The Border, Immigrants, and Humanity

As an American, I am well aware of the issues with immigrants and the border. I have heard on the news every day, recently, that concentration camps exist there. As I am from German ancestry, and a person, I am well aware that concentration camps are unacceptable and inhumane, bringing misery to humanity. I am also aware that the Germans perpetrated a huge disservice to mankind, and as a result, lost the right to have a standing army. Concentration camps are wrong.

As an American, I am aware that native Americans existed on the American continent long before we did. As a result, I am also aware of the argument that they, therefore, have more of a right to this continent than we do, as we are simply the descendants of European immigrants.

In 1776, the American colonies of Great Britain broke away from the motherland and declared a new country. Subsequently, we became the United States of America. To some, we represented freedom fighters; to others, we represented usurpers of land from an indigenous people. In reality, we represented a group of individuals in need of food, land, and resources. Royalty did not move to the Americas-starving peasants did-and starving people will do just about anything to survive.

Effectually, immigrants stole land from the native Americans, and created a government by the Europeans, for the Europeans. Usurpers stole land from an indigenous people and created a most excellent form of government. It is so excellent, in fact, that indigenous people from other parts of this continent wish to move here and benefit from its trappings. They too want the benefits of land ownership, capitalism, and freedom. But how can an indigenous person claim that they want to benefit from their conquerors? Does this not create a conflict?

The reality is, starving Europeans conquered the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Whether in Vermont, Seattle, or Texas, we conquered them. Native Americans have subsequently received a raw deal in the USA, and they will continue to receive a raw deal when other indigenous peoples attempt to come here from Middle or South America. We conquered the original peoples of this land and created a country called the USA. They wish to come here because it is better than the governments they themselves have set up in Middle and South America. What we have created is very special, regardless of its legitimacy or fairness. It is so special, in fact, that, the indigenous people from surrounding areas wish to partake in it.

Today, Mexico and South America are in turmoil. Socialist experiments, like the one in Venezuela, have led to civil war. The violent cartels in Mexico have led to individuals wanting to leave their country, and move to America, where the cartels have little to no power. After all, America is, for many, a dreamland of unlimited resources and freedom.

Regardless of our ominous beginnings, as conquers, who created a government by the people and for the people, we should take better care of individuals seeking asylum. Putting them in concentration camps, separating children from their families, and failing to provide food and water to individuals in need is simply inhumane. Regardless of the sins we committed in the beginning of this country, we owe our fellow human beings seeking asylum at least the basic necessities of life. Anything less is simply shameful. After all, we have created the wealthiest country in the world.

As the descendant of European immigrants, I feel empathy for the plight of Middle and South Americans seeking asylum here. I feel very sorry that they are starving, or the victims of violent and inhumane drug cartels. But I am a part of a group of people who came here out of desperation, and who conquered the indigenous people of this continent. I am not German any longer. I am an American, and I love this country. It is all I know, and in order to protect this country, we must have borders. However, this country can have borders and still be humane. Hopefully, our current administration will begin practicing the empathy that we as Europeans failed to receive from our original home countries, so many years ago.