Biblical Immigration…
Hopefully X isn’t too put upon with the post, but seeing as immigration and illegal immigration has been all the talk lately, I thought I would give my general feeling of how immigration should be, and of course, where better than to look than the Bible. This is a post by Joel, not by X, so don’t blame him.
In 2nd Samuel Chapter 15, we read a story about an immigrant “Ittai the Gittite,” who is perhaps, the model immigrant in the midst of Absalom’s Rebellion. 2 Samuel 15:18 “Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed on before the king (David). 19 Then the king (David) said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king (the rebelling Absalom), for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. 20 “You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wonder with us, while I go where I will? Return and take back your brothers; mercy and truth be with you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king and said “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.”
I read this story again about a month ago, as I was reading through this portion of the Bible, and it struck me how committed Ittai was to his new king(David) and home. Many of the mosaic laws are very generous to aliens in Israel, noting frequently how the Israelites were aliens in Egypt. So the law demanded that the immigrant be treated well, yet at the same time, very few immigrants are mentioned in the Bible, but all that are, appear to become heavily devoted to their new home and culture. Consider also, Ruth as another example. (I can explain that too if need be later.)
Israel like America, treats immigrants quite favorably compared to many nations of their respective times. I imagine there would be a lot less concern about illegal immigration if people felt that those coming here were truly choosing to become Americans instead of working to send money back home and withdrawing from Americana. If someone chooses to come here, they ought to choose to cast their lot with us, and give up their old home. And certainly, we will welcome them as if they had always been here. A man cannot serve two masters, he will love one and hate the other, if immigrants do not see themselves as Americans, but foreigners out to make a wage, they will come to hate us, and love the other. And that, for people within our borders I think is something no one desires.
April 2nd, 2006 at 12:35 am
How ironic is it that those in government make the argument that illegal immigrants are just willing to do the jobs Americans don’t want to do when the one job the government seems to be trying hard to avoid doing is dealing with illegal immigration.
April 2nd, 2006 at 10:38 am
It should probably be noted that sending money back home isn’t the main concern. Plenty of legal immigrants do so as well. I have a friend from the Philippines who’s been here for over a decade and still sends money back home to his parents — because that’s his duty as a good son. He quite clearly loves America and wants to assimilate, but that doesn’t mean he’s given up his own background either.
The real problem, as you point out in your post, is the people who don’t want to assimilate. They’re not immigrants in any real sense. They’re here only because the jobs are here, but they’d prefer to live in Mexico (or whatever other country they’re from, but most are from Mexico).
Now, the situation starts to get a little more complicated when you consider the people who want to immigrate and assimilate, but for some reason, the system isn’t working for them. I’ve heard several horror stories about the INS. So I can understand people getting frustrated with the wait and jumping the gun. For example, one husband and wife would have had to be separated for over a year, he in Venezuela and she in America, if they’d followed the rules to the letter. They ended up finding a way to work the system legally (she got nationalized as a Venezuelan resident while they waited for his U.S. citizenship to come through), so they didn’t immigrate illegally. But they were considering it.
But of course, people like my friends aren’t in the majority of immigrants, otherwise there wouldn’t be any problem.
April 2nd, 2006 at 10:45 am
Immigration, Yes.
Colonization, No.
– Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:15 pm
But of course, people like my friends aren’t in the majority of immigrants, otherwise there wouldn’t be any problem.
I’m not sure that it matters whether the illegals are the majority or a minority. If a minority, they’re numerous enough that something needs to be done.
April 3rd, 2006 at 8:27 am
[...] Joel is blogging at Xrlq’s and Xrlq is blogging at Patterico’s. [...]
April 3rd, 2006 at 9:28 am
As far as immigrants not wanting to assimilate goes, how come that question is never asked of American expats when they shuffle off for various countries? Do Americans of any country of residence get a free pass, as they allegedly are “citizens of the world.” And when was the last time you ever heard about any public OR private school teaching basic “American Values?”
April 3rd, 2006 at 9:50 am
A couple thoughts—
Robin, I think I mostly agree with you, I don’t have a problem with people sending money to their family back home, that’s what the good hardworking family person does. It’s the coming here with no intention to stay, avoiding becoming an American type that gets to me.
It’s funny because where I work, we get a wide variety of immigrants working, and one, who is here temporarily, basically they know that their family will only be here a couple years, speaks pretty flawless English, and in the course of the 2 months she’s been here she’s gone to a monster truck rally, and is trying to get into baseball. That really struck me and I appreciated the gesture.
Another employee (not from Mexico) casually remarked that some day she hoped the whole world spoke her native tongue. Now, I don’t begrudge the thought, BUT saying it in America, to a bunch of English speakers, I was kind of like, you’re kidding me right. But being the not-wanting-to-get-myself-fired type, I held my tongue. Oh well.
Brad S,-
I think the distinction becomes if the expat is intending to stay or return in the new land, if they are immigranting to find work unavailable in their home, or taking a overseas rotation of some sort.
If someone is not going to be staying and has a short-term employment arrangement with an employer that is global, the employee has a duty to learn the new culture, but they need not embrace it as their own, because it is not.
April 4th, 2006 at 1:51 am
Another employee (not from Mexico) casually remarked that some day she hoped the whole world spoke her native tongue.
Okay, I’m guessing she’s from France. Am I right?
(Sorry – couldn’t resist the opportunity to slip in a French joke.)
April 14th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
What about the previous post? I think that’s an important note as well.