Turn on the TV today and you constantly hear about two things that Congress is debating, now that the budget for the rest of FY 2013 has been passed are 1)gun control and 2) immigration reform. Immigration reform is an important topic that deserves all the talk and media that it is receiving, as gun control, but with immigration talk comes the ignorant comments of "THEY need to go back to where THEY came from," "THEY are stealing our jobs," "THEY are taking advantage of our social programs and not paying taxes." I for one would like to know who THEY are. If I make my assumptions, "THEY" refers to immigrants that have come to this country for nothing more than the American Dream.
The purpose of this post is not to make an argument for or against immigration reform but to help us all remember that WE, unless you're Native American, all come from some other place. None of us, white, black, brown, asian originated in this country unless your family comes from Native Americans. As more and more generations - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. generations claim the term "American", many tend to forget their cultural identity or begin to have what can be known as "cultural amnesia." By cultural amnesia, I am not referring to what would show up on Google - a novel by Clive James or a 1980's UK band, but the fact that people have forgotten their roots, their own cultural origins. Yes, many have been in this country for 5+ generations but your great great great great great grandparents came to THIS country for some sort of freedom and to live a free life to achieve their American Dream, much like those that are coming to this country are doing today. It is our duty as Americans to ensure that our own knowledge of where WE come from is reignited.
We must continue the legacy of our people, whoever they may be and remember that we stand on the shoulders of our immigrant ancestors. Next time you hear someone say that THEY should go back to their country, think about which THEY are speaking of….
http://www.ilctr.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/immigrants_taxes_use_of_welfare2012.pdf
