LETTER: Let’s treat all immigrants like Brewers hero Jackson Chourio

To Ozaukee Press:

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio electrified Wisconsin fans and much of the baseball world on Sunday. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Chourio ripped a walk-off single against ace reliever Mason Miller to defeat the San Diego Padres, 4–3, giving the Brewers a commanding 2–0 lead in the National League Division Series.

Chourio is a hero beloved by Brewers fans. After his postgame interview, there was no talk of a Venezuelan immigrant’s accent or English proficiency, nor of his “taking American jobs.”

But how might Chourio be regarded if he were working construction and living on Milwaukee’s south side? How can we learn to humanize immigrants who are not sports stars?

Jackson Chourio’s brilliance reminds us how easily we celebrate an immigrant when he brings us joy, wins and civic pride. The harder, and more important, challenge is whether we can extend that same basic human dignity to immigrants whose work is less visible. Can we also respect those, regardless of immigration status, who roof our homes, prepare our food, care for our children or seek safety and opportunity?

A person’s humanity is not earned with a walk-off hit. It is inherent.

Terry Hansen 

Grafton