"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses....."

I love my friends from The States and realise that, despite outward appearances, they have a very differet cultural background to me and every other European. I understand that they love their country and are proud of their nation.  

What I don't understand is why they assume that everyone who comes to their country is doing so because it's so much better than every other alternative.  There seems to be a belief/paranoia that everone crossing their borders (even some tourists), especially those that marry a US citizen, are doing so only to get a green card or other way to live there.  It's an arrogance that does not endear, many/most people around the world love their country of origin, even those poorer countries often have much to offer and hold sentimental attachment.  

Moving to another country is a big deal, emotionally it costs more than many realise and it's something that lasts for the rest one one's life, it's not just about the move, or even what one is moving to, it's also about what one leaves behind, about family and friends that one is "abandonning", about leaving behind familiar, comfortable things and often, it's a big risk, leaving a stable situation to entre the unknown and the insecure.  

Moving to another country is difficut and requires a lot of thought and careful planning.  So rather than treating prospective new countrymen with suspicion and coldness, take a step back and ask yourself what they might realy want: Sure, maybe they are looking for a new start in a new country (and that's not necessarily a bad thing) but maybe they are just looking to be with the one they love, the country they choose to live in might be in doubt and even then, it's not just one person's decision. Maybe they are looking for a better education, one that is not available to them back home, but in coming to your country they are bringing a level of wealth, paying into your education system and contributing to your country's economy.  Maybe they are bringing skills and other attributes that enrich your society, the National Health Service in the UK would not work without the immigrants that work there.  

The point is, it's not a Dick Whittington storyline, the rest of the world does not think that your streets are paved with gold and to many of us, your culture is an aquired taste.  A little humility goes a long way, which the vast majorty of my American friends understand, but, as is often the case, those that shout loudest, even when in a small minority, tar the rest of you with their unsavoury brush.  So please, those that do have this attitude, reassess your beliefs and your priorities, and the majority that don't think this way, take a moment to reach out to someone new in your country, make them feel welcome and offer them your friendship.  I speak from personal experience, you can make all the difference in a person's life with little more than a smile and a kind word.