the R
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R is for racism. It’s got to stop. Not too long ago, I was stopped by an American immigration officer who,
because of my religion, said I couldn’t celebrate Christmas and travel to America during Christmas break. Let me tell you facts.. I lived in America for 8 years. I was 8 in 1993 when I landed in New York. I did exactly what I supposed to – assimilate with the American culture. I forgot most of my mother tongue, Bhojpuri, and became an American. From my accent to the way I dressed, I was an American. You couldn’t differentiate me from any American except by taking note of my skin color. I loved America because it gave me the opportunities (although I didn’t realize when I was 8 ) that no country could have given me. I went to a private elementary school – was showered with knowledge and insight that I still dearly remember and tap into. America gave me everything I wanted; it allowed me to dream but more importantly, it made me believe in my dreams. I was an American first and then a Nepali.
A few years later, my family migrated to Canada because my dad received his permanent resident card in Canada (similar to the Green card in America). He only had a student visa in America which isn’t very stable because the rules state that you must leave once you graduate from school. So naturally, he jumped on the opportunity to come to Canada with a permanent resident status. He wanted us to have the best education possible in the western world. Canada was second to none.
We respect America. It gave us the opportunity that no other country could have given. After having spent 8 early (but important) years of my life in Connecticut, I thought of America as my home. So two years ago, when I crossed the border to visit my sister in America, I was really distressed when the American immigration office treated me with disrespect even though we had an American visitor’s visa and had traveled to America on the exact visa numerous times. You really have to trust me when I say that I really think highly of America (even with Bush as president).
Here’s a summary of how it went down:
It was two days before Christmas – my parents and I made the trip down with our Ontario license plate on our SUV down to NYC.
We were super excited to see the green highway signs in NY (as opposed to the blue ones you see in Canada)…We got stopped at the border. It was cool… we have to pay our $6 since we were on visitor’s visa….but then we got harassed from the very Americans we respected.
Immigration officer: Why are you visiting the states?
Dad: We are visiting my daughter during Christmas break and having Christmas dinner.
Immigration officer: What is your religion?
Dad: What?
Immigration officer: What IS YOUR RELIGION?
Dad: Hindu.
Immigration Officer: …Hindus don’t celebrate Christmas. Why are you visiting America during Christmas?
Dad: I’m visiting my daughter and we have Christmas off.
Immigration officer: You didn’t answer my question… Hindus don’t celebrate Christmas!
Dad: .. uhhh…
Me: The last time I checked you don’t have to be Christian to observe Christmas… and to have Christmas dinner.
Immigration Officer: I’m taking to your dad…if you don’t shut up, I’ll deny your visa.
Me: Umm… *very scared*
We got our entry but we were humiliated.
We love America but this was not the America we loved.
Why the hate? Because we are brown and Hindu and ignorant American immigration officers don’t know how to separate Hindus from terrorists.
This is unacceptable coming from a super power. Please educate your immigration officers. This is probably not the first impression you want foreigners to have of America.
Peace. And Merry Christmas.
That’s what you get for loving America. Good thing you’re in Canada, we accept all rejects. hahaaa
Stop defeating the point of this post.
Yo, Aditya, i dont know where to start, there is so much racism in this country, and this America used to make it illegal to discriminate against mainly blacks and all other minorities, so I ask myself why so serious? What is it with people that makes them want to discriminate and belittle against people of color? What kind of seeds of hatred or disrespect causes them to show scourn brown skinned people? My mother used to live in fear in Birmingham, Alabama, blacks used to get humiliated and we must ask ourselves, damn why are you trying to humiliate me? or it’s like do you have a problem with me because I look different than you?
You are as American as anything, and even if you were not an American we are all still the same human beings no matter where you come from, it’s just that those border police had a little bit of power they knew you guys were traveling a long distance and he wanted to make you guys feel little, and inferior, this country has been built on racist laws and the people in power are still racist.
I feel your frustration son, I have been pulled by the police right here in new haven all of the time and they ask me stupid questions, and I am like what?
Don’t let them get to you because there are a lot more of them out there that will do the same, damn snakes in the grass biting at your ankles, aight, peace, one love, Jah guide.
The problem with these border guards (or even police) is that these jobs generally attract people who are uneducated and like to have power.
Racism will linger in these types of people longer than others, which is unfortunate because they are the first impression you get when entering the states.
Unfortunately, that border guard personifies what most foreigners think of America – obnoxious, arrogant and insipid. Racism can’t be defeated, it can be decreased and what not sure, but it can’t be stopped. Canada has enough racism too, it’s just more subtle :p
here’s my take on all of this…
i understand that racism exists every where, be it canada or the US… but just because it is apparent every where, we cannot simply brush it under the carpet. I think we need to get to the root cause of racism. is it because of lack of education or is deeper than that? not sure… do you think certain individuals are more racist no matter the level of their education, environment etc.. do you think these seeds of racism are planted the very moment they are born? and why? are certain individuals afraid that people who do not look like them can coexist and be successful? is this the worry? do they want to hold some sort of power over what they believe are inferior individuals… but who plants these seeds of racism?
Personally I think racism will always exist. When you look at a person on the street (or at a country border), you always judge by appearance…its just first impressions. You decide to like the person or you dont.
People always have prejudices against people who look different from themselves. For example the border guard looked at your family, saw that you were brown and decided not to like you because you were different. But what about prejudices between people of the same color? This happens all the time as well. You have big muscular jocks and you have small weedy nerds. When you have jocks picking on nerds because they’re different what do you call that? Nerdism?
Its just fundamental human nature to dislike people who look different from you.
I agree that there’s discrimination amongst people of their own color. But I disagree that it’s human nature to dislike people who look different from you. Personally, I classify people in a few categories… be it jock, or a nerd, or rocker or whatever. But I don’t discriminate in any way. If I was at a party, I wouldn’t humiliate anyone because of the simple fact that they look different than me.. In fact, I would discriminate my own kind by being more friendly to peeps who aren’t the same color as me. Say I met a white rocker at a party… I wouldn’t hate on the fact that they listen to The Police, but be more interested on why they do… and even check out their music if I am sold.
Hmm I could write a whole article on this
. Perhaps my analogy was wrong because jocks *know* nerds are different, whereas two people of different races *assume* that the other is different based on superficial differences like skin color etc. And this initial assumption leads to dislike between the parties.
So maybe you’re right, once people get more educated, and learn that their initial assumptions are wrong, hostile encounters like yours wont happen anymore.
But there will always be hostility among people when they *know* the other is different and dislike each other for that reason. Unfortunately that will be branded as racism, even though fundamentally I dont think it is.