from where I've lived, I dont think all americans that have been here for generations share that platitude.
Of course, but there you go -- the platitude doesn't hold.
semp
edit: I walked straight from the INS office when I got my permanent green card straight into the marines recruit office. I qualified for a bonus, but didnt ask for one. my salary went from 1800 to 599 a month. I remember the recruiting officer showing me his pay stub and I telling him I made 500 bucks more a month than he did. he gave me a weird look and asked me why I was joining. I served as best as I could. when I got out, (more like asked to leave) I went back to the same company at 1/2 the salary. I had a wife and 2 kids. I went to work with holes in my shoes. I never felt embarrassed or regret. it took me 3 years to get back to the salary i had 5 years earlier. I see many people just like me go to work with pride to be here.
The US is, I suspect, fortunate to have you join the country. I'm glad and feel lucky that you are here. I hope that you find success here, and contentment, pleasure, and friends, and have children here. Also, if you have friends and family elsewhere that are good people like you, I hope that you work on convincing them to come here, too.
But it is not my experience that every group to enter the country is like you.
Some immigrants are great, like you. Some are not. It is wise for nations to have a care about the process.
Wisely handled immigration is an enormous asset. Doing the opposite of that is disastrously bad, as shown many times in history.