TWO EDITORIALS EXPRESSING OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS

Perspective Number One

Honoring our commitment to newcomers

The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we’ve never had cause to regret that. It’s part of what makes us different from so many more narrow, authoritarian societies, and it’s what makes us strong. So we have a special obligation to welcome newcomers. U. S. immigration policy must reflect our ideals, our humanitarian concern and our commitment to the plight of refugees worldwide. Besides, the United States benefits from immigration. Hard-working immigrants start businesses, create jobs, and help the economy grow. Culturally, immigrants enrich America with their arts, traditions, and languages. The U.S. has always gained more by immigration than we’ve lost and there’s no reason to think that will change.

Perspective Number Two

Cutting back to preserve our security and culture

We need to control immigration to secure our borders and protect our unity. Sept. 11 showed how our immigration policies have failed to keep criminals and terrorists out of the country. Millions of people have evaded our immigration laws and the government has no idea whether any of them pose a threat to us. In addition, the recent wave of immigration has brought increasing pressure to accommodate immigrants by accepting bilingualism. We should honor diversity, but not at the cost of breaking the bonds of cohesion — common ideals, a common language, and common political institutions — that hold the nation together.