Please Leave US Out Of It; We Paid Our Dues!

Some people (online and elsewhere) have been attempting to make a case for the "dreamers" and other so-called "immigrants" by comparing them to previous waves of European immigrants, generally and to Italian-Americans, specifically.
As the grandson of Italian immigrants (and as someone who is married to the granddaughter of Polish immigrants) here is my answer to them:

PLEASE leave the Italian-American community out of this and please spare us such a cheap shot. We, who stand on the shoulders of giants, need NO lecture from you nor do we need any reminders about our grandparents' plight -- what happened, when it happened or why it happened.
Sadly, here's what you may be missing missing: my grandparents came here LEGALLY.  They didn't sneak into the country nor enter via some loophole.
And they immediately sought to assimilate themselves, learning the language, respecting and honoring the culture and proudly making their way into society.
NONE of my ancestors who came here from Italy sought or accepted public assistance nor did they seek handouts and freebies.
Yes, it was hard; it was tough but they never complained.
The Italian-American community never sought nor embraced victimization in any way, shape or form.
Though they were often (and sometimes continue to be) stereotyped and ridiculed they never found their identity through such misfortune nor attempted to use it as a free pass.
THIS is our story. And no one -- NO ONE! -- can or will ever take it away from us.
The lessons: 1) Arrive LEGALLY. 2) Follow the rules. 3) Work hard. 4) Accept, honor and contribute to the national culture and identity. 5) Seek no giveaways nor handouts. 6) Raise strong, loving families. 7) Don't bellyache. 8) Maintain your sense of humor. 9) Be proud of your new country and 10) Move forward. Avanti!