U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, is running an online ad that said he is fighting for our way of life. That choice of words scares an old man like me. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, those words were a rallying cry for southern segregationists.

The way of life those folks were defending was about keeping non-white Americans in their place. Even though the work of those non-white people was vital to the success of the economy, those workers were disrespected, denied equal rights and often considered to be dangerous.

My concern is that a lot of talk about immigrant workers from south of the border sounds pretty similar. They are also disrespected and feared, even though their work is vital to the success of our economy. Our dairy, farming and meat packing sectors would definitely fail without them. History tells us that denying humane treatment to one group in a country is a slippery slope that leads to more and more mistreatment of other groups. Who will be next?