I am sick and tired of reading articles regarding immigrants by such biased people like George Sabia (“Illegal Immi-grants Are Draining United States Resources,” Letters to the Editor, News Transcript, July 25, 2007).
How many times do I have to state that many Europeans came here for the same reason that the Mexicans and other South Amer-icans are here? Pure economics.
Don’t talk to me about how legal their ancestors were. A great percentage came here without papers, and history states as such.
Regarding diseases, do I have to mention that the diseases brought over by the Europeans wiped out thousands of the Native Americans? Why doesn’t Mr. Sabia mention that?
Many hospitals are closing, according to Mr. Sabia. Name me one hospital that has closed in this area because of the immigrant population.
Indeed, CentraState Medical Center is thriving and expanding its facilities. So are many other hospitals in this immediate area. The only hospital that has closed its doors in this area is South Amboy, and it was not because of the immigrants using its facilities.
As far as jobs go, I say again that the Mexicans are doing jobs that Americans are unwilling to do. When I was a teenager, during the summers I would work on the farms, later for landscapers and contractors. Try to get an American teenager to do that now at $10 an hour. I can assure you that I worked for much less.
As far as housing is concerned and especially overcrowding, I do not like to see overcrowding. No one in their right mind does, but these people are doing the same thing in order to meet the high cost of housing … [from] the greedy landlords … that many of the Italians, Germans and Irish had to go through.
Can you afford to pay over $2,000 a month for rent? I consider myself middle class and there is no way I could afford to pay this kind of rent.
That is why there is overcrowding. Mr. Sabia, think twice about castigating a group of people less fortunate than yourself. These people have every right to try to survive, the same as your ancestors. It is human nature to move to another area where there is work and a chance to make a better life for your families.
The only people that came here involuntarily were the people on my father’s side. My great-grandfather was brought here as a slave. My mother’s side were American Indians.
We suffered greatly at the hands of people who came from Europe originally. So please don’t tell me who belongs here and who should not be here. Try to be more tolerant. This is a big country. This is a country that is supposed to be a melting pot. Please try to get rid of the hatred that is evident in your letter.
Tom Baldwin
Freehold Borough