Tell the truth about immigrants
To the Editor:
I am 91 years old. For close to 50 of those years we lived at 116 Cowan Street in Sylva. We were active members at First Baptist Church; our five children attended Fairview Elementary and Sylva-Webster High School. My wife, Barbara, taught piano, dulcimer, guitar and other instruments to dozens of people throughout Western North Carolina. We Osments will always consider Sylva to be our hometown.
In the earliest days of our nation, every white person on American soil was an immigrant. Apart from the American Indians, for at least two generations most Americans were immigrants. There has not been a time in our history when we have not been heavily dependent on immigrants and that is even more true today.
In large measure, we look to immigrants to plant and harvest our crops, build our buildings, maintain our roads, tend our yards, clean for our community, and the list goes on.
But how about the message “Immigrants are poisoning the bloodstream of our nation?” The truth is, they are not. Every study shows there is less criminal activity involving immigrants than among the general population. The narrative that a sizable number of immigrants are criminals is a lie.
While Donald Trump is a smart man, he is not a good man. He is painting people who are overwhelmingly good as being bad. Should the the perpetrator of a crime be an immigrant, our President, and his media supporters quickly put things in place to make sure the evil is known and talked about. Our president features the grieving family at a major event such as at his State of the Union Address, or names a park for the victim, or does something to push his false narrative, “See how terrible these people are. They are killing and raping and poisoning our nation!”
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Immigrants are a blessing to our nation. From my home here in northeast Florida, I am very aware of the strong work-ethic and commendable family-values that are so characteristic of our immigrant population. To paint these good people as bad is sinful and evil in every way.
It is sinful and evil because it is damaging to those who, individually and as a group, enrich our lives in so many ways. It is sinful and evil for our President to be telling lies to deceive the people who are most loyal to him — the “Jesus is my Savior; Trump is my President” people. Immigrants make us, and the United States stronger.
Thank you, immigrants, for all you do for us. You deserve our respect, our kindness, and our gratitude.
Luther Osment,
Fernandina Beach, Fla.
