February 09, 2011

By "An American"

Patrick Cleburne's blog Amy Chua's Fujianese: Deplorable People really hits the nail on the head.

The reason we should fear mass immigration of even people like the Chinese, who often possess high intelligence and high levels of education, is because of their values. Some Chinese are morally superior—good people who try to do the right thing and will go out of their way to help people—one of them is my wife. I was also impressed by a former member of a Red Chinese national sports team I know: when her son suggested that no one would know if she broke the fishing regulations, she replied, "But I'll know!"

Unfortunately, however, most Asians I know, like most Hispanics, are not governed by moral principles, but rather by what they can get away with. For too many Chinese, money is what matters most. Think Chinese put family first? Not necessarily: a Chinese man told me that he gave a female relative a piece of gold jewelry. Immediately the woman's brother tried to take it from her. The two of them, both elderly, ended up rolling around on the floor in a struggle to possess the gold.

Just as virtually every Hispanic country is a mess of corruption, we can expect no better when Chinese immigrants hit critical mass. Just scan the news items about toxic substances put in Chinese food. As my Chinese wife says: "They don't care what happens to you as long as they make money!"

Some time ago, I was pleased to hear about a Chinese woman who was admitted to West Point. I thought this meant she was an American patriot, proud to serve her country. But I was wrong. As soon as the Iraq War started, her family negotiated her release from her commitment to serve in exchange for repaying her tuition.

Going to West Point was merely a credential on her career ladder—not to mention a chance to save money on tuition.

Too many Chinese here remain loyal to China. When Clinton was president I read that there were over 2,000 Chinese firms in our country dedicated to obtaining American technology for China; under Bush, it was over 3,000. That doesn't count all the Chinese students and workers who are only too happy to help their motherland—and make money, of course.

I know of two Chinese families who fly the American flag and my own wife insisted I hang an American flag after 9/11—but that is rare. More common is a Chinese immigrant who badmouthed America and praised China.

This same man's family got health insurance from the state for only $15 by declaring no income—in spite of owning an expensive house and owning buildings in Hong Kong.

Statistics show that Chinese overwhelmingly  vote for leftist Democrat candidates. But, while they vote for expensive social benefits, they seek to avoid paying for them. Chinese have told me I was stupid to pay taxes and they would never be so foolish.

Some Americans may think that only Mainland Chinese are anti-American. Surely those in Taiwan are our friends and allies? Not necessarily. On a recent trip to Taiwan, my wife heard people—some of whom held American green cards—gleefully celebrating the decline of America and the rise of China. For them, racial solidarity, and going with the side with money, trumped values like freedom.

For many Chinese, China's growing wealth and power is what matters—not freedom and human rights. They aren't concerned about China's torture and imprisonment of dissidents, Christians, and practitioners of Falun Gong. Executing political prisoners—the family has to pay for the bullet—and selling their body parts doesn't shock them.

This should not be too surprising, because I have heard first-hand accounts of how people were executed in China by being buried alive. Did Chinese react in horror? On the contrary, the whole town was excited and acted like it was good entertainment. Chinese are not noted for compassion for others—for many, as long as it doesn't happen to them, they don't care.

When I was a boy I witnessed a car overturning. Instantly my father and mother ran to help the victims escape. Car after car of Americans also stopped and rushed to help.

In contrast, someone I know witnessed an accident in China. No one stopped. All left the scene as quickly as possible.

You see, often victims in China repay Good Samaritans by lying to police that the Samaritan was the cause of the accident. Worse, I heard that if you are hit by a truck, the driver may well back up and finish you off. Dead men tell no tales.

There is a lot of valid talk about importing poverty and crime—but not about the immorality of the best and brightest of immigrants. The Left claims that those wanting to restrict immigration are ignorant xenophobes. But, on the contrary, when I knew little about the subject I was an immigration enthusiast. It was only after I learned so much about the people we are allowing into our country that I became concerned.

Let me repeat: It is not that there are no good Chinese immigrants. My wife is a solid patriotic conservative and a definite asset to our country. The Red Chinese athlete I mentioned earlier is another. This woman has complained about immigrants coming here and taking advantage of government handouts they never worked for. She also signed the initiative to prevent illegal aliens from getting drivers licenses—and did so at a gun show! And among the group of Taiwanese I heard badmouthing America, there was one man who did not. This man had worked in China, despised it, and would never go back because of all the lying, cheating, and corruption.

This man, and the others I mentioned, are worthy of admission to our country. But until there is a way to screen out the bad majority, the only hope is to drastically reduce the overall number of immigrants.

"An American"[Email him] lived in Taiwan for six months.