August 7, 2024
Alive with the Blood of Immigrants
I'm just a couple of relatively short rides away from the end of this ride, and I've been thinking about what I've learned. One theme that kept arising is how small-town, heartland America has embraced immigrants. A white resident of Denison explained that they do the work that most of us born in America don't want to, like meat-packing. While I was in Denison I went to Cronks
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Cronks has been a staple since 1929. Erik Skoog owned and operated it from 1979 to 2022. He sold it to Ramon Patino. Ramon arrived in Denison in 1994. He owns a Mexican restaurant in town, and has appreciated the support of the community. The menu at Cronks includes both American and Mexican fare.
A plaque in Ely, Nevada, celebrates that immigrants came from fourteen countries to work the Liberty Pit copper mine. The mural was created by a Chinese artist, Wei Luan.
A plaque in Eureka, Nevada credits Italian, Cornish and Chinese immigrants with doing most of the work needed by the mining industry. The plaque reads, "Today, Eureka is vibrant and alive with the blood of these immigrants flowing through her people."
Last month I saw a piece about Elephants in Newport. It turns out it was about Elephant sculptures from India on display. The exhibit's goal is to raise awareness of the coexistence of nature and the human species, and funds to benefit conservation efforts. In India, humans have learned to coexist with elephants, in part because big agriculture and population growth have encroached on natural habitats. Elephants are revered in India, but the relationship isn't perfect. Approximately 400 people are killed by elephants each year, mostly by accident. Considering more than 40,000 people in the U.S. die from gunshots and car accidents each year, it would seem that in a much more populous nation, 400 is a pretty small number. In fact, perhaps thanks to the animal's sacred status, the bereaved often do not blame the elephant.
We can get along. We are getting along. The vitriolic rhetoric about the border and immigrants does not align with the facts. The crime data, which has been widely reported, does not support it. Neither of the suspects of the two high-profile crimes this past month--the assassination attempt and the Park Fire--are immigrants. As a teacher I've worked with immigrants for over 20 years. Like native-born Americans, they're not all perfect. However, many are doing the work we don't want to do: meat-packing, roofing, fast-food, cleaning our schools, hospitals, and homes. They commit less crime than we do. As I noted in a previous post, quoting JFK, Jr., this is a nation of immigrants--with the possible exception of Native Americans, who migrated approximately 50,000 years ago. This trip reminded me of the debt we owe our ancestors for emigrating, and the debt we owe today's immigrants for continuing to do the essential work that makes this nation function. Variety is the spice of life. We are vibrant and alive with the blood of immigrants.
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4 months ago