The Pendragon's Hall

Fareed Zakaria has a great article in this week's Newsweek, entitled "To Become An American." Zakaria declares that the US does a great job with immigration already, because the process of immigration can lead, if the immigrant so desires, to US citizenship. In Germany, Zakaria notes, and in most of Europe, immigration is encouraged only so that people from other countries will come and work and boost the economy. German citizenship is based on being born to German citizens so a green card and employment can never lead to being fully integrated into German society. The same sort of thing happens in France. Zakaria notes that in the four and a half years since 9/11 the US has not sustained a single terror attack while Europe has suffered dozens. He traces this to a lack of connection with European nations among the immigrant community. He urges the US to keep to its current way of integration, so that newcomers will know they are welcome as potential citizens not just as workers to boost the economy.

The Pendragon could not be more in agreement. Immigration is a key component to our society and we should not completely close our borders. We should, however, be careful to show these newcomers that they are welcome to assimilate and join us if they are committed to live here and keep a clean record. This will give no grist for the mill to those who complain the US is anti-immigration. It will also have the added security benefit of convincing immigrants, whether Asian, African, Mexican or European that they are capable of gaining the great benefits being a citizen of America entitles them to. Hopefully we can then avoid the riots in France where workers who feel out of the loop on the economy are rioting against their second-class status. In the long run, this will probably make us safer even than completely closing the borders.