As a former refugee, let me give you my side of the story. I escaped from Hungary as a seventeen year old kid because I knew that my future ere was doomed for the fact that I wore arms against the communist regime. My dream was to come o America, because I had seen the Statue Of Liberty and I knew her Message.proportion
In 1956 Hungarians rose up against the Soviet tyranny, a nation of 10 million against the might of 300 million.
Two nations of same proportion of decent and evil people.
So, there was I, alone and hoping.
The United States accepted a a paltry 40,000 of us, out of 400,000. Canada with one tenth of population of the United States accepted the same number. I ended up in Canada, and in retrospect, with NO regret.
Having learned English and developing a passion in politics in subsequent years, I knew now that if Eisenhower had had a heart then, he would have signed an executive order to accept more, and considering the economic and political might of America at that time, along with the fact that none of us presented a threat to American national security, more of us would be faithful and loyal Americans.
I have no complaints, though. Canada has been pretty good to me. I asked for nothing I did not earn. I had the chance to progress from laborer in mines to lumberjack to factory worker to computer programmer - all without affirmative action since I happen to be white with born in "PRIVILEGE".
As a self-taught computer programmer I developed a system that earned me an invitation to work in our company's head office in Akron, Ohio. I commuted weekly from my Canadian home. I spent six years crossing border weekly, working with Americans, and learned that Americans appreciate effort and results far more than what is assumed as given due to some almost worthless college degree that that looks good on paper but falls short on achievement.
I worked in Akron from 1996 to 2003. I was there on that Tuesday morning when the Twin Towers were hit and fell. I never forget the tears that came to my eyes when one of my fellow employees came to me and said: "They are attacking my country". I felt like crying along with him.
In strange way I feel that I am more American than some of the Americans I see on TV who have absolutely no idea what a great country they are lucky to be the occupants of.
In closing, let me say that while it was, for a long time, my dream to be an American, I came to terms with the fact that I am Canadian and it never crossed my mind to enter the United States illegally in order to become American. Let me also say that if I managed to learn English, so can anyone who has even a smidgen of patriotism and desire to be part of the country that they want to be their own.