"Anchor Babies" And the Language Of Hate
Like many Americans, I am a citizen by the grace of my grandparents, who left their homeland to make lives here. My respect for their courage makes me wary when I hear the modern rhetoric about immigration...in particular the excpression "anchor babies". But we'll start with the grandparents.
My grandfather (on dad's side) "came over" more than once. The first time, he was alone, worked hard (as do most immigrants) saved his money, then returned to bring my grandmother and their daughter back with him. The timeline for this was between 1917, and 1919. Eventually, he and Grandmother became citizens, but their fifteen children (yes, 15!) would probably be called "anchor babies" today.
That probably doesn't occur to many of the people who use that term pejoratively, generally aiming it at a specific ethinc group. Our grandparents never contacted immigration---they just CAME...and hoped they would make the cut at Ellis Island. Some were lucky enough to have family they could connect with, but most were taking a leap of faith, that they would be accepted.
But if you do use a term like "anchor baby", you might consider sitting and down and figuring out which of YOUR relatives that might have been...in your family. Your mother or father? Your grandparents? Very few of us don't have one, tucked away in our family tree somewhere. Only we're proud of ours. Most people don't consider that the "benefits of citzenship" have always gone to the children of immigrants.
All fifteen of my aunts and uncles went to public school, at least for a while. Most of their kids did as well. All grew up to be citzens, the men fought in World War Two...and they were "taxpayers" like everyone else. But I am pretty sure none of them ever looked at my Aunt Mae...the baby my grandparents brought over with them, and thought less of her...or themselves. I wonder which of my relatives was the "anchor" of that clan?
Sort of burns, when you put it that way, doesn't it? I'll be curious to see if anyone replies to this, to explain the difference between the immigrants of 100 years ago, and today. From my point of view there isn't any. No one invited my grandparents. Grandpa John was a farmer...and this country already had plenty of those. No doubt, there were people who looked down on him, and his family. They probably thought they "bred like rats", and were offended that they couldn't speak English. They were probably angry that my Grandfather worked in a sweat shop, though they would never have taken that sort of job themselves.
But it never occured to me to look down on my grandparents. They did something most people lack the fortitude or courage to do today. They left everything they knew behind them, and with just what they could carry, came to America, to make a new life. Most of us our proud of the generation of our family that took that huge step. I felt compelled to post this because in the last few months, I've seen the term "anchor baby" a lot around the Patch.
I just thought I would remind people that most of us are not far from that expression...and that very few of us would find a warm welcome today---if we were the one's trying to get in. So when you get all riled up about "illegals", make sure you know how many links in the chain there are between you and your "anchor". Who were your people? How did they come here, and why? And unless they had a parade to honor their arrival, perhaps you might consider being more understanding about people today...who just want the same thing our grandparents did.
Namaste.
Dave Bell
7:16 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Illegal immigration and migration are totally different things. People confuse or combine the ILLEGAL issue with it being about all immigration. It's like saying get the ILLEGAL drug dealers out of my town, is not the same as saying get CVS out of my town
Lisa Shields
12:32 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
That is an extreme by any measure.
So tell me Mr. Bell, how long has your family been legal?
Dave Bell
7:07 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Don't care if 1st generation or came over on Mayflower. As long as followed rules of the time. How long would make it ok for me to have an opinion?
Hightstown Homeowner
8:33 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
I agree with Dave. We're talking about 2 completely different things. There is illegal immigration and legal immigration. In my eyes, that's a very important distinction.
Lisa Shields
8:49 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Well, I'm glad we agree on that.
But perhaps you have heard of Thomas Gangemi?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Gangemi
He was briefly Mayor of Jersey City, because of issues with his citizenship.There are those who believe he wasn't actually intending to flout the law, but simply believed he had become a citizen as a child. In either case, his lack of citizenship cost him his seat.
But in point of fact, when one's family came here becomes relevant from a standpoint of law.
http://www.uscitizenship.info/ins-usimmigration-insoverview.html
Formal immigration was far more relaxed previous to the late 1800's, and in many cases didn't exist. The standards were also different. My grandparents were legal immigrants, but were also illiterate. Two years later, they would not have been allowed to become citizens, based on literacy laws. So "when" people came was actually cogent. The more recent immigrants have been subject to a far stricter standard, than the last turn of the century generation were.
For those of us who are born as citizens, that isn't an issue. But the "when" becomes relevant if you start setting yourself up as the arbiter of who might be "worthy" Just once in my life, I have stood in a place where my grandparents might have been...on A tour of Ellis Island. It is a humbling experience.
Leslie Bianczik
10:03 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lisa, Laws change over time. If people want to live in a society they need to follow today's laws today. Not so long ago the drinking age was only 18. Should the police ignore all the 18-21 year olds breaking that law? The requirements to be able to drive a car in NJ seem to change every couple months; do we just start calling unlicensed drivers "undocumented" and give them a pass? Should we start being more understanding of people putting additions on their houses without the proper permits and inspections because "my grandparents never needed permits"? Your logic is flawed. Dave Bell is 100% right. Stop trying to make illegal immigration = immigration.
Lisa Shields
10:42 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
My logic might be "flawed" is the law did not say that we grant citizenship to anyone born on our soil. But the law is specific. And the term "anchor babies" is both offensive, and legally inaccurate.
The topic here is immigration. My piece was focusing on that concept. Any child born to someone in the process of becoming a citizen is now being called an "anchor" baby. I will cede the point the day they change the law to say that no one may HAVE a child until they are a full citizen...but I don't see that coming, do you?
Resident
11:06 am on Wednesday, December 7, 2011
I guess the term "anchor baby" can sound demeaning, so I will agree there.
If you look back to the ships to Ellis Island, you can document almost every person, their belongings down to the change in their pockets, who was with them etc... No faking who they are. Did they apply for 'free money' or assistance? Were they at food banks? Many times the man came alone, worked, then went back for his family. It's just so hard to sit here, and watch these people who are obviously illegal, (yes it is obvious, you can say I am assuming, but it's pretty much fact by now) that they can afford haircuts for their little ones constantly, they can carry cell phones etc... etc... and I struggle every day with every thing I do "on the books". How can it not frustrate us to see 90% of the people in town without cars, pushing a stroller, and hiring a taxi? (oh and those taxi drivers... wow) I will be honest, I am tired of flipping over my kids school papers, because I was on the Spanish side. There will always be exceptions to the rules, but generally these people seem lazy, so every caters to them.
Unbelievable. I'm glad I rented here before I decided to purchase a home here.