Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 14:17:17 -0400
From: “John R Dykers”
Subject: alien
Gina Dye’s well written post makes an important point about ‘alien’ being a category on a government form. That certainly enhances the validity of the former usage and makes me ask how long ago was the form written?
“here illegally” is certainly accurate, and Gina is correct that the phrase only recognizes a reality without making the same judgements that she expresses.
Tough problem. Legal immigration is surely preferable for all.
Maybe we could think in terms that the reality is that there are millions of ‘illegals’ already here and we should establish a track for them to immigrate legally, just not have to travel so far to do it. “Immigrate” from an illegal status to a legal citizenship. Immigration is not easy no matter how one does it.
My great, great, great, great grandfather ‘migrated’ from Holland to the St.. Maarten in the Carribean. Then in the early 1800’s my great, great grandfather immigrated to Louisiana. Don’t know what the requirements were then for him to do so ‘legally’! War of 1812 was not too distant. My great grandfather was born here and that made him a ‘legal’ citizen. Great, great,Anglecized our last name from the Dutch spelling, as did another Dutchman who settled on the Uwharie River and named Dykers Creek just west of Lexington.
John Dykers