Immigration issue takes a personal dive

This week, I attempted to sign up my children for swimming lessons. I would have easily succeeded in doing so, except that out of curiosity, I decided to ask the owner of the gym a question about the forms she gave me to fill out. 

On paper, there were the usual spaces for name, age, address and telephone number, followed by four identical spaces for each of the children’s biographical information — with a puzzling question: “Is the child a U.S. citizen?” 

I was surprised by the fact that someone would ask this question for swimming lessons. This wasn’t a public pool or a place where kids received funding or free classes or a government or state-run program where this information would be pertinent. No, this was a private swimming club, so I politely asked this lady why they were interested in the children’s citizenship. 

Almost immediately, the owner of the aquatic center got very defensive and told me that she had every right to put the question on the form and that people were way too politically correct and sensitive about these things.  

Well, maybe she had a point.  Actually two points. Whether we agree with an issue or not, people are more sensitive about race, gender and sexual orientation. More importantly, she is the owner of the establishment and can pretty much do whatever she wants to — with some limitations. 

But I became irritated when the owner explained that this question was crucial in keeping the clientele of her establishment up to a certain level, and she knowingly looked at me, adding, “Do you know what I mean?”

I knew what she meant, but refused to acknowledge it. So I asked if non-U.S. citizens could take swimming lessons. 

To my shock, she responded, “It depends.” 

On what? The nation the immigrant actually comes from?

I laughed because I wasn’t sure how to express my annoyance. Before I could say anything else, this lady told me that I had no idea what immigrants are doing to this country and how they are destroying and depleting “our” resources and that she couldn’t and wouldn’t allow “certain people” to “infiltrate” her club. 

I informed her that even though I am a U.S. citizen, I am an immigrant myself and wouldn’t be infiltrating her pool. She did tell me that it would still be okay for me and my kids to use the pool, but I didn’t want to frequent the establishment. 

As I left, I saw the club had several signs expressing support for the military and discounts for military families. I wondered if the fact that I was part of one group she hated and one group she supposedly loved at the same time would make her re-examine her beliefs. Probably not. 

I didn’t take this woman’s ranting personally. But I realized how difficult it is to change our minds when we define a person based on a stereotype.  

My children didn’t get their swimming lessons. But they did learn that I am an “mimmgrant” and that the lady at the pool doesn’t like “mimmigrants.”  They concluded that it’s better to look for another pool, one that has slides, waterfalls and giant Disney characters.  

Anita Doberman is a freelance writer, mother of five and wife of an Air Force pilot stationed at Hurlburt AFB in Florida. Contact her at: anita@anitadoberman.com