…We have chosen to permit the influx of cheap labor over the opportunity to integrate masses of brilliant minds because of their origin. I find this of curious nature when I look at the surmise of the United States’ acquiescence of Albert Einstein. Bring in the brain. But, today, it is bring in the brawn. In Cebu City, Philippines, men aged from some 19 to 22 fight the hard battle of scholastics. They endure long classroom hours, arduous tasks of memorization and competition to survive graduation. The goal: To reach the American shores. They battle the poverty of their own country (one-half the economy of Mexico) to hope for the promise of admission to the land of opportunity…
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‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath; No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected ‘havior of the visage,Together with all the forms, modes, shows of grief, That can denote me truly; these, indeed, seem, For they are actions that a man might play; But I have that within which passeth show; These, but the trappings and the suits of woe. Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
And the woe is indeed. For the words of Shakespeare in this tragic tale, so goes our beloved country should we not prevail.
Ok, I got the poet part out of me, but, the truth remains. We have a lot to learn from predecessors and intellects of past. America has, indeed, become trapped in “suits of woe.” Our “inky cloak” has been birthed in our national debt. Not just the debt on paper, not just the debt in monetary terms, no a higher debt; the debt of moral visage. It is time for us to put on the face of who we truly are in our very own beings.
One of my pet peeves is the former INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service.) I look and try to calculate why our country so desires to “elect” who will, and will not, enter this country. I have traveled 42 States and 12 Countries and our system of selection overwhelms me. Where, exactly, is our moral vision? We permit a country that we have battled to become a partner in trade ( one that so desperates our economy and jobs of our own countrymen) to freely move across unseen borders. Yet, we reject the dire thought of integrating the populace of a foreign country so dear to America that it was the ONLY colony this company ever had: the Philippines.
I presently think of my dear friend, best friend, Anni Adams. The woman that I so admired so as to write her biography. She recently had a mild stroke. She is recovering and fighting strong as only “Anni” could do at age 79 yrs. Her therapist, “Papa” as he is called, because his real name is too difficult to pronounce, is from the Philippines. He has expressed the woes of his plight and that of his family. He did not do it as a thought, nor after-thought. It was plied from him by a curious creature. Anni came to this country from a place no one had heard of and most still don’t know where. Anni was an immigrant of sorts. Married to an American soldier and naturalized to this “America.” Yet, at her feet, during the trials of therapy, sits a man, strong and sure, a man, dedicated to his job: Help this woman.
One person at a time, “Papa” will work his magic. He isn’t from a country where tens of thousands relocate to America on an annual basis. He isn’t from a country where past partnerships are honored. Just like the American Indian, a treaty has been, not only broken, but, beat, trashed, stomped, crushed, burned and ruined.
George McArthur said “I shall return.” Indeed, he did. The irony of it all, is that, Anni once served by making flower arrangements on the yacht of the McArthurs along side of her husband, Charlie. They were ill treated. Charlie was a Bronze Star recipient during WWII and Anni an American War Bride. The point I am making is that lives get interwoven whether we like it or not from past, present and future. Papa isn’t concerned about McArthur and flowers aren’t concerned about the Philippines. Mexico isn’t concerned about Canada and Canada isn’t concerned about Haiti. No, indeed, this United States of America has entered into a dark night.
We have chosen to permit the influx of cheap labor over the opportunity to integrate masses of brilliant minds because of their origin. I find this of curious nature when I look at the surmise of the United States’ acquiescence of Albert Einstein. Bring in the brain. But, today, it is bring in the brawn. In Cebu City, Philippines, men aged from some 19 to 22 fight the hard battle of scholastics. They endure long classroom hours, arduous tasks of memorization and competition to survive graduation. The goal: To reach the American shores. They battle the poverty of their own country (one-half the economy of Mexico) to hope for the promise of admission to the land of opportunity.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not here to “slam” Mexico. I am trying to bring attention to a people that love us. And, Internationally, there are few left. Why, like our own native Americans, have we distanced and discarded a people of such great promise? The Filipino would be the best friend you ever had, should you give him or her the chance. I have become integrated with a local community and my heart’s desire is for the “average” American to see that we have and untapped resource of brilliance of mind in a people we have, some sixty years, left behind, into a dark, cold and lonely night.
Written by Lonnie D. Story, (email – sail44free@aol.com) who is the author of The Meeting of Anni Adams and is working on “Without A Shot Fired: The Dustin Brim Story” Lonnie writes a column at www.populistamerica.com