Are The Unemployed Lazy?

It always gets my dander up when I hear people generalize about an ethnic group. They'll drive by Home Depot where a group of Hispanic men stand, waiting for work. Some make comments that show their ignorance. Like most immigrants, these men are trying to do whatever they can to make a living. I remember hearing the stories about my family's immigration from Germany and Russia to America almost 100 years ago. Many young boys came alone at ages as young as 13, on a boat, to America. Most of them had a relative here who took them in and helped get them started. Most of these families made a better life for themselves, and one by one would bring the rest of the family to the new country. Many of these families became highly successful, and within 2 generations, the children were going to college, becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers and entreprenneurs. It's a little different today because we have so many immigrants flooding our borders, but their goal is the same. They want to make a better life for themselves and their children.

Only through a few personal stories can I tell you how hard working I have found most immigrants to be. Regardless of where they are from, they are some of the hardest working people I've ever known, and in many cases will take on jobs that no other Americans want to do. I want to tell you about three immigrant families.

Sue was my manicurist for many years when I lived in LA. She came here from Vietnam in the 1970's after the war. She got her cosmetology license, became a citizen, and opened a nail shop. She lived with her husband, 2 sons, and her parents, in a small apartment near downtown Los Angeles. She worked 7 days a week giving manicures. (she's in her 60's now and still works 12 hours everyday). She worked hard, saved her money, and sent both sons to Pomona College. They now work in the IT field, earning good salaries, and helping their parents who have made the good life possible for them. Years of hard work paid off for this family, for they now live a solid middle class life.

Jesus was our gardener for over 30 years. He came here from Mexico as a young boy (he is now over 80), learned the language (key to success) and started getting gardening customers. Jesus was about 5 feet tall, but I never met anyone who could work like him. 12 hours a day of hard labor. Over the years he invested in property in Los Angeles. Today he is finacially comfortable thanks to Jesus' entreprennurial nature. He hired crews of men to help with his gardening jobs, and eventually Jesus had a huge number of clients. I no longer see Jesus, as he is old and can't walk very well, but his sons have carried on the gardening tradition and have dozens of customers. A wonderful man with a wonderful family who worked hard to achieve the American Dream.

Julia was a young woman of 18 when she came to Los Angeles, speaking no English and being smuggled in by a Coyote. She worked for me for 10 years, and for the next 20 years worked for my parents. She is a wonderful woman who epitomizes the American Dream. She left El Salvador for a better life, and has she ever found what she was looking for. She learned English, became a citizen, married a wonderful man and had three sons, all of who are pulling their own weight. She has a sister who she is close to who also has three children, all high achievers, all with good jobs. The icing on the cake took place 2 years ago when she and her husband bought their first home. It's a beautiful home, and completes the American Dream for Julia and her family.

To call immigrants lazy is just ignorant. Lazy people come in all colors, genders, sizes and shapes. Most immigrants come here for a better life, most are very hard working, and many are performing jobs other Americans will not take. Sure, there are some freeloaders. There always are. But by and large the immigrants today are coming for the same reasons as my great grandparents came. Opportunity. Most of them, if given the opportunity, do not disappoint.