February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
But though it might be a time when all hands are needed, not all can report for duty. Millions among us must hang back, hug the shadows, fearful that too much exposure to scrutiny will result in deportation and exclusion.
The undocumented are among us — though not part of is — because they want to work, contribute to their adopted society, and lay claim to their version of the American dream.
Some say that the time for that dream is past, or at least can be offered to only a select few. Others counter that there is yet room for the here and now undocumented population and that it deserves to be assimilated before the Golden Door is shut even tighter.
There is no argument that what we have is the basis for a vigorous debate in the nation’s capital, in cities, towns and villages across the nation, and in every nook and cranny of the ever more mass media.
So why delay? Yes, there are other crucial issues. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the aftermath of Katrina are top of the pile.
But we are a nation that can walk and chew gum at the same time. Immigration reform is an issue that is of the utmost relevance to millions. What emerges from a serious debate is anybody’s guess. But we should at least get the debate started before another year passes.