Jackson Heights Life

Even if they had papers, the doors were wide open then. Today's immigrants, especially adults from Central America, have a much, much harder time obtaining citizenship than did people a century ago.

Wide open except for Chinese immigrants. (Immigration Act of 1882). And then, just like now, racism fueled that exclusion.

We need to care for our own that are in poverty before we add to those numbers. 

We are the most generous country when it come to accepting a high number of legal immigrants into our country and the most compassionate when it comes to giving aid.  If your own house is not in order, don't invite company.

We need to care for our own that are in poverty before we add to those numbers.

That's right, racism. Funny how when white people migrate here, they contributed to the growth of this country to become a world power. But when the Chinese were doing it, they were making it difficult to provide for those in poverty.

election results over the past few years have shown us that only a tiny fraction of this community adheres to the Trumpian worldview. posts on this site have shown that they're largely much older and, in some cases, pondering leaving. things are looking brighter, locally, at least.

There is no logic to follow. You are simply wrong. 

I grew up in the 50s. I was poor. I lived a block from the stock yards. I remember bums laying drunk in the streets. The high tax rates were in support of the US economy and jobs, to reconstruct from wartime to peacetime. My family home was taken by eminent domain to build a highway. Any benefits to poor people were gained indirectly.

America WAS great because we were proud to be Americans. We conceived, implemented, fought for and won the American way: freedom, independence, opportunity. It's not a joke. Americans asked for and expected nothing. It's obvious that this spoiled generation, that thinks poverty is not being able to afford an iphone, will not learn from history or appreciate what previous generations gave us.

I'm a part of "this spoiled generation" you speak of and think your comments are very disrespectful. Just as there were spoiled and entitled people while you were growing up (even if you weren't one of them), there are today. That doesn't mean an entire generation is useless simply because we grew up with more advanced technology and different ways of communicating (Internet, social media, etc.).

I grew up broke in the 90s and was poor as a young, independent adult. I put myself through college working full-time and worked my way up from restaurant jobs to the office job and decent salary (and three side jobs) I have now. Many of my friends who also went to CUNY schools and worked their way through college and early adulthood would really resent you saying that "this generation" thinks poverty is not having an iPhone... we paid our dues just like you did when "America was great" apparently. I'm sure you're a real hit with young people.