GUEST EDITORIAL - By Sen. Phil Williams
Dec. 5, 2011

I choose optimism

For the past several months I have watched the liberal spin machine move into high gear as I have been urged to succumb to the darkness of pessimistic fatalism. I've heard repeatedly how the dark days of legalized racism have been revived, that Americans won't stoop so low as to do hard work anymore, that Republicans are mean-spirited, and that doom and gloom will descend upon this great state of ours—all because we simply want to see federal immigration law enforced.

I've watched as Alabama Democrats called for a repeal of the new immigration law, and Washington Democrats have swooped in for insulting opportunities to bash the good citizens of this state. I reject those notions and remain optimistic about Alabama's people and their future.

Republicans are the party of “legal immigration.” Our nation is built on “legal immigration,” and the system still works. My sister-in-law is a naturalized citizen and a wonderful, much-loved member of our family. My good friend, Hamid, whom I met in Afghanistan, came here as a refugee with $10 in his pocket. He is now a U.S. citizen finishing his college degree. Both are evidence to me that the American dream is alive and well. While they honor their own rich heritage, they have also chosen to embrace American culture and contribute to their communities—not to remain set apart. And they achieved the goal of citizenship lawfully.

Those who decry this law are choosing instead to force people to continue living in the shadows. By asking Alabamians to turn a blind eye toward the vast numbers of illegal aliens residing in our state, liberal interests are essentially saying they support a system that creates a subculture of residents confined to a lifestyle of constantly looking over their shoulders. Statistics show that nearly one-third of the estimated 11 million U.S. residents who live below the poverty line are believed to be here illegally. By building a magnet that draws illegal immigrants to our state, the liberals are promoting poverty and fear as a way of life.
Another clear fact that is often left out of the wearisome and pessimistic side of the debate is the drain on public resources by illegal residents who intentionally avoid supporting the very systems they take advantage of.

I spoke to one school superintendent who instead of hiring new teachers he needed had to hire six full-time interpreters because 20 percent of his students came from families of illegal aliens. I met with law enforcement representatives and toured crime-ridden neighborhoods where two known organized foreign drug cartels and human traffickers were operating. The CEO of a hospital informed me that nearly half of all births each month in his facility come from illegals, for which the hospital was not allowed even the full Medicaid reimbursement. It is the legal residents of our communities who have been paying for all of the above.

But I choose to remain optimistic. I have a great belief in the resolve of Alabamians. Don't tell me for a minute that we won't do hard work or make hard decisions. That is not the Alabama I know. I see the state that has more natural resources, natural beauty, and naturally hard-working, God-fearing citizens than we can count. Alabama has a world-class industrial base, research facilities, medical care, port facilities, military presence, and so much more.

I also see a state that welcomes new citizens and only asks that they abide by the laws of the land, including those state and federal laws that already govern entry. Alabamians applaud neighbors who succeed in life and have no desire to see an increase in crime and poverty so often associated with large illegal populations. Alabama is the best place in the world to raise children and make a living, and I for one will not give away my positive outlook for the fear and gloom being preached from the left.

Phil Williams represents Etowah County and part of Cherokee County in the Alabama Senate. You may reach Sen. Williams by phone at 334-242-7857 or by e-mail at philw.williams@alsenate.gov.