It's always puzzling to me--myself an immigrant--that in this country of immigrants there are such regular outcries against the "evils" that immigrants bring with them.... It's always puzzling to me--myself an immigrant--that in this country of immigrants there are such regular outcries against the "evils" that immigrants bring with them. Often these outcries come from persons whose own grandparents were immigrants. It always makes me think of a fellow I used to work with, one of whose ancestors had landed from the Mayflower, and another of whose ancestors had met the boat.... The Jews, the Poles, the Irish, The Italians, and dozens of other groups have been denigrated by those who arrived in some cases not all that long before them, and have all contributed mightily to our culture and our economy. Now it's Latinos, Indians, Africans, and sometimes Asians who are decried as a menace...but are they really?

Richard T. Herman thinks not. As he says, in a new article in these pages:

Ask people on the street what they think of when they hear the word "immigrant"--particularly with 10% unemployment in the country--and you will hear statements like: "They take our jobs," "They bring crime," "They steal our health care," "They don't learn English."

Americans hear the word "immigrant" and imagine the worst. They think of illegal immigrants, competition for jobs and the stamping out of American culture.

They don't think of the tendency of immigrants--especially today's immigrants--to create jobs, to revitalize communities, and to adopt and strengthen American culture, because no one is reminding them of this.

Herman goes on to recount the great benefits that both historical and present immigrants have brought and will continue to bring to our country and our culture.

To hear it in his own words, read The Immigrant Advantage