Letter to The Editor / Immigration A Key West Story
There will be a lot of discussion this year about immigration reform. Unfortunately, the subject often causes emotions to run high and prejudice to raise its ugly head.
We forget that we’re a nation of immigrants — that our founding fathers were immigrants and many of our nation’s most valuable contributors today are immigrants, including those in the military and young students and entrepreneurs who create new technologies and jobs. The concept of E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one) is uniquely American and it is a motto that expresses our most essential ideals.
I have a Key West friend who is an immigrant. He’s quiet, humble and religious. He has had little formal education and, even after more than 50 years in the U.S., his English isn’t perfect. But he is smart, works hard, is devoted to his family and made the American dream possible for him and his family in the country that he loves and that is so much better for his being here.
Elements of my friend’s story include poverty, lack of education, 10 siblings, teenage escape from a Cuban dictatorship, immigration at age 17, and mind-numbing manual labor while studying to become a U.S. citizen. He says simply, “My story is about hard work, educating children and my family contributing to my adopted country.”
This is a gentle bear of a man whose soft voice, warm smile and expressive eyes convey both humility and pride. He’s modest and gives all the credit for his considerable success to those who gave him opportunities along the way but beams with pride when talking about each individual family member.
When he was a young man, who hadn’t been in Key West long and was struggling to earn a living, he heard someone say they were moving and needed to relocate furniture, including a huge old fashion refrigerator. My friend asked what the gentleman intended to pay for that work. Upon learning the answer was $20, he somehow strapped the refrigerator to his back and, to the amazement of bystanders, managed to stagger to the destination. Fifty years later, he arranged for this same gentleman and early benefactor to obtain financial assistance when he was in serious need of help.
This man, who came to our shores penniless, is now a millionaire — but you would never know it. The fact doesn’t seem to impress him any more than does praise or publicity. At times his wisdom and strength of character are startling. My friend is a stalwart Republican who worked for former Gov. Jeb Bush, with whom he has a first name relationship.
But as loyal as this first generation American is to friends, there’s no confusion about his integrity or independence. He says that, regardless of party affiliation, President Obama is his President and he admires him as a smart, hard working individual who earned his accomplishments. He wants whoever is the President of the U.S. to succeed, because that’s what’s good for the country. This refreshing brand of patriotism makes one wonder how many of our native born and well-educated leaders in Washington could match this common sense.
I admire my immigrant, entrepreneur friend even though our lives have been quite different. His love of family and country, his integrity and work ethic transcend superficial differences of language, culture and background. I wish those who want to deny immigrants the opportunity to achieve citizenship could meet my friend.
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