Give us your energetic and talented: Immigration nonsense

by Charles Novitsky

Give us your tired and poor, or give us your energetic and talented.

It is oft quoted in media and social circles, that America's uniqueness is that it is the home of the worlds tired, and poor immigrants. Yet, few know where that concept originates, and know if it is a powerful mandate, or not. Some even assume it came from our Constitution or Declaration of Independence.

Before we get to discussing the history of this so possible mandate. Lets talk about common sense. If I had a home, especially where my children or other loved ones lived, and shelter themselves, I would be very careful and selective of those that I let live in my home. Perhaps I have some responsibility of compassion for my live-in guests, but my primary responsibility, as a parent, or guardian is TO THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF MY FAMILY. Anything less than this is negligence to my loved ones.

Likewise, if I were a landlord, and my task was to find new tenants to move in the apartments, I have even more responsibilities. One is, I must consider tenants that will responsibly care and maintain their apartments and the common grounds. They must also be financially responsible to pay rent on time, since any rent loss can force me to raise the rent for other responsible tenants. If I go bankrupt due to inadequate rent collections, all tenements will suffer, and possibly end up on the street. Furthermore, I have a responsibility to pick tenants that a free from criminal records or sexual crimes. If I do not keep my tenants safe by screening applicants, again I am negligent, both morally, and in the court of law.

One might say, if I wished to build a happy apartment building, I might screen for the best, the brightest, the most accomplished. This does not necessitate the richest, so lets skip that straw man argument that progressives might accuse the writer of this article of.

Let's use another scenario to this argument: a self sufficient small island. Assuming the island belonged to the people, and not some King, or rich politician, we might want the happiest peaceful island possible. It is likely, that in order to keep this island working well, each of us would have to chip in with various skills and duties. Therefore, it would be in our best interest, to make sure that all newcomers are capable to contribute to our survival. It would be advantageous to screen tenants that wish to move to this little self governing island. We might wish to allow those that have the most talent (skills & knowledge) to contribute to our survival, and those that are energetic ( IE hard working). This affords the whole would be stronger than the parts. To let in the tired and the poor not only makes no sense, it is irresponsible, and possibly selfish if the leaders did so.

And less I get accused of cruelty for favoring the strong and talented and healthy, please note that I do not advocate throwing old people out of the village, or their huts. They will stay where there are, and in this scenario, that is likely a different island, their native island.
Another way, possibly even fairer, is for the new island inhabitants to have their own vote on immigration. Tyranny is when only the King, or political leaders believe that have the privilege to decide what its citizen inhabitants should want. If there are 1000 inhabitants on this island, each inhabitant theoretically owns 1/1000th of the island. They may even decide to end immigration entirely, and put an end to land giveaways, once the island has reached a peak or comfortable number. One thing for sure, it should not be up to the politicians to decide for them, for then they are only acting as autocratic tribal chieftains. Likewise, Washington DC, somehow euphorically believes they have the right to give away the land owned by Americans to other immigrants. that decision should be up to the peoples, and the States.

Even worse, if an immigration quota is utilized, to favor the tired and the poor is reverse bias For politicians to have the chutzpa to not let in the best tenants and applicants is yet a moral crime on top of another crime. Currently, the Federal Government favors immigration form certain counties and yet denies talented engineers or workers with skills and or education. A great many from Europe are denied, possibly because of reverse bias. These talented immigrants can apply for a special visa, that in a normal world would get them the first in line, called and H1B visa. This make absolutely NO SENSE!.

Historically, the motto of “Give me your tired, your poor,” is nowhere written in our Declaration of Independence, no where written in the Constitution, nor in the Bill of Rights, nor any amendment, nor any state constitution. So where does it come from? It was written by a socialist poet, Emma Lazarus and placed on The Statue of Liberty in 1903. Clearly, 1903 is a recent period in history, and has little to do with the founding of our nation. Also, we as a nation cannot take much credit for this art at it was a gift by the French. The same French that threw off their monarchy in the French revolution, but went far beyond necessity, with a head chopping pogrom of vengeance, killing many innocent citizens for their different thoughts, or wealth and success, but that's a different topic. Either way, this is the origination of this phrase.

From a historical and legal perspective, the concept of letting in the worlds “tired and poor”, is therefore not a mandate ( ie, a rule), it's not even American. We have an duty to populate America, when populating is even necessary, with the worlds best in terms of talents and ethic of hard work. Only this objective can elevate the entire society. This even helps the very poorest, because poverty is in part, mostly a symptom of the lack of jobs. A lack of jobs is mostly a symptom of a lack of employers. This cold approach to immigration standards, as some would argue, would help our economy, and its poor, in the way that letting in the “wretched” Miss Lazarus quotes in her poem, cannot.

Even in the early 20^th century, we not let in “the tired and poor”. The immigrants at Ellis Island, of which my grandfather and grandmother were included went through a screening process. They had to be healthy and able bodied, pass a health inspection, and have a job sponsor, who in effect, warranted the then existing citizens, that this newcomer would not drain the society, would find a job, and contribute to the nations prosperity. By contrast, these days, it is politically incorrect to bar even those with some communicable diseases. Regardless of traditions of the past, the question is what of the future in America? What should our future policy be on immigration, and even how much should take place. Pivotal to this question is who is allowed to decide these issues for America: the politicians or the Americans themselves, via an express annual vote. With a population of about 315 million, theoretically, each of us own 1/315 millionth. No politician or government has a moral right to decide how much of our land and wealth to give away, that should only be up to us, the citizens.

In closing this topic, one can only be sadly amused how ironic it, that the statue representing freedom in our nation was encumbered with a socialist poem, for socialism by necessity, according to Hayek, always creates some degree of tyranny.

The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus 1883

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"