Mexican Americans:
As we read in class Mexican American's have been a part of our country for a very long time. They first came into our country to escape the poor working conditions and economy of Mexico. There first jobs were pretty much they was we stereo-type most Mexican American's today, as laborers (i.e. farmers, field workers, and lawn maintenance.)
Japanese Americans:
After reading these sections from class we found out how and why the Japanese immigrated to the United State, and how they struggled through poor wages and working conditions to survive. But the first that came into mind for me was how these Japanese we persecuted in the United State during WWII. By this time in our history these immigrants had help build our country and made lasting impressions. Then these people who were born and raised in the US were put into internment camps, if thats not struggle, I do not know what is.
Both these groups came to the US looking for a new start. As for the Japanese immigrants to me showed tremendous strength and resilience in become as educated as they did. And they haven't stopped. Even today we stereo-type this group of people as "the smart ones." And if you asked me I think these early generations is where these thoughts started. As for Mexican Immigrants it's sad to think that we still see this group of people the same way we did before. My sister had recently moved to Texas and I've visited a few times and was totally surprised at what I had seen and heard. Some of the comments I heard about these people were really harsh. It's no secret that many of these people are illegal immigrants, for example, I spoke to my sister and she said out of 6 man crew that does her yard only one can speak English. They, just like there ancestors and just trying to make a new life better than the one they had in Mexico. Yet we are trying to kick these people out of our country instead of giving them a chance to become legal citizens. Doesn't the Statue of Liberty, a great icon of our nation say, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free?" I think we should start living up to that.
To me the biggest issue that both these groups faces was assimilation. Americans tend to be pushy in our ways and are always trying to get other people to believe and act the way we act. The reason I picked these two group is because out of all of them I feel that both of these groups have stood fast in there ways better than an of the others. Japanese and Mexican Americans are incredibly proud of there heritage and where they came from. For these people to keep there traditions alive for this many years in the United State is amazing.
Mike- As I read your blog I realized we noticed many of the same things in the readings we have done. I too found the internment camps to be very upsetting. How could our government decide to fight against Nazis to stop their terror but then do similar things to Japanese Americans, minus the direct murdering, in our own country? The hypocrisy of our government is a nauseating concept. Furthermore I also agree that our country should live up to the Statue of Liberty’s saying and make things easier for immigrants. There is no reason to have illegal immigrants in our country if we would adjust the rules on becoming a citizen and make it an easier task. Also we should work with our border countries to allow citizen’s to cross back and forth for work and families without making people jump through hoops and crawl under fences.
ReplyDeleteYou blog was inciteful. it's as if history repeats itself and gets worse the second or thired time around. The issues that we deal have been present in past times they have just evovledand adpated to the time period much like in the analysis of the internment camps to the nazi camps. At one point history should be taught as a collective to piece everything together because many people lack valid information.
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