The Land of Immigrants

I am an immigrant like many before and after me. I am proud to be an American. I fully understand people wanting or trying to come to America to better their future. I am also concerned about the humanitarian aspects of migration (legal or illegal). It hurts me to see anyone die in a desert, in the Rio Grande, or in the open ocean risking his or her life for a better future in America. I realize that there needs to be a solution to the illegal immigrants' issue. I also do not want to see immigrants being exploited by businesses.

However, what really upsets me is that only in America the illegal immigrants can come out and demonstrate publicly. Some one even had a Mexican flag flying on a flagpole at a school in Houston. This is absurd. America is not forcing anyone to come here (except during the dark days of slavery, but America is continually trying to right the wrong). If one's allegiance is to another flag, then he or she should go back. One must be grateful to a country for giving his or her livelihood.

I am also for learning as many languages as one can or for providing opportunities to learn languages. If for 200+ years all these diverse population could manage with the English language, why should our Hispanic Americans be any different? The moment America opts for another language, what moral right it will have not to offer the same to hundreds of other languages of other immigrants?

I am all for taking pride in one's roots howsoever humble. There are special occasions when one may even fly the flag of their native country along side the US flag or celebrate their heritage. However, at the end we are all Americans, not black, white, brown, or other types of hyphenated Americans. We must protest or express grievances of any wrong doing, real or perceived, in a proper way within the constitutional safeguard and freedom.

God Bless America.