THE WOGS START WITH THE SCOTS:

For about 30 years, I've been conducting a very informal and very unscientific sociological experiment. Whenever I get into a cab or (now) an Uber, I ask the driver, who is inevitably an immigrant, a series of questions such as: Where are you from, and how long have you been here? My last question is always the same: Do you like it here?

As you might imagine, the answers to my initial queries vary widely. The drivers come from many different countries and have been here for various lengths of time, from less than six months to more than 40 years. However, the answer to the last question is always roughly the same: They love America, feel extraordinarily blessed to be here and have no desire to permanently return to the country of their birth. What's more, they love Americans, who have been very welcoming to them. "You would not be as welcome in my home country," some add.

Whenever I have one of these fascinating conversations, I think of my father, who came here from Italy more than 60 years ago. Like these cab drivers, my father deeply loves America, feels extraordinarily lucky to have been able to come and put down roots here and thinks of Americans as the most open and tolerant people on earth. His story and the stories of so many other immigrants speak to the greatness of our country.

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