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Monday, May 22, 2006
Could Gwinnett exist without immigrants?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The immigration issue is perhaps the most salient domestic issue that America has faced in decades. Not since the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement has the country been torn apart over how we treat people who live within our borders.
How America responds to the immigration issue is of paramount importance — not just for the undocumented workers who provide much of the hard physical labor that most Americans would rather not perform, but how we think, feel, and respond to those who seek economic opportunity in America will no doubt help define how the world and future generations view us.
The hard truth is that America could not exist without immigrants. Throughout our nation’s history both the voluntary and the involuntary immigrants (African slaves) helped build and characterize this great nation.
Here in Gwinnett, we owe much of our strong economic infrastructure and success to the recent wave of immigrants who have made the county their home.
To illustrate, let me provide this personal account from a recent Saturday:
I went to pick up some special-ordered silk blouses and jewelry from a couple from India who have an import/export business. Then I went to retrieve some slacks that I had altered from a seamstress from Korea, and then to a beauty supply store where I purchased cosmetics and earrings from the Vietnamese proprietors.
From there I went for a manicure and pedicure — again at a Vietnamese-owned business. Afterwards, I purchased gasoline from a man who said he was from Ethiopia. The most ironic thing is that I bought my dinner from Latin-American restaurateurs —- who featured a soul food menu. Before I went in for the evening, I purchased wine and spirits for weekend entertaining from a liquor store owned by Koreans.
Moreover, the labor to build my home was done by Mexicans. The landscaping to keep my community looking beautiful is performed by mostly Mexican labor. The special lighting in my home and much of my furniture comes from Asian vendors. Even the blue crabs that I enjoy steaming up Maryland-style and serving to guests, I can only find at the Asian-themed markets.
The truth is that Gwinnett County, like much of America, is dependent on immigrant business initiative and immigrant labor.
Ironically, in America’s recent history we have experienced more difficulty with welcoming immigrants from our own doorstep than those from far away. Just think about how we have looked through jaundiced eyes at immigrants from Haiti and now how we view those from Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
Immigrants add far more to the economy than they take. Without immigrants, Gwinnett would likely still be a sleepy suburban community. With immigrants, Gwinnett is an exciting mixture of cultures — and has the labor force and small business people to further build the county.
Could the Gwinnett County we know exist without immigrants? I don’t think so.
What do you think?
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