May 31, 2006--Moon's of Great Neck

One of the concerns expressed not so below-the-surface in the current hot debate about illegal immigrants involves the fear that “real” Americans will be culturally subsumed as these aliens insist on speaking their own language (Spanish), waiving their own flag (Mexican), even wanting their own version of the National Anthem. Thus the push to put up a 2,400 mile fence, fine employers who hire illegals, and deport the 10-12 million who are here illegally.

Maybe there is another way—something we can learn from the United Arab Emirates of all places. It seems that they too have an immigrant problem—less than ten percent of the Emirates population are native citizens and these natives are concerned that their culture and way of life will be obliterated unless they take drastic measures to assure cultural preservation (see NY Times article linked below).

Foremost among these is to encourage Emiratians to marry other Emiratians. But there is a problem: it costs a fortune to marry in a traditional way—between $20,000 and $50,000 not counting the dowry and the required furnished house. Though the Emirates is a thriving economy, which explains why so many have moved there, average wages are only about $2,000 a month and thus such lavish weddings are beyond the means of most.

But since the government sees natives marrying natives and their subsequent procreating to be the only way to assure the continuation of traditional ways, they have established a Marriage Fund which helps subsidize these weddings. And as a way to cut costs they have instituted the practice of mass ceremonies, Reverend Sun Yung Moon style, during which up to 300 grooms get things started by having a ceremony of their own followed a few days later by a brides-only ceremony.

Ever realistic, the Fund pays its share in two installments—half before the wedding followed by the rest after several months to be sure the couples are still married since divorce rates in the Emirates hover near 50 percent.

I haven’t looked closely enough at the immigration bill that was passed recently by the Senate to see all of its provisions (forgot the House’s version—it’s all about fences, fines, jail, and deportation); but it seems to me that what the Emirates have come up with could be a model for us. I hope, therefore, that there will be an amendment when the bill goes to the Senate-House conference that establishes a Marriage Fund for us. We could sure use one. When was the last time you priced the cost of a wedding at Leonard’s of Great Neck?