Posted on 05/15/2006 1:01:00 PM PDT by crazyhorse691
Our double standard on U.S. citizenship
The nationwide marches on May 1 generated the expected counter-reaction among anti-immigrant groups and politicians, who voiced outrage at the demonstrations and, in some cases, the demonstrators. Professed outrage is the rhetorical currency of our polarized political climate, but here the reactions concealed something far more troubling and ultimately disabling for the immigration debate: a pronounced inability to see Mexican Americans -- even those who are citizens and who have lived here for decades -- as authentic, loyal Americans.
For starters, take the hostility generated among opponents of immigrant rights by the sight of Mexican flags at the demonstrations. That American flags dominated the demonstrations was conveniently disregarded in the furor. Yet, more to the point, is it really a treasonous act to wave the flag of your ancestral homeland? I didn't hear Rush Limbaugh protesting Irish Americans' waving of Irish flags on St. Patrick's Day or Italian Americans' waving of Italian flags on Columbus Day.
Likewise, the outrage generated by the Spanish-language version of the national anthem reflects the same double standard.
Or take the self-righteous declarations on talk radio by Americans of European descent that "their" ancestors complied with the law in immigrating here. Never mind that so have millions of Mexicans. Never mind also that millions of Europeans immigrated to the United States when this nation had an open-door immigration policy and there was no legal obstacle to immigration. Query what European immigrants would have said or done (or whose flag they would have waved in protest) had earlier Americans spoken of building an Atlantic Wall, complete with armed barricades, to keep their relatives and the rest of those tired, huddled masses from the continent from sailing here.
I do not support unfettered immigration nor automatic citizenship for illegal immigrants, but like most Americans of Hispanic descent, I find the double standard applied to Mexican Americans both hateful and undeserved. There are millions of Mexican Americans, like myself, whose parents immigrated here legally. Indeed, many Mexican American families have lived in this country longer than many families of European ancestry. Moreover, Mexican Americans have served in our armed forces and many have died in the service of their country, including in the current Iraq war. If loyalty can be tested by fire and citizenship earned by sacrifice, Mexican Americans have proven their patriotism time and again.
It is an unfortunate truth that Latinos, unlike Americans of European ancestry, are still seen as somehow not fully American. Yet there are hopeful signs of change, albeit modest. This month, Americans celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Like St. Patrick's Day, this holiday's real meaning -- it commemorates the Mexicans' courageous victory over the French at Puebla -- has been lost amid the desire to revel in one's (sometimes distant, sometimes even fictional) ancestral connection to the motherland.
As I waited at a local Mexican restaurant, I did not witness any outrage generated by the flowing Mexican flags, nor did I see diners demanding to see the waiters' green cards. Rather, I observed families of different races, backgrounds and heritages celebrating together, acknowledging that ancestral pride is no threat to the republic but an ever-present feature of a citizenry composed of diverse immigrant groups.
Only when politicians and pundits similarly accept that we Mexican Americans are authentically a part of the country will true progress have been obtained and a civil discussion of a just immigration policy made possible.
Norman R. Williams is an associate professor of law at Willamette University College of Law in Salem.
;-)
Yeah, all the upside down American flags.
Progressivism is all about tending a collective identity of moral superiority.
It has long left caring about average American issues, though there are some hangers on. Witness the wholesale ignoring of economic issues involved in the debate.
What part of "illegal" does the Prof not understand?
And the American flags had to be ordered to be flown - remember the first protest.
The business lobbies via their etnic and progressive front groups bought a lot of the flags and distributed them.
I would expect nothing better than a BARF ALERT from the Oregonian leftist rag. The professor is on Lars Larson right now.
My mother-in-law is turning 79. She came to the US legally in about 1947 (from Italy). My wife will be taking her to the funeral of her immigration "sponsor" this Friday.
She recalls that she had to wait an extra year, due to country quotas. Although her English was not too good, all of her children turned out great.
As a longtime citizen, she quietly shares that the current situation angers her. She thinks it is wrong for people to force their way in.
She, my wife and I make three disappointed voters.
Trying to reason with this professor would be futile.. a wasted "dialog with the deranged". I tell you, once a self-proclaimed altruist, loony lib opens that "door of perception" all common sense and logic is, well, Out The Door!
Sorry, I couldn't get those photos to appear.
Here are the links:
http://hotair.cachefly.net/media.michellemalkin.com/archives/images/upsidedown.jpg
http://hotair.cachefly.net/media.michellemalkin.com/archives/images/upsidedown004.jpg
I quit reading after he left out the word "illegal" - means he isn't serious about the subject and instead just wants to demonize the other side.
Completely ignoring the felonies that illegal aliens commit by obtaining and using falsified documents.
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