Throughout
his career, Congressman Peter King, at great political
risk, stood with the Irish American community, and
the nationalist people of Ireland, when politicians
in Hyannisport, Washington, Dublin and London were
running for cover. Unfortunately, some in our community
have quickly forgotten his staunch comradeship and
support. This memory challenged minority also seems
to suffer from a political, cultural, and economic
myopia when it comes to the interests of our homeland,
the United States.
It
is timely that United Flight 93 is showing in movie
theaters. The film is a much needed reminder of
the devastating Sept 11 attacks. The perpetrators
were greatly facilitated by 40 years of debilitating
multiculturalism, a naive political correctness,
unenforced immigration laws and our unprotected
borders. Irish Americans were heavily represented
among the fatalities at the Towers, the Pentagon
and on Flight 93 itself. Certainly, the casualty
list of the FDNY reads like an Ancient Order of
Hibernian's membership roster. About fifty per cent
of the firefighters, who perished, were members
of the FDNY Emerald society. The enemy visited loss
and grief on many Irish American homes that day.
Further
plots, disrupted since Sept 11, reveal that the
enemy continues to take advantage of our dysfunctional
immigration system. Peter King's HR 4437 is necessary
anti terrorist legislation, which would be essential
in preventing another attack. Aside from the security
issues, polls consistently demonstrate that American
citizens are increasingly concerned about the adverse
effects that uncontrolled, unregulated irrational
immigration is having on our nation's culture, economy,
academic competitiveness and standard of living.
The latest polls indicate that H.R. 4437 enjoys
the support of the vast majority of American voters.
It is is favored 2 to 1 over the Senate's legislation
. Pete King's bill by bringing order and rationality,
would recapture, and preserve, our nation's cultural,
economic and intellectual integrity.
HR.
4437 is not anti Irish legislation, despite the
best efforts of the unrepresentative, though disproportionately
vocal, Irish left to paint it so. Resolving the
undocumented Irish problem need not be an insurmountable
challenge. The out of status Irish came here legally
through an immigration control point. They speak
English. Being natives of a similar Western democratic,
Judeo-Christian culture, they have assimilated readily.
Indeed, they are almost indistinguishable from their
Irish American cousins. Educated and skilled, they
have become productive members of our nation's economy.
They are not dependants of our over generous welfare
system.
In
this era, when Western civilization is under assault
from radical Islam, it makes perfect sense for countries
like the United States, Ireland, Britain, Australia,
and others, to have their common foundation and
purpose tangibly manifested in a relatively unrestricted,
interactive, residency arrangement. Resolving the
Irish immigration problem is not irreconcilable
with the objectives of HR 4437.
The
1965 Kennedy Immigration Act perpetrated a grievous
act of discrimination when it locked the Irish,
British, Italians, Polish, and Germans among others
- essentially potential immigrants from the old
mother countries - out of our immigration pool.
Under the current admissions system, it is almost
impossible for somebody from one of these countries
to immigrate legally. Whatever legislation arrives
on the President's desk - and we are confident that
it will contain the essentials of HR 4437 - must
contain a provision which will rectify this discrimination.
It is only logical and just that there should be
room in our immigration pool for our friends and
allies, especially for well-educated, English -
speaking immigrants, who are perfectly assimilable.
In an era of increasing global competition, our
immigration policy must also accommodate the best
that the rest of the world has to offer.
For
countless years, when things were "hot"
in the Northern Irish statelet, Pete King stood
with us. Now, it is incumbent upon us Irish Americans,
naturalized and native born alike, to stand with
Pete, in his efforts to secure our homeland, the
United States, and to preserve and promote its cultural,
economic and intellectual interests.
Patrick
Hurley is part of the Queens Co. GOP and was a Co.
founder Irish Immigration Reform Movement - 1987
