Friday, March 20, 2009

I'll Call Him Hank...

I have a friend I will call Hank. Hank is one of my best customers. He has bought from me on numerous occasions and referred business to me as well. He stops by sometimes just to chat when we both have free time. Today, was such a day.

Hank is in his early 60s. And on this visit we were discussing current events and politics. In the middle of our discussion he mentioned something that shocked me.

"I have been trying for over 20 years to become a US Citizen," he said with tears in his eyes.

Now honestly, I did not even know he was not a citizen. He is a citizen of a major European nation, lived in the Middle East and later in Mexico. He has been in this country over 20 years as a legal resident. He has raised three children, started businesses, paid his bills and never once been in trouble with the law. In fact, he is the type of immigrant that you want as a citizen.

He has hired lawyers and fought the battle, but each time some government bureaucrat loses the paperwork or comes up with some other delay. Its enough to make most people cry.

This is a man that truly loves this country. The freedoms and opportunity are what led him to leave behind family and make his way to America - legally I might add once again.

The next time you hear some activist in Washington demand amnesty for ILLEGAL aliens, remember Hank and people like him. These people deserve to be Americans and have more than earned that right. If a good man like Hank has to wait 20 years, someone here illegally needs to wait at least 50 years IMHO.

No comments:

Post a Comment