Originally I defined an “American” as someone who has the freedom to determine their destiny, someone who is hopeful of a better tomorrow, someone who is inclusive, a melting pot, and who is equal with every other person in the country. Americans have an unlimited amount of power to chose what they do and do not want in their lives and we have more opportunities than people in other countries could even dream of, and that is why so many people want to come here. After this assignment, my ideas of an “American” have been challenged and essentially changed. First, I never realized how restricted the freedom minorities face. In the past women and blacks did not have rights, but in the twentieth century we have no restrictions or prejudice. In the poem by Langston Hughes “I, Too, Sing America,” he states, “ They’ll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed. I, too, am America.” He wrote this poem as a response to the inequalities that blacks and whites in the ‘40s but it still applies today. He challenges the idea that America is inclusive or a melting pot. This made me think about how even though I thought I was open to new people coming into the country, every time the news says something about how more and more Mexicans cross the border illegally, I cannot help but feel disgusted and upset that they would try to become “Americans”. Then when I thought about Hughes words “and be ashamed, I, too, am America” I know that I should be ashamed because all they want is to try and create a better life. I know that we cannot be a refuge to all incoming people, but the reason America came to be was to have equality and new opportunity. If we deny the rights of new minorities and the new opportunities to people who want to become an “American” how can we say that our country is founded upon freedom, hope, and equality?
This is a very insightful posting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. I have heard some political commentators suggest that if we helped Mexico solve some of its problems, we would not be flooded with illegal immigrants. What do you think about that? Should the USA help other nations make their own better so their people will stay there?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that if we are able to help Mexico solve some major problems that not as many people would want to immigrate. I believe that any immigrant does not leave their home country just because they want a change of scenery, but it is because they are being denied opportunities or they are endangering the well-being of their family by staying there. I do not think that the United States has the power or funds to make all problems in Mexico disappear, but I do believe that there should be some type refugee program that is helping the immigrants. Of course I am not talking about the people that are crossing the border to participate in the drug trade, but there are people who are coming here to escape death and I believe we should take that into consideration when we view the border situation. I do not think that we have an obligation to make other nations who are in bad situations, like Mexico to fix them, until they directly affect us. I think that the U.S. has a history of trying to solve other peoples problems when their help was not solicited or they were not even a part of the problem. So when it is comes to other countries no, but because Mexico is affecting the American "lifestyle/dream/opportunities" yes I think we must intervene.
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