Losing America

Arizona is shining a spotlight on our souls as Americans.  The immigration debate is healthy, Arizona's law a tragedy.  We stand at the precipice of principles.

Immigration is the foundation of this country. As every school child knows, the Pilgrims arrived on this land to escape persecution. Throughout the following centuries, an eclectic mix of peoples set foot upon America from every corner of the planet, for myriad reasons. Yet, there has been one constant over the last almost 400 years that defines our country.  America is the land of opportunity, be it for economic, religious, or social motives.  We owe our lives to the tenet inscribed long ago on the Statue of Liberty.

America has a unique place in human history. Only something so powerful as equality, freedom and opportunity can draw a man here. Starvation, insecurity, or a wretched economy are factors that drive a man from his home. Both have combined for centuries to make America the shining beacon upon a hill.

Today, 70% of Arizona supports a law which gives police the right to determine a person’s immigration status. It is understandable why it passed. For years Arizona has had to deal with an influx of immigrants for which its economy, schools and hospitals cannot cope. It is not fair that those here legally, residents and citizens alike, must pay higher costs and taxes to cover illegal immigrants. Also, there have been crimes attributed to those here illegally. The Arizona/Mexico border is a porous transit point for drugs, guns and coyotes. The Federal Government tried building a fence that did not help.  Then, Arizona took the matter of illegal immigration into its own hands.

We know there is a problem with illegal immigration that is not limited to Arizona. California and Texas face similar challenges.  Surely, in other areas such as New York City, Atlanta, and Boston, social services are stressed as well due to illegal immigrants. But, there seems to be no backlash nor any pending law allowing local police to determine one’s immigration status based solely on looks and an officer’s impression.

There are murders, rapes and robberies committed in this country every day. Some acts are committed by Blacks, some by Whites, some by Asians, some by illegal immigrants. We do not lower the crime rate by asking every Black man to prove they did not committ a crime.  We will not lower the risk of terrorism if we ask each Arab to prove their innocence.  Is it acceptable, therefore, to ask someone for documentation proving residency, so as to limit the crime of illegal immigration? 

As America dives deeper into this polarizing debate, we cannot lose sight of our principles. If we were disgusted by the Nazis in Germany forcing Jews to carry identification; if we are shamed by how we rounded up the Japanese and forced them into our own concentration camps; if we love America and all that she stands for, then remember what the Statue of Liberty has been telling the world for 125 years:

“Give me your tired, your poor; Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

America is not about presuming guilt; it is not about ignoring due process; it is not about associating color and ethnicity with a crime; it is not about repeating the mistakes of our past. America is about hope, opportunity, equality and the rule of law.  Arizona’s law is inconsistent with America and it is not the solution to illegal immigration. It pushes us over the precipice and we will plummet to a future without our principles.  E Pluribus Unum.

The Hispanic and Latino Impossibility

In the United States we throw around two seemingly interchangeable terms, Latino and Hispanic, without even the slightest idea of how to define these words. From job applications, to the census, to scholarships and on and on, this country seems hell bent on classifying people. Yet, the words Latino and Hispanic will never be adequately defined. Let’s look at just a few basic reasons why not.

With regard to the classification of Latino, there are many paths this can take. Should it be someone with Latino roots? If so, would this, therefore, include Italians, French even Romanians? Or, should it be a requirement that this person be from this side of the Atlantic? Maybe we should only include Spaniards and their offspring from "over here"? What about Belize, in Central America, where English is the primary language? One thing is for sure, Brazilians don't like being labeled Latinos, altough their language has Latin roots, so that will limit a geographic definition.

Geography is one way to possibly define a Latino or Hispanic. But, should we also limit how many generations removed a person is? If a person was born in the United States, to parents born in the United States, whose parents immigrated from Colombia, would that be too far away to be considered Latino or Hispanic? Is a person born in Argentina to parents from Italy also Latino or Hispanic? If we accept this, then we creep closer to including those aforementioned countries in Europe under the Hispanic and Latino definition.

Now, these terms also present another challenge, one of misconceptions. From my experience, Hispanic, for example, has been used to describe a "minority" in the United States (sometimes in a derogatory way). But, who is Hispanic? Is a white Chilean an Hispanic? A Spaniard? Is a Brazilian also an Hispanic? After all, the Portuguese settled Brazil and while sharing the same peninsula with Spain, Hispania. Unfortunately, many people in the United States somehow equate Hispanic with Mexican and there go the stereotypes. But, we don’t all like tacos and mole.

The countries south of the Rio Grande have such a rich cultural and ethnic mix that it makes it almost impossible to define these terms. The skin colors are as varied as the foods, holidays, religions, and ethnic backgrounds. Set foot in Peru and observe how many Japanese descendants there are! In Argentina, there is an important Jewish population. The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Cuba have many blacks who can trace their roots to the slave ships and Africa. Also, there is an important Arab influence in many countries "down south." The original peoples of the continent still exist as well.

In the end, the terms Hispanic and Latino will never be satisfactorily defined and I speak from experience and from the heart. I was born in Spain to a Spanish mother and American father. I consider myself Hispanic, Latino, American and Spanish.

At different moments of my life, different definitions of these words have prohibited me from participating in certain activities. One that I recall vividly was an Hispanic scholarship that was unavailable to me because I was not considered Hispanic. A classmate of mine, who was born in the United States, to parents who were also born in the United States, of Guatemalan and Mexican roots, won it. In culture, language, and birth, he was exponentially more American than I. He did not even speak a word of Spanish.

To define Latino and Hispanic, we must dig deep beneath the surface and consider many variables. In so doing, we will discover how incredibly dynamic, broad and rich the cultures are that came from the Romans. We can even make a link via Peru and Brazil that the Japanese and Latinos/Hispanics are cousins by marriage.

Label me, please

I felt so pressured to fit into an ethnic group and be labeled that I decided to do something about it. Why did I need to attach a label to my name? Wouldn't a Jr, or the IV or something simple suffice? Robert Freeman, Black, White, Purple, or Hispanic, Jew, Asian. I didn't quite know back then which one would be appropriate. I was confused. So, I decided to visit a specialist for help:

Good morning Mr. Group Labeling Specialist, I am so confused and lost. There were no scholarships for college. I couldn't get hired since I was unable to help anybody get a tax break. The military needed a label and gave me one a long time ago. But, I can't quite identify with anybody in politics, basketball, the store, television shows...I feel so lonely, and that's why I came to you. I need you to give me an official label as to who I am so I no longer feel like such a nobody, a zero. I want to be able to hang out with my people who I don't know yet and feel some history! Then I can feel proud when one of my people get an award or dunk a ball or discover something important.

"Well that's very good of you, you're quite brave for doing so. It is important for all of us to feel like part of a group. This country is not so much a melting pot but a human stew. And it is because of this stew that has been created why you find yourself so alone. You need to remember your roots. In this manner you can have pride in your race and become part of a group. This will make you and your group stronger. Your winnings will be greater."

Sounds good doc, I am glad I came to you. I feel better already. Let's go label me!

"Yes, Bob, tell me about yourself. This way I can fit you into a label. Then companies will want you, you will get money for colleges, and other untold benefits await you that you haven't even dreamed of yet!"

Great! Well doc, my real name is Roberto.

"I am sorry to have offended you Roberto by calling you Bob."

Not a problem, here in the US I have it as Robert.

"OK Robert"

Or you can call me Bob if you're short on time.

"No, I have time. Well which do you prefer?"

I don't really care.

"Well Robert it will be."

OK. Doc, I was told I fit under white. What is white? My Greek friend is white too. But I don't have one molecule of Greek blood in me. I don’t even know what Uzo is. I have Italian friends, I love their food, but I'm not Italian.

"Well Bob from your skin color there is no doubt about it, you are white."

But Doc, is physical appearance everything? Another friend from Puerto Rico has whiter skin than I. And she is not labeled white. She is Latino. Crazy Salsa dancer too.

"Well physical is not always the primary criteria, like say in dating."

Heh heh, true, well that’s what the ugly ones say, right?!

"Now don’t judge people.”

You're right, she does have a good personality.

"Hm. You're white on the outside. Now look inside of you, who are you and what are you?"

Well, I am mostly Spanish. Then there are some Jewish roots. There is a smattering of Scottish and Irish blood too. And if I look far enough back, some American Indian.

"Boy, that's quite a mess Roberto Bob. It may get complicated and I may have to bill you extra. But it's for a worthy cause."

I was afraid of that Doc.

"Well, you said maybe some American Indian, we should ignore that since it is so small and insignificant. Scottish and Irish. That's interesting. The Scottish part won't do you any good - especially living in Boston. That's what we label white, anyway. Being white won't really get you anywhere this day in age. Jewish. Now there we may have something! Ethiopian Jewish by any chance??"

No Doc, Eastern Europe, Lithuania, Poland I think.

"Aha! That must be where Freeman comes from. Not good. I can’t label you Jewish or African American. That would have been your best bet. So far you still fall under white. Well, you said Spanish. That remains our only hope. So, where are you from?"

Madrid. I was born there. My mother is Spanish. Tapas, bulls, wine and Don Quixote Doc.

"Oh Madrid! Great. That's a beautiful city! Excellent! There are scholarships for Hispanics, Hispanics have preferences for jobs, why you could just speak Spanish and get along fine. Wait! You do have a green card? You are here legally right? Good, you know I flew to Madrid a few years ago from Dallas, and it’s not that far, we went to the Mayan ruins and..."

No Doc, Madrid, Spain, next to Portugal, across the Atlantic, it makes up the Iberian peninsula, used to be called Hispaniola, Latin language roots, we don't like the French, we colonized many American countries, Mexico, Peru, settled Florida, Puerto Rico, Cuba...

"Ah, Spain. That's right, I again need to apologize if I have offended you or your people. Wow, where is my brain! Let me see...OK you are from Spain, Latino...oooh well according to the book, Spain is in Europe and that would - SIGH - make you white also. Sorry you're not Hispanic or Latino. Say I'm going to Rio de Janeiro, how do you say YOU ARE WELCOME in Spanish?"

Oh Doc! You're saying then that I AM white?! I am not Latino? What about Hispanic? What's the difference? Am I nothing?

"Sorry Roberto, you are white, we can't get you in under African American because you're not Jewish from Ethiopia. You're too far removed from your Irish, Scottish, American Indian roots. Nor Hispanic, you're from the better side of the ocean. You just don't have the right blood in you.”

I have the WRONG blood? What are you talking about? Can I blame my parents? The government? Who??

"Let me explain. There is no wrong blood. There is just not right blood. Do you understand? I'm sorry Bob you're white. And I don't think that can be blamed on your parents. I think that's only when you murder, rape, or steal something."

I can't believe this. White?!?!? Like the Italians? Germans? Russians? Irish? British? Australians? Greeks? I don't feel like any of those people! I mean all that we have in common is red blood and yellow piss!

"I'm sorry but white it is. Feel free to cry all you want, it's different for men today."

I feel worse now than when I came here, Doc. I must be the only Spanish, Jewish, Scottish, Irish, White American person in the country. I feel worse now that I talked to. I may as well be from Mars. Being white really sucks.

Doc who made up this criteria? Can this be appealed? Can being labeled just plain American help me with anything? Will that allow me to apply for a job, or schooling, or loans, without prejudice?

"Hm. Don't really know. I have Alan Dershowitz’s number, he's still at Harvard. Try him, he performs miracles.”