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COOPERSTOWN, N.D. — Every other Wednesday at lunchtime, the Coachman Inn attracts what, in this sparsely populated part of the world, amounts to a crowd. They come for the kumla— the Scandinavian potato dumplings their grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to make.
It's a lively scene that reveals a sobering demographic truth. The hands passing the pitchers of melted butter are weathered; the heads bobbing in animated conversation are mostly silver-haired. The kumla tradition is in danger of extinction. So is Cooperstown and many of North Dakota's once-bustling rural crossroads.
Just wondering how the illegals get that far north, with gas prices so high. Do they have their own transportation to get there, or is there some vast underground railroad which transport them all across the country.
Very interesting article, on a number of issues. Interesting that people so little affected by illegal immigration have such strong feelings about it---says a lot about the human condition.
North Dakota (and vicinity) is definitely not a "typical" part of America. Most of the settlers in that region came directly from Europe, fairly recently, without long roots in more settled parts of the US. Only a few "hardy" souls, such as Scandinavians and German-Russians, were attracted to such a rigorous climate. THese groups still dominate the local culture.
Today there are some articles I've read suggesting that "Nature" never intended this area to have a large human population...that the dream of the closely-spaced "small family farm" really just isn't practical there, the climate is just too "iffy" and unforgiving. We see that now in the area's "De-population". The "Buffalo Commons" group actually advocates ABANDONING large areas of the northern Great Plains, and letting it "revert" to nature.
With all this in mind, whether significant numbers of immigrants will ever again be attracted to North Dakota is doubtful, I think. It's an interesting subject, but really, how many illegals, or even US citizens, could be induced to relocate there? Where are the jobs, compared to more populous areas? How would one "entice" anyone to move there? (I know some small towns actually DO offer incentives for "new blood"....pretty amazing, in our overcrowded world)...
I don't recall seeing an article tying in the cultural and economic issues as well as this article did. It did it very well on both the macro and personal level.
Definitely a good read for anybody really interested in the issue.
from the article: Roger Hauck, a Fargo drywaller, says he had to lay off half his workforce — 30 people — because he was being underbid by competitors using illegal labor.
"They were breaking every wage and hour law on the books..."
Why on earth don't North Dakota's bleeding populations' towns conjoin with a "sister city" such as Flint MI for a genuine, skilled American labor force sitting vacant due to illegals under the table wages and outsourcing? This solution would leapfrog breaking the law via the illegal lawbreakers or companies alike.
from the article: Roger Hauck, a Fargo drywaller, says he had to lay off half his workforce — 30 people — because he was being underbid by competitors using illegal labor.
"They were breaking every wage and hour law on the books..."
Why on earth don't North Dakota's bleeding populations' towns conjoin with a "sister city" such as Flint MI for a genuine, skilled American labor force sitting vacant due to illegals under the table wages and outsourcing? This solution would leapfrog breaking the law via the illegal lawbreakers or companies alike.
Actually, you're on to something here--there is actually a website called "Prairie Opportunity" in which a group of business leaders, etc, in several counties of extreme NW North Dakota are actually calling for "new settlers"--all sorts of incentives are offered. Check it out just for fun---
This is one of the remotest parts of this already-remote state, and is suffering quite a depopulation.
I understand there are similar movements all over the remote northern Great Plains, attempting to fill up the void left by their shrinking populations...
Why on earth don't North Dakota's bleeding populations' towns conjoin with a "sister city" such as Flint MI for a genuine, skilled American labor force sitting vacant due to illegals under the table wages and outsourcing? This solution would leapfrog breaking the law via the illegal lawbreakers or companies alike.
How about securing North Dakota's borders to prevent the brain drain? North Dakota for NORTH DAKOTANS! Don't let out-of-staters take away native North Dakotan's jobs.
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