“Home is where every person born in Maine should have the opportunity to carve out their piece of the American dream,” Gov. LePage said on election night. Did I hear correctly: “every person born in Maine”?

Perhaps it was the euphoria of winning re-election. I hope so, because given the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the last several months, I fear that it could just as well have been a subconscious, yet intentional, effort to exclude many Mainers from his definition of who he is intending to serve for another term as the chief executive of state government.

By the end of the campaign, immigrants were being blamed for a spike in HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis A – claims that are patently false. And let’s not forget the danger represented by eight “alien children.” “Alien”? Did they arrive by spaceship?

I moved to Maine 30 years ago. I’ve worked here, paid taxes here, volunteered for various community organizations and enjoyed the many benefits of living in a place as beautiful and filled with talented people as Maine. I thought I was doing everything right to gain a piece of the American prosperity pie.

I’ve taught my students over the years that government is a contract between the people and the leaders. Paul LePage governs with our consent. I don’t believe that that social contract means that he gets to pick and choose who he intends to serve for the next four years.

So whether our neighbors arrived yesterday or seven generations ago, we are all home in Maine. We all deserve the American dream.

Elizabeth Miller

Portland