Kate Meadows, Times staff writer
They came as factory workers, meat packers and railroad workers ...
The story of Polish immigrants in the 1800s that Dave Berry, a history professor at Ivy Tech in Lafayette, told Tuesday served as a testament.
"It's not a new question," said Purdue history professor Susan Curtis, who served as moderator.
Berry and four other area professors addressed a small crowd at Ivy Tech at a public forum on immigration, co-sponsored by Ivy Tech and Purdue University. Each panelist delivered a 10-minute presentation, addressing how immigration impacts - or doesn't impact -the United States and Indiana today.
The forum came at a time when many Indiana communities, including Frankfort, find themselves at a crossroads in a struggle over how to address immigration on the local front.
Some Frankfort residents were in the audience, including former mayor Don Stock, Quality of Life facilitator Rick Gunyon and Chamber of Commerce CEO Gina Sheets.
The first speaker, Adriela Fernandez, Associate Dean for academic programs in Purdue's College of Liberal Arts, provided a bundle of statistics to support her discussion of the economic and social impact of recent immigration. She encouraged audience members to develop a more global and historical perspective of immigration.
"It doesn't take much for a mother and father to see a starving child," she said. "If there is famine, people start moving."
In a historical overview of the immigration waves to the United States and Canada, Berry, who heads the school of liberal arts and sciences at Ivy Tech, described how opinions about immigrants change as demographics change.
"A small number of 'other' produces curiosity," he said. "But when that small number becomes a large number, that curiosity becomes a threat."
Purdue professor of political science James McCann shared some of his research on the local impact of Hispanic immigrants in addressing immigration myths. One myth, he says, is the idea that undocumented immigrants lack enthusiasm for civic involvement.
"There's an astounding degree of interest in American civic life," he said of those participants in his research who identified themselves as undocumented.
Ivan Hernandez, director of admissions at Ivy Tech, used the word "xenophobic" to describe the way he thinks many people feel toward immigrants. Xenophobic means fear for what's different.
"I was always taught that you have to help people and give a voice to people who don't have one," he said.
At a question-and-answer session following the speakers' presentations, Gunyon advocated the importance of addressing immigration in terms of "legal" and "illegal." Those two words, he said, were used scarcely during the forum.
"I heard the word 'immigrant' 43 times," he said. The word 'undocumented' came up 10 or 11 times, he said, and he counted five times that the word "illegal" was used.
Stock also expressed disappointment in the broad rhetoric of Tuesday's forum.
"I think in general, people missed the vote on this issue," he said, adding that using the terms "legal" and "illegal" has helped Frankfort begin to restore its quality of life.
"Obviously for them, they don't feel comfortable in doing that."
Vern Kaspar, the outspoken local radio broadcaster who is a strong proponent of "returning to a lawful society," told panelists there is a difference between those who are in the country legally and those who are here illegally.
"We are not illegal 24/7," he said. "They are illegal 24/7."
But a few others with Clinton County connections didn't see the panel - or Frankfort - that way.
Hernandez responded to Gunyon's comments by asking how he knows a legal immigrant from an illegal immigrant.
"I sympathize with Frankfort," he said. "Frankfort seems to be that powder keg."
McCann added that he had a "very soft spot" for Frankfort.
"I'm supposed to be at home at a fiesta," said Tony Delreal, a graduate of Rossville High School who identified himself as a "product of immigrants from Mexico."
Delreal voiced opposition to Senate Bill 335, which proposes strict penalties against specified groups of people who knowingly hire or transport illegal immigrants.
Manuel Gaeta, who for seven years has owned Manolo Auto Sales - a company with locations in Frankfort and Lafayette, contends that Lafayette is a more civil community, with more respect for individuals.
"In Frankfort, I don't have a lot of hope," he said.
In the end, a man who identified himself only as Mike, said forums and discussions are good. But they do nothing by themselves, he said.
More voices are needed - and that includes the unheard voices of those who are undocumented.
"They're human beings," he said. "The voice is not there."
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