OP-ED: Illegal immigrants are heroes

Growing up in this land of "equal opportunity," it is not uncommon to hear about the American dream.

But what is the true American dream, who has achieved it and more importantly who can actually achieve it?

James Turslow Adams coined the phrase "the American dream" in his 1931 novel, The Epic of America. Adams states in his book: "the American Dream is 'that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.'"

The United States prides itself on the "equal opportunity" it offers to all who seek it. So why then does the government deny those who seek to achieve this dream so avidly?

That boggles my mind.

Immigrants risk their lives to come into this land of promise with the hopes of making a better life for themselves, seeking a new start. Parallel this to the Pilgrims who landed on Plymouth Rock in the 1600s. England did not offer freedoms, or opportunities where a person could raise their social status, decide who they wanted to be their leader or worship how and when they wanted. Fed up with this oppression, many sought a new life, in a new land.

Gosh, doesn't this sound all too familiar? Wait, it gets better. When the Pilgrims came to the "new world" they brought diseases, a new government and religion which they decided to impose on the original inhabitants of this land; killing, raping and plundering those who did refuse to give up their ways, for the newcomers.

I would fully understand if people wanted the borders closed as a result of this happening, but that's not the case.

No, those supporters of closing the borders claim that immigrants will take away too many jobs from "legal" U.S. citizens. Immigrants take the least-desired jobs such as picking fruit, or working in kitchens, get exploited and cheated by their employers yet cannot speak up for fear of losing their job or even facing deportation.

In all honesty how many of you that are against immigration would gladly take a job picking fruits, vegetables, cleaning houses, or working in kitchens?

Even the most job-desperate teenager rarely will seek out that employment.

To me, these people who you may call "illegal" are heroes, and should be celebrated, not upbraided because they wanted to achieve the American dream.

People take this opportunity for granted (myself included). Next time you go to your local grocery store, consider the exploited laborer that picked your strawberries.

If you were truly against immigration then you would refuse to purchase the goods that had been picked by those you loathe. You would not go to a restaurant because there's the chance that you might be supporting the livelihood of those that you do not approve of.

In the words of Benjamin Disraeli, "a conservative government is an organized hypocrisy."