Discussion

• June 19, 2007

  1:08 PM

  scott writes:

  Is there a time frame for assimilation? When my ancestors came to Iowa from Europe they did not fit in well and had difficulty with English. Most were blue collar wokers with little or no money. Yes I tend to get emotional on this subject but that does not mean that I cannot be objective. Crime is cirme whether it is committed by companies that rape their employees (Enron, Qwest) or by illegal immigrants that commit social security fraud or identity theft. Crimes being perpetrated on the American citizen by corporate executives in this country have a much farther reaching implications than what most illegals could ever accomplish. It would be foolish to blame all of our ills on illegals because we want them to assimilate on our time schedule. The irony of this issue is that former American jobs are now in Mexico being done by much cheaper labor. How long can the working class in this country survive if they are no good paying jobs? Our economy is going to crash if the regular "Joe" does not buy the goods and services that keep America going. We are being sold down the river for Corporate Interests that go straight to the heads of our government. I am just as frustrated as everyone else, I pay taxes, I have a child in school and I see the limited reasources that are available. We have to start electing people in government that do not bow to the Corporate Gods in this country. Made in America by Americans used to mean something our trade deficit is throught the roof. We need to take back this country with stronger leadership than that which is in place.

• June 18, 2007

  7:28 PM

  Anonymous writes:

  Scott Bolt..
  You are emotionally involved..so you can't be objective..We we involved in helping illegals from another country years ago...we tried..to get them to assimulate in America...they did'nt love America enough..Been there done that! We were bleeding hearts..now we look back and think....what were we thinking.?
  So, I know how you feel.. but this isn't personal...towards the illegal...its as a whole .what mentality and culture they bring..
  mostly their motives...
  There's population explosion and chaos and
  identity theft , social security theft,,and known and unknown fraud and they're here to better their life? At who's expense.? Yes we want for our families as well but we don't hurt our fellow American to get it! That's True American!

• June 16, 2007

  11:10 PM

  scott writes:

  To M.E. Sprengelmeyer,
  To say I was suprised today to find almost three full pages of a story about Marshalltown, Iowa in the Rocky Mountain News Saturday Edition would be an understatement. I was born and raised in Marshalltown and have now lived about one half my life in Denver and in Marshalltown. (37) I moved to Denver when I was twenty just a few years before the influx of immigrants came to Marshalltown. Marshalltown was already starting to suffer through a depression of sorts. Fisher Controls was buying people out for retirement, Lennox was moving part of its plant to Texas or even father down south. Marshalltown Trowel Company was hiring and so was Swifts Packing Plant. The Vietnamese immmigrants had already begun to work in the fields detassling corn and some of these jobs were filled by Mexican Immigrants as well. It was not until I visited there a few years back t hat I started to see the changes. There were no Mexican Restaurants when I lived there, now there are a plathera of different ethnic eating establishments. I was very rarely exposed to any other cultures other than my own.
  The city itself was in the red due to bad investments or embezzlment even before this surge of immigrants. Every other street light was shut off to conserve and the street lights that were downtown were torn down and replaced with stop signs. I believe that Marshalltown was leading the nation in alcohol consumption per capita and meth was a problem as well. Drug use and crime were on the rise but it was mostly due to the econcomic situation. Unfortutantely you can find statistics to support any thoery and the theory that immigrants raise crime levels and drug abuse are a card that is extremely overplayed in today's society.
  You will never find communities more proud of who they are than in Iowa. This is the difficult part when change comes to a community that is not looking for it. Good jobs were difficult to find and even jobs that would have been looked down upon in the past were now starting to become more attractive to the local residents. I am sure you saw first hand how people react to outsiders taking jobs that people who have lived their all their lives could do. The irony of this situation is that I was not exposed to multi cultural situations until I moved to Denver. I have been married for five years to a hispanic woman and although she cannot speak Spanish fluently her mother can and she is only two generations removed from her family relocating here in the United States. It has been difficult at times to understand traditions passed on from generations and the religous fervor to which it continues. My up bringing is completley different from that of my wifes. So I can only imagine the turmoil that it can have on an entire community
  This is why I am responding to your article. It was mentioned that Marshalltown has been going through a change for ten years and that they were just now starting to show signs of assimilation and progress. I hope this is true because I am proud of where I came from and want to see it regain some of its pride that it seems to have lost. And if it can do it while going throught the growing pains of diversity, it would be an even greater accomplishment. I have been to Mexico many times and have seen the poverty of its citizens. Although I want illegal immigration to be stopped, it is very difficult for me to be angry with them knowing the conditions that they have endured. Our government needs to see this as a humane issue and not a legal or illegal issue. The corporations in this country are taking advantage of these people to pad their bottom li nes. Anyone who works at Swifts knows about the hiring of illegals and the benefit of lower wages that it entails. The problem is that the middle and lower classes are now starting to have to fight for the same jobs as the legal or illegal immigrants. Too many people and not enough jobs and little or no formal education. I, myself have fallen into this category and have driven trucks for 15 years for various companies in Denver. It was not until recently when I became unemployed did I even consider going to college. I just finished my first year at Metro State and am trying to develope a better future but it is not a guarantee.
  People need to understand that legal or illegal immigrants are not the enemy. They are caught in the same web as most citizens. This country has been known for its hard work in the past and that goes the same for small towns in Iowa. Most immigrants are hard working people that just want a better life for their family. I believe this is what most American's want for their families as well.
  Scott R. Bolt ( former Marshalltonian)
  
  
  
  Keep up the good work I am tired of hearing what Paris Hilton does,this issue is what effects most Americans.

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• June 16, 2007

  1:11 PM

  they can kick rocks! writes:

  Looks like a lovely town. Too bad it no longer belongs to the original american citizens that built that town for them and their families and grandchildren. R.I.P.

• June 15, 2007

  6:52 AM

  Judy DeHaas writes:

  How the heck could I have missed all of those little piggies in a row!!! Cool photos, ME! Judy