Don’t selfishly keep out more proud Americans

By Thomas Rodriguez

Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 | 2 a.m.

As the furor over undocumented Mexican immigrants escalates, I feel compelled during Hispanic Heritage Month to attempt to shed some positive light on how Mexican immigrants have and will continue to make America a better and stronger country.

In my case, my parents were both born in Mexico and came to this country as young children during the early years of the past century. For all of their lives, my parents believed that in America all things are possible. In my life, the impossible was made possible because my paternal and maternal grandparents decided to come to America. Because of their momentous decisions, I, the son of undocumented immigrants, became an American citizen. That precious birthright has made everything in my life possible, for without it I would never have been able to live the wonderful life I have lived.

Amazingly, it has been 102 years since my grandparents Rodriguez and my father, Joseph, left Mexico to come to America, and 95 years since my grandparents Gomez and my mother, Jenny, traveled to this country. What has transpired in my family since is truly remarkable and is a shining example of how immigrants become Americans.

My American journey began in an urban ghetto in the heartland city of Topeka, Kan. In my youth, Topeka was a city marked by a segregated school system (Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education) and pervasive race and ethnic discrimination. However, in spite of growing up in that harsh environment, the process of my becoming Americanized was inevitable. It was moved steadily along by newspapers, books, movies, radio programs, music, magazines, sports, schools, teachers, friends, relatives and parents.

In grade school and high school, for example, as teachers taught us about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, in my mind they were teaching me about my history. It was my countrymen who defeated the British in the American Revolution and established this remarkable country. As a young boy, my heroes were Daniel Boone, Kit Carson, Davy Crockett, Abraham Lincoln, Lewis and Clark, and scores of other famous figures in American history. I read books about those Americans knowing it was my history I was reading about.

And even though I am of Mexican descent, I have never once thought of myself as a citizen of Mexico, although I am and always have been proud of my Mexican heritage. I am an American first, last and always, and I know that I am as American as any person living in this country, no matter the color of their skin or place of birth.

I also know I am not alone in feeling that way. Countless immigrants have a deep love for this country and have given their lives to defend it, and they did so even though most of them were not allowed to share equally in its freedoms and wealth. For example, six of my uncles served in World War II. Three saw combat duty, two received Purple Hearts, two fought at the Battle of the Bulge, and one was wounded and spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner of war camp. To me, their exemplary military service proves beyond a doubt their love of this country because they fought to defend it in spite of all of the injustices they had endured before the war. How much more American can you get?

It also is important to note that my immigrant parents, both of whom became naturalized American citizens, raised four successful sons, three of whom earned college degrees. Three of us also served in the U.S. Army and Air Force, and one in Vietnam as a medic.

That is why I get so upset at Americans who want to keep all Hispanic immigrants out of this county. These selfish Americans love all that is good about this country, yet they don’t want anyone else to have the same things. They love their families but don’t care if immigrant families are torn apart by forced deportations. They want the best for their children but want to deny immigrant children the right to an education and the freedom to pursue their dreams. They also enjoy the benefits of immigrant labor yet never give a thought to the many ways immigrants make their lives more comfortable.

This un-American behavior is why I continue to maintain that the only real solution to the undocumented immigrant problem is fair and workable immigration reform, plus strict control of our borders. Until or unless these things occur, millions of undocumented immigrants will continue to live and grow old in this country without the benefit of citizenship. In time, of course, all of the undocumented immigrants in this country will pass on. What they will leave behind are their American-born children, and their second- and third-generation American-born grandchildren. Knowing all of this has occurred for the past 100 years and is still occurring, can anyone tell me what sense it makes not to pass a comprehensive immigration-reform bill?

Thomas Rodriguez lives in Henderson and is retired after 23 years as executive manager of diversity and affirmative action programs at the Clark County School District.