Nevada Appeal letters to the editor for Jan. 30, 2019

Dennis Cassinelli’s history of immigration

I have a number of problems with Mr. Cassinelli’s article of Jan. 16, 2019.

The Vikings did not come to North America for the grapes. They, like the British that followed them, came to the New England, Cape Cod area, for the fisheries that existed there. The dried and salted cod were easy to transport back to the awaiting European markets.

Columbus’ voyage of 1492 led to the “discovery of the New World.” The “discovery” of North, Central and South America was done by Hispanic adventurers/explorers that followed.

The black men from Africa did not seek passage to the Caribbean. They were “imported” to work the plantations and mines of the Hispanic land owners. They were to replace the local labor force, which was decimated by the germs brought to the area by the Hispanics. This “importation” was accomplished through the assistance on native Africans.

Many of the original 13 colonies in North America started as religious settlements in the 1600s. Despite these religious differences and differences in economies, geography, etc., they united to fight the British and establish the United States of America.

For about the next 200 years, this country saw a lawful immigration of individuals seeking to become citizens. They came looking to enjoy the fruits of their labor, not government assistance through the use of taxpayers’ money. Many, in the late 1930s and early ’40s, seeking refuge from war-torn Europe had to seek temporary relief in Canada and Cuba due to immigration quotas, etc.

The “Bracero Program” of the 1940s was made by FDR to the Mexican government as an enticement for them to declare war against Germany and to assist U.S. growers in their quest to find replacement for all the workers that had enlisted in the military.

While previously those seeking immigration have done so legally our current problem is two fold. Many have entered legally but have overstayed their allowed visitation, others have come illegally as they have not entered through legal points of entry.

Immigration to this country has not been consistent. The vast majority coming seeking citizenship came as assets, working to produce the goods and services that have made America great.

Those that have overstayed or entered illegally are liabilities, seeking government aid and the generosity of the American taxpayer.

Sanford Deyo

Minden

NDOT should install dirt bank around lake now

There is a good chance that Washoe Lake will flood I-580 in Washoe Valley when the snow melts this spring. If that happens, it will take a long time to recede.

NDOT should put up a dirt bank to contain the water.

This should be done on an expedited basis before the spring thaw.

Walt Ratchford

Carson City

Vote necessary for workers, solution to border security

The federal worker hostage crisis perpetrated by Trump combines a long-standing animus toward workers’ rights with the rise in xenophobia to undermine our democracy. The impact reaches beyond workers and immigrants to affect everyone from the farmers of middle America, to children and seniors dependent on federal programs, to businesses dependent on stability and economic growth.

Trump’s grotesque egotism has locked him into the untenable position of demanding that Congress approve billions for his wall, despite majority opposition in the country and steadfast opposition in the House of Representatives.

For two years, despite political majorities in both houses, Republicans refused to fund Trump’s wall. Now, McConnell played chicken with the new Democratic majority in the House rather than supporting the bill that he previously passed to cover for the failing Donald Trump.

Laura Hale

Carson City

A wall will reduce illegal immigration

We’ve allowed the media to define events. Remember “the Lewinsky scandal?” It wasn’t the Lewinsky scandal; it was the Bill Clinton scandal. He was the president and she was an intern. But the media wrapped the cloak of the scandal around her and probably close to 100 percent of the people believe she was the cause of the scandal and not the sitting president.

Fast forward to today. The media has us talking about a wall at the border. Great. But the real issue is: Do we want open borders? Do we want to protect our borders from invasion of people we know nothing about? Do we want to allow smugglers to bring into the United States anything they want unfettered by federal government border experts such as the Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection and ICE?

In legal immigration, people are vetted and come with medical certificates from their home country. They have skills needed by our industries. Illegal immigrants come with diseases long eradicated in the U.S. Illegal immigrants come here some to get jobs, others like MS-13 gang members, to prey on American citizens.

I’m against open borders and, yes, a wall will help to reduce illegal immigration.

Ron Landmann

Carson City