America welcomes immigrants from everywhere

Some American immigrants want to change America, not for the better

One of the great strengths of the United States has always been its welcome mat for immigrants and the strength that immigrants have added to the country in every sense - they have contributed to a more vibrant economy, a more robust society, and more interesting and cosmopolitan place to live. One of the country’s greatest weaknesses is that recent administrations have done little to make the process of immigrating smooth and efficient. Democrats preferg to simply let anyone with a pulse come across the Southern border regardless of their criminal background, the amount of drugs and contraband they smuggle in to the country, or their ability to make a contribution rather than become dependent on others. Republicans rail against the open border but offer little in terms of improving immigration policies or practices. The standoff serves no one.

But the American acceptance of immigrants once in the United States is impressive in its welcome. The case of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is a case in point. An 8-year old when the violence in her native Somalia surrounded her, Mr. Omar made her way to United States in Minnesota among a community comprising many immigrants from Somalia. She ran for office and was elected to Congress, the first woman of color from her jurisdiction to be so elected. It is hard to imagine what more United States could have done to make Congresswoman Omar feel more welcome or more wanted in American society.

Omar left a dictatorship, came to a democracy, achieved political success, and immediately set out to change America complaining about inequitable distribution of wealth, racism, the weaknesses of capitalism (as she sees it) and her desire for a more authoritarian socialist government. Her public statements evidence a narcissist who lacks any appreciation for the society that has served her so well. Here is an excerpt from the transcript of an interview she gave.

Omar’s interview with Al Jazeera exposes her own racism. She says Americans have more to fear from “white men” than from Islamic terrorists.

Her own words show her real character. She says “white men” are causing most of the deaths within United States. Reality is that most murders in United States are committed by young black men and the victims are predominantly young black men. Her racism is directed against white Americans.

Someone must have misled Omar before she came to United States. Her expectation that United States would forgive debt entered into by adults to fund their university education, provide state-funded housing for people, reform the 200 year old justice system or alter the immigration policies that allowed her to enter United States could not have been in the brochure. Her embrace of the “climate crisis” is pure politics - there is no evidence that the world faces a “climate crisis” or that CO2 causes climate change. To the contrary, there is plenty of evidence there is neither any crisis nor any substance to the theory behind the “climate change” narrative the left wing promotes for the political power it provides. I am sure United States provides better education, health care, social support systems, and opportunity than Somalia. But it does not nor should it provide a guarantee that everyone will do well.

United States success has been based on personal freedom, free markets, free speech and the opportunity for everyone to succeed (or fail) in pursuing their dreams. America has never been based on a “free lunch” mentality. Equal outcomes has never been the goal - it has always been equal opportunity with the ever present risk of failure. The distribution of wealth results from innovation, effort, risk-taking and luck (both good luck and bad luck). What separates most people from success is effort. Americans wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am particulary impressed that the United States nonetheless accepts Omar, ensures she has the opportunity to promote her views, pays her well to serve in Congress, and finds things to admire in her success. That is the real strength of America - every person can speak their mind, pursue their dreams, practice their faith, and seek political office. I am reasonably confident if Omar had emigrated to China, Russia, Iraq or Iran she might have found those societies less willing to provide her with a platform from which to preach.

United States remains a democracy and we should value the opportunities it has provided Ilhan Omar without embracing her left-wing ideology which, taken to its ultimate goals, would destroy the society she chose to enter.