Ohio’s future depends on immigrants

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Look around Ohio. Among us, I cannot imagine that immigrants are more dangerous than living among the non-immigrants who are already here.

Consider one issue: the drug epidemic fully decimating the state of Ohio. Of the population of people who already live in Ohio, tens of thousands are suffering from overdoses and dying.

This creates an economic disadvantage as less skill is now available in the state’s labor force and there is not a workforce of ready people here to replace them to assure Ohio’s future economic stability.

When the baby boomer generation is gone coupled with the loss of tens of thousands of non-immigrants from drug addiction and overdoses and the migration of the youth to cities, 70 percent of the workforce will be gone. I don’t see people lining up along the highway to settle their family down in Ohio, in the middle of the largest cesspool of drug addiction in the whole country. If immigrants want to show up here and be a part of this: why by all means, let us help them to get their paperwork straightened out. Come on in. We need you more than ever.

Of the immigrants not yet here, we welcome the thousands of them who are more capable of living clean, sober lives than the thousands of people living among us who have lost all faith and hope and turn to drugs.

Of the immigrants not yet here, we welcome the thousands of them who are honest, compassionate people with spiritual faith and cultural values stronger than the thousands of people living among us, who have lost all faith and hope and turn to drugs.

Of the immigrants not yet here, we welcome the thousands of them who are able to raise healthy families and be the new face of life among us.

Of the immigrants not yet here, we welcome the thousands of their children who are going to populate our earth with the resiliency and kindness necessary to bring people together.

The immigrants not yet here are the biggest hope that we have for a vibrant future, thriving culture, viable economy and meaningful public safety.

When you see them, you will know. The immigrants aren’t the ones giving up their families and children to welfare, crippling our economic future, falling over dead on the street and being buried by the tens of thousands from the disease of addiction.

Ohio’s future will depend on immigrants. I am so proud that the city I call home, Cincinnati, decided to remain a sanctuary city in light of the extreme right’s governmental regime who signed unconstitutional executive orders to ban people based on their skin color and religion. I love Cincinnati and the people who choose to work, to actually put effort, into pursuing a viable future in which the power of immigration strengthens all people.

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By Ashley Bunton

Staff Columnist

Reach Ashley at (740) 313-0355 or on Twitter @ashbunton

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