Contrary to popular belief, there is an American culture. It may not be steeped in centuries of tradition and custom, but it does exist. American culture was born the minute the first human being set foot on American soil and allowed the second to do the same. This nation was founded on the belief that newcomers could only add to the greatness of this society. Immigration enhances life in the U.S. because it provides a constant source of change to our culture. This sense of dynamics is what makes America succeed while other, more "cultured," societies remain stagnant. This turbulent sea of immigrants past and present is not without problems though. There are those who fear that the immigrants are taking our jobs, living off the system, or creating racial tension by not assimilating into "our" society. This is a misguided fear, however, to blame "them" when we should focus on "us."

As a rule, immigrants are not displacing natives from their jobs. In a capitalist society, jobs are filled by persons willing to do the work for a wage. There will always be competition for jobs and the qualified person willing to work for less will prevail. But don't blame the immigrant for being able to live on a meager subsistence.

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