Five Myths About Immigration By David Cole example essay topic

If not for immigration, I would definitely not be here today. Immigration allowed both my father's family and mother's family to move to Vancouver, Canada. My parents met in high school and the rest is history. Immigration has provided countless families with the opportunity to escape persecution, political strife and poverty, and start anew in a foreign land. North America was founded and established by immigrants, people from the East and the West. Today, we have a melting pot society consisting of people from all parts of the world.

The essay, Five Myths about Immigration by David Cole, effectively contradicts the assumptions of immigration. Cole argues each point tactfully contributing his own opinions in each myth. He begins the essay by presenting some historical background on the making of this nation. He tells about the "Know-Nothings" and their political movement to oust "the greatest influx of immigrants from Ireland, where the potato famine had struck, and Germany, which was in political and economic turmoil". The majority of these immigrants, "many of whom were dirt-poor and uneducated", fled to New York and Massachusetts.

Cole continues by saying: "The objects of prejudice are of course no longer Irish Catholics and Germans; 140 years later, "they" have become "us". The new "they" - because it seems "we" must always have a "they" - are Latin Americans (most recently Cubans), Haitians, and Arab Americans among others". So as time passes on, people from different areas want to relocate and choose a better life. Fundamentally, Cole's purpose is to look at the "five current myths that distort public debate and government policy relating to immigrants". My initial reactions to this essay were that of opposition and disagreement.

I thought Cole would condescend to the immigrant population about the laws of citizenship and freedoms. However, the message in which he is communicating to the reader is one of clearly understanding the facts of immigration. He absolutely sets immigration in perspective for the reader. His style of writing is persuasive and diplomatic. For example, his response to the first myth, "America is being overrun with immigrants", is: "In one sense, of course, this is true, but in that sense it has been true since Christopher Columbus arrived.

Except for the real Native Americans, we are a nation of immigrants". David Cole's statements which are based on his opinions are extremely plausible because for each myth he addresses, he supports it either with a statistic, a quote or even excerpts from files of the Supreme Court. In the second myth, "Immigrants take jobs from U.S. citizens", he says "there is virtually no evidence to support this view, probably the most widespread misunderstanding about immigrants. As documented by a 1994 A.C.L.U. Immigrants' Rights Project report, numerous studies have found that immigrants actually create more jobs that they fill". In addition, he used a rhetorical question to manipulate the reader; "But more important, even if this claim were true, is this legitimate rationale for limiting immigration in a society built on the values of pluralism and tolerance?" As you can see, Cole writes honestly and rationally.

Unlike the other essays we have read, his comments are neither cynical nor sarcastic. Cole's use of vocabulary and language enhances the persuasiveness of his arguments. His coherent comments are written in a thoughtful, comprehendible manner gaining the respect from the reader. In addition, he shows compassion in the essay: "I am especially sensitive to this history: My forebears were among those dirt-poor Irish Catholics who arrived in the 1860's.

Fortunately for them, and me, the Know-Nothing movement fizzled within fifteen years". In his conclusion, he closes with a testimony; "Growing up, I was always taught that we will be judged by how we treat others". Unquestionably, I believe that David Cole has succeeded in arguing his points across in his essay. His methods of attacking these five myths had significant influence on me because his examples were effective and credible. I concur with all his contradictions about the five myths of immigrations and this is due to his logical writing and pertinent examples.