To the Editor,
For the first time in the history of our country, the U.S. labor force that began a president’s tenure will be smaller when he leaves office than when he began. The reason? His hatred of immigrants. Even though fewer and fewer among us want to milk cows or work in meat packing plants, nursing homes, or hotels, our president thinks that our country and economy will be improved by banishing immigrants.
I have friends who own a resort in northern Minnesota. For 20 years they had locals clean cabins, readying them in a timely fashion for new guests. But times changed. Workers lost interest; they were slow, they complained, did a poor job and often quit without notice. My friends doubled down on doing the work themselves.
Who came to their rescue? Somali immigrants. They would board an early morning bus in Minneapolis, ride four hours to the resort, clean cabins, and the next day ride back to Minneapolis, all for a modest wage. Why? Because they were building a life, just as our German, Scandinavian, and Irish great-grandparents did.
Today’s immigrants in our area are largely Southeast Asian and Latino. Are they more undesirable than were our forebears, many of whom were uneducated and spoke no English? And do we not understand that in some years today’s hated immigrants will have become “us,” and their children proud and successful Americans?
How our president is treating immigrants is a stain on our country that in time will become indelible. How can we change course? By voting. Make your voice known that a vote for humane treatment of immigrants is a vote for our communities, our churches, our schools, our families, our children, and the memories of all who have preceded us.
Joel Lidstrom
Caledonia, Minn.
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