Day: January 23, 2009

“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Via Jay Nordlinger at National Review comes this song from 1915, addressed to immigrants.  Can you imagine this song being sung in public today? As Jay comments, “Would today that qualify as ‘hate speech’?”  Here are the words:

Last night, as I lay sleeping,
A wonderful dream came to me.
I saw Uncle Sammy weeping
For his children from over the sea.
They had come to him, friendless and starving,
When from tyrant’s oppression they fled,
But now they abuse and revile him,
Till at last in just anger he said:

If you don’t like your Uncle Sammy,
Then go back to your home o’er the sea,
To the land from where you came,
Whatever be its name,
But don’t be ungrateful to me!
If you don’t like the stars in Old Glory,
If you don’t like the Red, White and Blue,

Then don’t act like the cur in the story,
Don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you! 

You recall the day you landed,
How I welcomed you to my shore?
When you came here empty-handed,
And allegiance forever you swore?
I gathered you close to my bosom,
Of food and of clothes you got both,
So, when in trouble, I need you,
You will have to remember your oath.

If you don’t like your Uncle Sammy,
Then go back to your home o’er the sea,
To the land from where you came,
Whatever be its name,
But don’t be ungrateful to me!
If you don’t like the stars in Old Glory,
If you don’t like the Red, White and Blue,
Then don’t act like the cur in the story,
Don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you!

Here is the recording.  

In 1915 there was no legal difference between immigrants and refugees. Many of the groups we think of as immigrants were fleeing persecution. My paternal grandparents were part of the large migration of Russian Jews who were fleeing pogroms and looking for a better life.  I know they were grateful for being in America. There must have been immigrants who weren’t grateful, or the song wouldn’t have been written. A considerable number of immigrants went back to their countries of origin; I know many Italians did. But they were not escaping persecution, just poverty.

But today gratitude is not in fashion, and nobody seems to be encouraging refugees to feel (or at least act) grateful for their immense good luck at being here. That’s not to say that none are grateful — we know that many are, and many express their gratitude. In fact, I expect that some of our most patriotic Americans will come from refugees and immigrants who know from their own lives how fortunate we all are to live in such a country. 

But for those who don’t appreciate America, maybe we need to revive the song.

Bangladesh to take some Rohingya back

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

Good for you Bangladesh!   In the on-going saga of the Rohingya Muslim boat men, there is a bright spot.   The Indian Navy had rescued some of the Rohingya men attempting to get to Malaysia and has detained them.   Those identified as citizens of Bangladesh will be returned to that country.  Now, isn’t that a sensible solution.

From the BBC:

Bangladesh has accepted that at least 57 illegal migrants who made unsuccessful boat journeys to Thailand and Malaysia are its citizens.

More than 300 people, mostly Rohingya Muslim refugees originally from Burma but now living in Bangladesh, are in a jail in India’s Andamans islands.

Thailand is probing reports that troops sent the Rohingyas back to sea in boats without engines and little food.

[….]

Mr Hussain (Bangladesh’s foreign secretary) said Indian and Bangladeshi officials were now working out the most efficient way to repatriate the migrants.

Those rescued are Rohingya Muslims, originally from Burma’s Arakan province but many now settled as refugees in southern Bangladesh. Many have acquired Bangladesh citizenship.

Here is a first hand account in The National* from one of the survivors now in Indian custody.  He just wants to go back to Bangladesh to his parents.

Akhtar’s friend Farid was among the dead. “I had no idea that the journey to Malaysia could be so dangerous. I hope the Indian government will send me to Bangladesh soon. I shall work in Bangladesh now and never venture to go to Malaysia again,” Akhtar said.

“More than three-quarters of us died. Allah has kept me alive. It’s a miracle to me. I have to live the rest of my life as a good Muslim. Allah will definitely help me in Bangladesh.”

Hopefully Akhtar will spread that message to other young men.

Note to Thailand and all countries dealing with illegal aliens:  Feed them, treat them well, and return them to wherever they came from.   When you do foolish things like our Embassy in Malta has done—bring African illegal aliens to the US as refugees—they will just keep coming.

*The National is a publication from the United Arab Emirates–note they have not offered to take any fellow Muslims to the UAE.

Rohingya in Malaysia protest, say UN treats them unfairly

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

There is so much news regarding the Burmese Rohingya Muslims today, I don’t know where to start!    We have been writing extensively about the hundreds (thousands, the number keeps changing) of Rohingya men attempting to get to Malaysia and ending up in Thailand where investigations are underway about their treatment by the Thai military. 

The rescued Rohingya claim they were attempting to find work in Malaysia, but I had read some time ago that jobs in Malaysia were scarce for refugees.   Now, I’m wondering if they aren’t drawn to the community action on-going there.  It seems the Rohingya have ‘community organizers’ (agitators) there putting pressure on the UN to give them refugee status (and persumably a ticket to resettlement in the west).

300 Rohingya protested two days ago in front of UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) offices in Malaysia’s capital.

The protestors, mainly Rohingyas from Burma’s western Arakan state, said they were being treated differently and were not being granted equal status by the UN agency.

Nyi Nyi, a leader of the protestors, said they held a brief demonstration and submitted their demands in writing to an official from the agency.

“We are demanding recognition as refugees, equal treatment by the office and a cessation to official corruption in granting refugee recognition,” Nyi Nyi said. 

[…..]

The UNHCR, however, denied the allegation, saying they treat all refugees equally.

The UNHCR has its hands full.  Look at the large number of Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia.

According to the UNHCR there are some 45,400 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, of whom approximately 40,000 are from Burma – with the majority of the Burmese refugees reportedly Rohingya Muslims from Burma’s Arakan state.

But, hey, Malaysia is a Muslim country, why can’t they just care for the mostly Muslim refugees? 

We have reported on many previous occasions that Rohingya refugees are already arriving in Europe, Canada, and I believe Australia and New Zealand.   The US will surely not be far behind.

To learn about Rohingya go to our special category here.   This is our 50th post on the subject.

Pew Poll: Americans priorities have changed fairly dramatically

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

A new public opinion poll by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press sends a pretty clear signal to the Obama Administration.  Economy, Jobs and Terrorism are the three biggies for most Americans.

As Barack Obama takes office, the public’s focus is overwhelmingly on domestic policy concerns – particularly the economy. Strengthening the nation’s economy and improving the job situation stand at the top of the public’s list of domestic priorities for 2009. Meanwhile, the priority placed on issues such as the environment, crime, illegal immigration and even reducing health care costs has fallen off from a year ago.

Check out the chart accompanying the story from Pew.   Global warming (in this frigid winter) has dropped to the bottom of the list.

And, although illegal immigration is low on people’s priority lists, I thought 41 % was still a fairly large number of people who place it as a high priority.  The number would be greater if the public better understood immigrations connection to the top three concerns:  Economy, jobs, terrorism.

Hint to groups like Numbers USA, keep educating the public about that connection!

See my post of two days ago about Obama and Immigration reform.    Rahm Emanuel gets it—-it is all about jobs!