to leave their country to come to the USA and try to make their children's lives better and safer than their own. They don't understand that for most immigrants coming to the US is not a choice, its the only option, the only way to survive and have their families survive.

Here "non-americans" are seen as lazy, stupid, trouble makers. If you speak Spanish or have an accent you must have some law breaking hobby or hidden agenda.

Growing up in Miami, I never thought I had an accent, I had never had to explain my culture or even help people locate where Cuba is. Apparently when I moved here I developed an accent and discovered Cuba.

In Miami it was a fact of life. To me, Miami is the essence of immigration, it is the place where people from all cultures, first generation, second generation Latinos-Hispanics-Asians-Africans-etc come together and appreciate the "better life." Miami is where I learned that all people, no matter, their race, their language, their color, are the same.

But the pressence of this blog, and the determination of my uncle to teach about Cuba is what has made me proud of the accent the people around me hear, and the Spanish I am able to speak, and the experiences I am able to share and explain to those around me.

Thanks Babalu.

Maura,

Couldn't agree with you more. Excellent and accurate comment.

Robert, I am surprised at you that you would bring up what is the most divisive issue that divides Americans today: "multi-culturalism." That's one of the primary reasons we have the chaos in our nation; no "American" culture, no sense of what it is to be an "American."

I am very proud of my Cuban heritage, and I will scream it on the rooftops if I have to. But damn it, this country gave me everything when I had nothing. To be a part of this country's life does not automatically invalidate and preclude your original roots. But it does require you to change your attitude so that you know who you are and where you are.

Read the entire article, not just the excerpt. The author speaks eloquently of the miracle that America is and what anybody from anywhere can accomplish here.

Maybe our definitions of "multi-culturalism" differ.

I see it as being 100% American while retaining your heritage. It's being comfortable with more than one culture. It's accepting different cultures as unique and part of the overall American fabric. I can't imagine why that would be bad for this country. In fact, it's what makes us stand out from the rest of the world, in a very good way.

I read the entire article, and again I may be overreacting. But I just got an uncomfortable vibe from reading it.

Robert, the term "melting pot" implies that all cultures will be blended together into an unique American culture. The way I define "multi-culturalism" would have to include divisive groups like MECHA, The Black Muslims, Aryan Nation that want to extoll one group over another. They insist on separating and dividing peoples into warring factions that, in the end, have no "American" identity whatsoever. Evil in my book.

George, I agree 100% with you on those groups. To me, they really aren't what I would consider to be multi-cultural, but more like separatists who want to impose their foreign culture OVER the predominant culture. True multi-culturalism doesn't impose one over the other, it adds or enhances instead.

I see your point now. I don't think we're too apart in the overall issue, we just have different ways of defining certain aspects of it.

Herb really hit a home run, a triple home run with this essay. He's like that. Everything he does is brilliant.

On Friday night my wife and I ate dinner at Randazzo's On Giralda in Coral Gables. Randazzo's is owned by Marc Randazzo, a former professional boxer. The decor and feel of the street is pure Mulberry Street, Little Italy New York. Mr. Randazzo has a big framed painting of himself. At the bottom of the painting it says Italian-American Boxing Champions. Around the image of him are the names of the various Italian American boxing champs. There's several flat screens around the room where you'll always find Goodfellas or the Godfather playing.

Nobody complains about his being proud of his Italian heritage. I don't know if he speaks Italian but I bet if he doesn't that he wishes that he did.

I love BBQ and Hamburgers but our country would be very boring if we had one homogeneous culture. The melting pot to me is the wrong metaphor. I prefer a chunky stew or Ajiaco if you will. Sometimes you'll bite into an onion or a pepper but it's all tasty.

But when you went there, you spoke English and everyone around you spoke English -- even though you may have ordered saltimboca alla romana. That is the difference: respect for the culture you came from and respect for the culture you're in. That's all I want from those coming here.

I been avoiding this issue because I know that my opinion is emotional, I'm too close to be objective and frankly I argue about this with family and friends all the time and I'm sick of it. I grew up in Los Angeles, and have been around Mexicans almost my whole life. Those radicals we've seen on the news, with their militant separatist agendas do not represent the average Mexican immigrant, legal or otherwise in my city. Yes, there is a problem with our immigration policies and I don't have the answer on how to fix them. I do know this, I cannot remember a time when Mexicans did not come here, (for the record, I am not young) some temporarily, most permanently. I also cannot imagine my city without them. The truth is Los Angeles has become, for lack of a better term, a Latin City, it's vibrant and wonderful. It's also filled with immigrants from other countries around the world. Where else in this great country do you have mountains, desert, and beaches nearby, where you can stop at a strip mall and choose between Mexican, Asian, American, Italian, Middle-Eastern, and Cuban food with a McDonalds next door for the kids?
I keep reading and hearing on the radio discussions about this issue referring to Mexicans as them, and those people. These words are like a red banner signaling racism to me. I've heard talk of deportations, well whom are we going to deport? Our neighbors, our friends, co-workers, relatives? Are we going to just round up adults? What about American born children or their older siblings not born here? What about the elderly Mother of a family friend? If you personally don't have to answer those questions then it must be easy for you to advocate closing the border and sending them all back. That doesn't sound very American to me. I pray that whatever solution our Government comes up with they don't forget that we are dealing with human beings, not faceless numbers. And last time I checked, I haven't heard anything in the news about the Canadian border, the one terrorists have been caught trying to enter this country from.

Ziva,

Let's start by deporting the che guevara tshirt wearers first.

Santana?

On that note, perhaps it's more constructive to talk about the many things we agree on. I'm not going to change George's mind and he's not going to change mine. The nature of my job forces me to interact with Hispanics of every origin and I can tell that we have our weak points (self governance, etc.) we also have many thing that Anglos just don't usually have like strong sense of traditional family values, extended families, etc.

There is a fundamental intellectual dishonesty in this debate, shockingly coming from the right as well as the left: that there are some jobs Americans just won't do.

Poppycock!

I'm not Hispanic but I really think it takes a while for any type of culture to get assimilated within another culture. I don't think that us, Americans will be able to assimilate straight into Hispanic or Russian or African or Chinese or Indian or any other type of culture. We are just not used to it and our lives have not been brought up the same way they have.

It is very important to assimilate because later on, you will be regarded as an American who should be able to know stuff about America and most importantly, the language!

Staying off the topic for a sec., I do not think it is right for anyone to call another person an "illegal" person and because of that, it is a crime. AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMMIGRANT COUNTRY AND WILL NOT STOP!!! There are so many different cultures which make up the American culture. Do you think America would be the same without all these immigrants? The biggest booms of America was after immigrants came like in the early 1900s. If these immigrants did not come, where would all the Chinese, Italian, Indian, Greek food be? (haha)And even, the hamburgers! Burgers have always been known as true "American" food but it originally came here from Germany! But back to the topic, why should we stop immigrants now if we did not stop them before? Everyone is American but has roots from another place. Everyone in this country had ancestors that came from another place. Those ancestors were the first generations of families in America. These immigrants today are the first generation of their families.

We should not only let Latino families join the American culture, we should also let others from all the over the world join. It would not be fair to the rest of the world. It would be racism if we only let Latinos in America.

The same "illegal" immigrants today who are overstaying their visas come for a better life the same way the immigrants that came in the early 1900s. The immigrants in the early 1900s were not regarded as "illegals" or "criminals". Why so? They were doing the same exact thing these so called "illegal" immigrants today are doing. Why hate them now if we did not hate them before? We suddenly have a grudge against immigrants because they are illegal? We did not have grudge against those before, we respected them for building families within America. My great-grandmother immigrated to American in the 1800s and I am happy that she had made my grandfather, parents and I so American. My grandfather was in WWII and was able to fight on the American side due to my great-grandmother's risk in coming to a new country.

I do not believe in deportation at all because these families might have stayed here for ten years and started assimilating and understanding the American culture. Why should we just cut them off like that? Deportation is the worst thing to do. The immigrants who are ACTUALLY doing a crime like smuggling drugs should never be allowed to step a foot in America. Is living a better life a crime?

If a family wants to come here legally and live a better life, how will they stay "legal"? There are tourist visas for a special amount of time, student visas, job visas but no visas for families to live a better life. So what else can they do but get falsely accused for being "criminals" and "illegals"?

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