“ 我没想过你是移民 ”

同事素芝是个消息灵通人士 , 不时有群发电子邮件向大家转发 . 有的好玩 , 有的好笑 , 还有的挺有用 . 这一天来到单位上班 , 打开邮箱 , 见到素芝的一封转发 “  传单 ”. 双点击打开信件 , 读过之后 , 感觉不爽 . 当即按了回复键 , 也象她那样群发 (reply to all), 于是 , 就开始两个人一来一往的电子交流 .

素芝的转发传单是号召读信人起来向各级民意代表反映意见 . 传单极具煽动性 . 说什么移民凡满 65 岁都可以向政府申请拿 SSI 和 Medicaid ( 是社会保险金和医疗救助金 ?), 高达每月两千四百七十美金 . 比写信人的母亲能拿的要多得多 . 他母亲从 1944 年干活干到 2004 年 , 目前每月只拿 791 美元 , 等等 , 是多么的不公平不合理 , 云云 . 写者大有把什么破事儿的罪名都要转嫁到移民头上去的架势 . 我回信问 , 真有这好事 ? 移民满 65 岁都可以向政府 申请救济金 ? 我是移民我怎么不知道 ?

素芝的回件立马就来了 , 道歉说 , “ 我没想过你是移民  !” 不过 , 她告诉我 , 因为我写给她的邮件 , 使她停下来想了想 . 然后再三道歉 . 我回素芝话 , 让她甭道歉 , 我还乐意有机会让她看到冤枉给移民扣的帽子可以摘除呢 .

移民是新来后到者 , 自然的弱势群体 . 社会上一有风吹草动 , 移民总是首当其冲受攻击 . 其实 , 这个国家除了北美印地安人以外 , 所有的人都是移民或者移民的子孙 , 反移民人士怎么不想想自己的祖辈当年的困境 , 对今日的移民有一点点同情之心呢 ? 话说回来 , 若是世上的人们都有了同情心 , 天下的争端又会少了多少 !

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Suzy wrote:

Subject: Fw: Fw: Fw: SS & SSI

If the immigrant is over 65 they can apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than my mom gets for Social Security, and she worked from 1944 till 2004, only getting $791 per month because she was born before 1924 and there is a "catch 22".

It is interesting that the federal government provides a single refugee with a monthly allowance of $1,890.00 and each can also obtain an additional $580.00 in social assistance for a total of $2,470.00/month.

This compares very well to a single pensioner who after contributing to the growth and development of America for 40 to 50 years can only receive a monthly maximum of $1,012.00 in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Maybe our pensioners should apply as refugees! Consider sending this to all your American friends, so we can all be ticked off and maybe get the refugees cut back to $1,012.00 and the pensioners up to $2,470.00 and enjoy some of the money we were forced to submit to the Government over the last 40 or 50 or 60 years.

Please forward to every American to expose what our elected politicians (Nancy P. Included) have been doing over the past 11 years - to the over-taxed American.

SEND THIS TO EVERY AMERICAN TAXPAYER YOU KNOW

I wrote :

Dear Suzy,
Thank you for the forwarded message! It is quite an eye-opener for me!
I was surprised to learn about the news that immigrants over age 65 can
apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than the writer's mom gets for
Social Security. I wonder how accurate/reliable the information sent by
the writer is. As an immigrant myself, I have never been informed with
such things, not at the time I swore into U.S. citizenship in 2001 by
the immigration officials, or by human resources personnels at the new
employees' orientation meetings. Of course, there are still a lot for
me to learn about this country.
Thanks,

O.

Suzy wrote:

Please forgive the e-mail. It's just that I don't think of you as an
immigrant. I have to admit your e-mail made me stop and think about
others.
Again I'm truly sorry. Please accept my apology.
Suzy

I wrote :

Dear Suzy,
I don't think you need apologize. I think your message is informative.
I don't mind reading it at all. Really.
And I think it's a good thing to make people stop and think, too.
Do you agree?
O.

Suzy wrote :

Yes I do. Thank you. You're a VERY SWEET and KIND person. I hope
everything worked out alright with your cell phone.

Suzy

I wrote:

Thank you, Suzy, for your kind words about me!
My cell phone problem was fixed, very easily actually--Dave took the
battery out and put it back again and that's it.
Have a good weekend!

O.

好, 今天的故事讲完了, 祝你周末愉快!