There are two Americas. One is called the United States of America. It is a geographical place and a system of government. One can walk into the United States, and one can walk out of it. It's real, it's tangible.
The other is called, simply, America. It is not a place you can touch. It is an idea. It is a chimera, an unrealizable dream. The real place, the United States, is always less than the dream of America. America is the dream of what might be, of what could be. It is the dream of immigrants. It is a chance to succeed, an opportunity that immigrants didn't have in the country they left behind: "the old country."
The United States of America has many problems, but it also has many people who are determined to solve those problems. Those people want the United States to be better than it is. They want the United States to one day become as great as the dream of America. That may never happen, but I think that if it happens, it will be immigrants who make it happen. Immigrants have not lost the dream that brought them to these shores, to these mountains and plains, to these cities and towns and villages.
Many people who call themselves Americans, and who were born and grew up in the United States, have become disillusioned and embittered. They have lost the dream, because they have not lived their lives in the world beyond American shores. For immigrants, America has always been a goal as much as it has been a dream. They struggled to get here. Many risked their lives to get here. Many have died on that journey. Since 1998, at least 8,000 migrants have died attempting to cross the border from Mexico to the US.
There are people living in the United States who would like to change the country. They want to make it into a country that only people like themselves can fit into. I think those people should leave the United States and go to a country that they think is better. Stay there. Don't come back. To them I say, the dream of America is too big for you. To them I say, you will never be happy here until you are unhappy elsewhere. Then maybe you can understand the dream. Then maybe you can understand America.
2 comments:
Hello!
America is the miracle, hope and future for many people, specially immigrants.
Many Americans don't know or don't understand why. Millions of immigrants come from very poor countries, third world countries and under develop countries. Our currency is very low related with the dollar rate. United States or America as you call it, is the most developed and organized country financially in the world. That is why people believe in this country.
When Immigrants come here and find a job, they send their money to their families in order to support them financially. They do whatever is necessary in order to accomplish their goals. They are had workers and they do the job that Americans don't do.
I don't agree that they stay illegal here but I truly believe that the government should be conscious of how they need their labor here. So I think that the government should be more open to consider other possibilities. I believe that USCIS or Immigration offices should create a system where they can stablish priorities for people which their cases are not too difficult to solve faster than others.
I definitely don't accept the stupid high amounts of money that they charge for filing or processing the forms in order to get a residency here. They have to be clear that poor immigrants don't come to get a residency as soon as they enter into the country with no money. Do you think that is fair to pay between $7.000 to $10.000 in order to get a work permission and residency and many times the residency is deny? And that is not the worst part, the worst is that they charge this huge amounts of money and it takes 12, 18 and more months to process and grant the permissions or residencies. I ask: "is this fair"?
Maybe now, you can understand why so millions of immigrants stay illegally in the "beautiful America". At the end, is it worthy?
Remember, this is my opinion.
Great job Mr. VW. I love this post.
TA
Greetings
I completely agree with your post -- this is so well written with excellent descriptions that are clear and concise. US citizens have definitely become embittered with our gov't and way of doing things.
Politian's say "let me be your voice" but we find once in office --it's only their voice or their cronies we hear.
It breaks my heart that people have to leave their own countries and move so far away to a new land to be able to survive. I know people would prefer to remain in their own country with their own ways and customs -- but for obvious reasons cannot. Their family chain is broken as everyone cannot generally move or do not wish too. New ways with new languages are hard to deal with in addition to getting jobs to make money.
My wish for the world is that each and every human can live in peace and prosperity with the families and cultures they love.
I think the problem is so huge answers are never easy.
I love meeting people from other cultures and learning about them. I would never be unkind or mean but instead help them in any way possible.
Excellent blog --
Best, LL
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