Is It Worth It?

by HV

On a bleak Friday evening before I left the office, an instant message was sent to me with a link to an article titled, "Barack Obama's aunt faces crucial immigration hearing."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/27/zeituni-onyango-obama-aunt-deportation-immigration

The story has been in the press for quite sometime, and politicians and writers alike are feeding on this story for a reason. I think they want to see how Obama will respond to it.
So, she could potentially be sent back to Kenya for whatever reason they believe it's worth the hassle.

There was a similar situation a number of years ago when a Cuban boy was found at sea, brought to the U.S. but eventually returned to Cuba. Unfortunately his mom died while trying to flee Cuba to come to the land of opportunity. I was a bit peeved about this story because from what I hear, there are many others who have attempted the same passage, but never made it, but it is never highlighted on the national news circuit like this story was. I think we know why that is though.

A few things bother me about the thoughts behind the bigger picture. What is so great about this country, that people will risk their lives to come here, while folks who were born and raised here don't realize? If this land is so rich with opportunity, why are we in the state we are currently in?

Besides the evil, opportunists who will steal your eye out the socket if you sleep too long and too heavy, or the capitalists who will stop at nothing to claim top man in the ranks of richest person in the world, what is it about this land that people are willing to take a small boat not even fit to transport a cow across a rising river, across the ocean to come here. If Zeituni Onyango was not related to Obama, might have been living here for another 20 years and not be found out to be an illegal immigrant. But that is beside the point. I am not for illegal immigrants running rampage in the country and receiving the same benefits I get as a tax paying, law abiding citizen, especially if they are here and making it worse for those who earned the right to be here. If they get her, contribute to society and stay lawful while illegal, I can live with that.

Still I ponder why is this nation so great that folks risk their lives to come HERE?

Looking at thing from a financial standpoint, nothing here is free. I could have an easier life living in the islands where land is abundant and some people act more neighborly.
You can ask a man for a hand of bananas, if you cut his yard. Another might even let you use a patch of land to plant some crops if you maintain it well, and give him some of what you grow.

The inconsistencies, ideologies, and unpleasantries that you sometimes encounter on a day-to-day basis make it more difficult accepting the trade-off. Then again, no one here really knows what situation they are trying to escape. Is there even a situation to escape. Still I ask, is it really worth it?