This week, we have a quick piece by guest author Ted Rhodes…..

10 Tips for Immigrants Coming To America

By Ted Rhodes

Here are ten reasonable instructions for immigrants who aspire to come to America.  This message is for travelers from overseas, asylum seekers, people residing in this country on work or student visas, and green card holders. All of this is obviously apparent.  These rules are self evident, and should not even need to be expressed. But it has become blatantly apparent that this must be said.  So if you want to immigrate to America, follow these simple rules:

1. Do not sneak into this country across our borders.  Come to our country through a legal port of entry, or apply for asylum at the American consulate in your home country.
2. Do not seek asylum under false pretenses.  By decree of the United Nations, you seek asylum to flee a genuine threat to your life, not to flee from poverty.  Don’t let your first act as an American immigrant be a lie.
3. Learn to speak English.  We don’t expect you to be fluent at the college level, but you should be able to get around reasonably well, read a ballot, and read a news article about the candidates up for election.
4. If you want to immigrate into this country, and you want to be an American, then be an American.  You owe your allegiance to America now.  Bring us those treasured gifts of your culture, but leave the country you left behind.
5. Once we have invited you here on a work or student visa, or on a green card, understand that you are here on a provisional basis. Behave yourself, obey our laws, and show us that you will be a good citizen who will contribute to the betterment of our country.
6. Do not come here to start trouble with disruptive protests.  This is not the time.  Your task right now is show us that you belong here to join us as Americans. Once you become a naturalized citizen, we welcome you to peacefully exercise your First Amendment rights.
7. Leave your tribalisms and your racial and sectarian bigotry behind.  Do not bring your wars onto our shores.
8. You left your home country for a reason. Leave the ugly traits of the country you fled.  Do not come here to change our laws to fit your religion, to sex traffic  children, to subjugate our women, to murder homosexuals, nor to traffic drugs to our children and our citizens.
9. If we catch you rioting in our streets, we will deport you.  ICE authorities will facilitate your removal, but it’s We The People who deport you.  You are not welcome here in our homeland.
10. Fly the flag of your home country with pride. But fly the American flag above the flag of your home country. You are Americans now.  Do this of your own free will and from your heart, not as a simple formality in order to game citizenship.