A Gold Medal Life Worth Knowing

There was one of those truly-wonderful Olympic stories last week that didn't get the attention it deserved.

Henry Cejudo won the Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling. It was a remarkable, emotional battle. Barely leading in the final round, he had to hold on when his opponent suddenly took the upper hand, had Cejudo on the mat and about to be reversed. Yet Henry Cejudo fought him off, regained his feet and won.

He didn't just win the gold, however. He became the first American in history to win a gold medal in that weight class, 55 kilograms. More than that, he became the youngest American at 21 to ever win a gold medal in freestyle wrestling, in any weight class.

That's not the story, though.

What was so emotional was what came next. After the clock ticked to zero, Cejudo fell to his knees, in tears, weeping, unable to move. The crowd erupted in joy and wild cheers, waving American flags all over the place. Cejudo covered himself in an American flag and almost uncontrolled began racing throughout the fieldhouse with it.

Photo by L.A. Times

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His pride was bursting for his country because of what he came through. It's not just that his family had been so profoundly poor, often staying in places for only two months before having to move yet again. But when he first made it to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado four years ago, it was the first time in his life that he'd slept alone.

But that's not the story.

At the World Championships last year -- his first major senior international competition -- he not only didn't get a medal, he didn't even win a single match.

He almost didn't win a single match at these Olympics, too. He had to come from behind to win each of his previous three contests, just to get to the finals.

Now he has an Olympic gold.

And that's not even the story.

His story goes deeper and is truly the American Dream. One that embodies everything that Americans envision as wonderful about the nation and the opportunity it provides. One that all Americans burst with overwhelmingly pride over.

Or most do, anyway.

You see, the thing is, Henry Cejudo is the son of two undocumented, illegal Mexican immigrants.

Not to make a political point -- oh, okay, specifically to make a political point -- there is a segment of the population who would have every illegal immigrant deported, no matter what their situation. If they had their way years ago, Nelly Cejudo would not be in America today, where her son Henry was born, raised and grew up to win a gold medal for his country and bury himself in his flag. And in tears of patriotic joy.

That whole American Dream thing? It could have been a nightmare.

Henry Cejudo's single mother raised six children, moving among numerous cities, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, into Arizona, now to Los Angeles. "Numerous times," by the way, is the only accurate way to describe it, because he lost count at 50. He never saw his father after he was four years old. The family struggled daily - his mother earned money doing almost anything. Often two jobs at a time, working in factories, cleaning toilets, even carpentry, you name it. Henry earned money selling tacos on the street.

America gave Henry Cejudo an education and a life. He gave America a gold medal. And he gave inspiring encouragement to countless other young people with nothing, in equally dire conditions, the awareness that there is a future, a goal to strive for, whatever that goal may be, a hope.

What's that worth?

To be clear, Henry Cejudo is not an illegal immigrant. He was born in the United States. But of course he's only here because his mother came illegally. And only remained because he didn't go to Mexico with his mother has she been deported. This is no defense of illegally entering the United States. Further, there are many reasons to improve the illegal immigration situation in America. There are many ways to improve it. But there are also many reasons not to think it's an easy "one answer fits all" situation. It's not just that sometimes when people come illegally to America they turn out to make a better life for themselves, but that, in doing so, they make a better America.

To be fair, it certainly doesn't always work that way. But if one is willing to be fair, one has to also accept that it does happen. And we're all better off when it does.

Certainly, U.S. immigration policies and enforcement have to be changed. But just as certainly, "deport them all, and no amnesty for anyone" is not the answer. That's the point here, and the only point. It's not the answer, not only because it is so monumentally impractical as to be near-impossible - it's also not the answer because it misses so much of what America gains. Serious, complex problems require serious, complex solutions.

It's to America's benefit to find what benefits America the most.

Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that the results of Henry Cejudo's story is typical. But let's equally not fool ourselves into thinking that his story of the seeds planted by illegal immigrants making America a better place is uncommon.

Photo by A.P.

Comments

[clr2]

All ILLEGAL ALIENS, even the ones who win gold medals, need to be deported. Why didn't his parents come to the US LEGALLY? We need to return to the original intent of the 14th amendment and do away with anchor babies. No matter how you spin this story his parents are ILLEGAL ALIENS and should be deported medal or no medal.

[knighthowl]

Are you a native American?

Give it some thought. Why don't native Americans have the right to deport all the rest of us? Did they invite us here? I don't think so. Unless you are a native American, you are descended from illegal aliens. Face it.

Now, why don't we have a rational discussion?

[MarcInCA]

Yes lets. Because neither one of you is being rational with your comments.

[clr2]

As a matter of fact knightbowl I am part Native American.

[moneyrunt]

America is a better place because of a medal? Wouldn't it have helped our honorable neighbors to the south if his achievement had helped bring them up? All those kids, jobs, welfare, and a medal made our country better?

[MarcInCA]

In fairness, you haven't the slightest idea whether or not they collected welfare.

[clr2]

Do you think his parents had health insurance? Do you think his parents paid income taxes? I don't. So yes they did collect welfare. We pay BILLIONS, in tax dollars, to educate and provide health care for ILLEGAL ALIENS. We need to use this money on our own poor.

[Cranberries]

Wonderful column. Similarly, in the terrific documentary "Spellbound," about the National Spelling Bee, there was a terrific kid in the finals whose parents were illegal immigrants. Sometimes we need a powerful reminder like this one that the kind of effort that it takes to get here and the ability to appreciate all this country has to offer that comes from living under oppression can produce the kind of people who are most fully American.

[clr2]

Why can't these people come here legally? Legal immigrants not ILLEGAL ALIENS have helped build our nation. We cannot take on all of the world's poor. All ILLEGAL ALIENS need to be deported. We spend BILLIONS to provide an education and health care to ILLEGALS, we need to use this money on our own poor.

[knighthowl]

Please see my comment above. Are you really a legal immigrant? By whose standards?

[Kodachi]

They don't come here legally because the legal immigration process is expensive, long and difficult for most people.

If your only goal is to make money to support your family back home, and you don't particularly want to vote or serve on a jury in the US, it's better for you to either slip across the border or overstay a tourist visa than go through the legal process. Ironically enough, the new border security measures are encouraging illegal aliens to stay put in the US because they can't be sure if they can return to the US if they leave.

If you're actually willing to do something about those dreaded illegal aliens other than blather on a message board, start lobbying for guest-worker measures that would allow workers to come in and do the jobs Americans don't want to do but make sure they leave and don't bring their families.

[Peterfpb]

Just a great article! Thank you Robert!

[thisoldbroad]

Wonderful story. Thank you.