A Land of Immigrants

Today's USA has been shaped primarily by Immigrants from Europe. The country's government, constitution, and economic structure all stem from European ideas and ideals. The previous inhabitants of the land had absolutely no say in the country's foundational decisions. Instead, they were systematically killed, or forced to leave. The treatment of Native Americans by European settlers fully conforms to the current UN definition of genocide. They were not given citizenship and voting rights until 1924, and those rights were not fully enforced until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

With this history of immigration in mind, today's immigration issues take on a rather different light. As kids we were taught to be proud of our immigrant past, and the atrocities that our forefathers committed were not dwelt on. We were told that we live in a land of opportunity, where anybody can make it big... especially poor penniless immigrants. We were told that we live in a melting pot of cultures (though many today prefer to call it a salad or a stew), with all the world represented by our one single nation. We were told we live in the greatest country on earth. So... what's with all the hysteria these days about immigration? In recent years, this has become one of the most heated debates in the nation. There is a lot of anger surrounding this issue, particularly towards Mexican immigrants. Why are we who are so proud to be the descendants of pioneers so adamant about refusing to allow any more people in to our country? Isn't our stance a tiny bit hypocritical?

Over the next few weeks I will be exploring the issue of immigration a little more in depth, examining questions about racism, fear, nationalism, etc. I will also be interviewing several people with differing points of view on the subject.