Your Turn

Michael Bernstein
Guest Column
Today’s immigrants must find way
to assimilate into Freehold Borough

Let’s face it. Our founding fathers were, in fact, illegal immigrants in their own way. They came here in search of a better life and the pursuit of happiness.

Their collective efforts created the greatest country in the world, and, of course, the most powerful. That success draws countless immigrants on a daily basis who possess the desire for that same happiness.

Your newspaper, of late, has chronicled the suffering of the Mexican population that has come here to Freehold Borough. It is indeed sad that people are living in discarded cement mixers and tent cities surrounding our town.

However, truth be told, they came here without an invitation or the necessary means to survive and thrive in our town.

Both their treatment and reputation are self-created as a direct result of their actions. Every resident of Freehold Borough is a direct descendant of an immigrant. I myself write this being third generation of a family that emigrated from Odessa, Russia.

My great-grandfather was a carpenter by trade and came here first.

The very first rule that my grandfather instituted in his new home here was that the native language of Russian was not to be spoken.

You are Americans, he would say, and you will learn English. He didn’t expect the new world around him to speak his language for him. He didn’t expect when he had children in school to have paperwork sent home in his language.

He also would never take a job away from anyone, like is happening now. Of course, that was a hundred years ago and times have changed. It was without question much easier at that time to accomplish citizenship.

Our town has become known as "Little Mexico." We have to now support a new culture here, and the costs of the people involved. It’s actually uncomfortable to drive down Throckmorton Street any morning.

Our children, who share their school with non-English speaking children, suffer because they have to wait for these students to "catch up."

One of the worst aspects of this is the fact that our small town charm has been lost forever. You have to admit that a very nervous feeling arises while walking to town just after the workday ends. What is the value of the homes on either side of a house that a landlord allows 30 people to live in?

In no uncertain terms am I saying that we should toss these people out of our town. A life is not a disposable entity. I am saying that there has to be a better way to weave them into the fabric that makes our town.

Michael Bernstein is a resident of Freehold Borough.