ShareThis“Nobody really cares if you’re miserable, so you might as well be happy.”
-Cynthia Nelms-
UNALIEANABLE RIGHTS
There’s a clause in the U.S. Constitution that says one of the fundamental human rights is ‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’ According to linguists this aforementioned ‘unalienable sovereign right’ is the most well crafted phrase in the English language. How can we enjoy our entitlement to the good life, liberty from tyranny, and make an attempt to attain happiness if segments within our society aren’t free to enjoy theirs? You deny fundamental human rights to the few eventually these same rights will be denied society’s majority. Think: Nazi Germany (1933-1945), Soviet Russia (1917-1991, Peoples China (1949-present), and the other totalitarian regimes. If one person’s rights are violated the many had best be prepared to lose theirs. Any ‘happiness’ denied a marginalized minority will eventually filter through a favored majority.
Immigration is the first step in relocating to any country. Many APA’s (Asian Pacific Americans) and this includes Filipinos, perhaps the most Americanized Asian ethnic group in the United States, are opposed to what they perceive as racist immigration laws. These strictures appear to be designed to keep certain peoples deemed as undesirable out. Racist laws also rein in immigrants who after maneuvering through the complicated legal system, have to contend with the so-called ‘glass ceilings’ that impede their progress. APA’S and Fil-Ams are prime targets.
Asian Americans comprise 14% of all students attending our nation’s top colleges and universities. I believe that discriminatory laws keep the smartest APA’S from enrolling in these schools. To make matters worse, only a handful attend law schools, a discipline needed in the continued civil rights struggle.
And what about discrimination at the work place? How can anybody be happy if they aren’t permitted to achieve at levels within their capacity? The answer is THEY CAN’T.
HATE CRIMES
In spite of the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, hate crimes proliferate through American society. Whenever I read about African-American men being dragged to death bloody body parts strewn along lonely southern roads by truck loads of whites, or when Nazi swastikas are spray painted on Jewish monuments, how the Catholic Church is constantly attacked by the liberal media over its real and imagined failings, or how Latino and Muslim Americans are perceived as lazy baby making ‘border jumpers’ subversives bent on destroying America through terrorism, I get frightened. As a tri-racial person I wonder when my time will come.
As the economic situation worsens, hate-inspired criminality will grow like wild weeds. Metaphorically speaking, the ‘white sheets’ (Klu Klux Klan) will come on as hate crimes regain ‘acceptance’ within our society. During the worst of the Great Depression of the 1930’s the numbers of Africans being lynched peaked. As I type this story there’s a video of a controversial bake sale staged by the Young Republicans at UC Berkeley to open a debate on racism.
How does this affect Chicago area Fil-Ams the Asian communities ‘model Americans?’ From my observations not much; Filipinos are considered a ‘safe bet’…for now. In the Mid-West Fil-Ams are pretty much integrated within mainstream America. The West Coast where there are Fil-Ams in appreciable numbers, things are different. More stringent laws against hate crimes are needed if all sectors within our society are to be truly equal under the law.
IMMIGRATION REFORM
A growing number of APAs are urging the government to decrease the backlog of applicants for U.S. citizenship. They want to increase the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) budget and use it to help clear up the mess. I seriously doubt if ‘the pursuit of happiness’ is achievable if potential citizens don’t know where they stand legally. This and other problems faced by immigrants are a primary call for immigration reform. Reader if you want to learn more about the Immigration Reform debate and get involved here’s some vital information: Office for Immigrant Affairs and Immigration Education-email: esegura@archchicago.org. Their phone is: 1-312-534-5333. Ms. Elena Segura will be more than happy to answer all questions.
FAMILY REUNIFICATION
Every week my wife, a Filipina, and I watch popular TFC Philippine-English program Citizen Pinoy. In case you’re not a TFC aficionado this program is mostly a collection of cases about Fil-Ams and their plight to bring over relatives from back home to the United States. It’s also about Fil-Ams who want to fix their Immigration status. You can search Citizen Pinoy by name over the Internet.
As I understand the current law still permits Fil-Ams to continue to sponsor their relatives to come over. However there are some in the corridors of political power who want this practice to stop. In my opinion I think it wouldn’t be to the best advantage of parties involved to bring this practice to a halt. A lot of good people will be adversely affected; again Immigration Reform is vital.
GOVERNMENT BENEFITS
Fil-Ams are reluctant to go on welfare though public assistance can mean the difference between life and death. This writer was on welfare for the first 14 years of his life. As soon I graduated high school and applied to a city college, my mother + God rest her soul + immediately and not a day sooner went to the ADC (ADIC) office and removed our family from its rolls!
With their extensive network of family and close friends, Filipino-Americans rarely rely on the public dole. They and other APA’S want welfare and other government benefits made available ‘just in case.’ Besides legal immigrants pay taxes and serve in the Armed Forces, the latter being a fast track to Naturalization.
Reader I’m done for this edition of Mega Scene’s Philippine Adventures. Part Two will focus on Affirmative Action, revoking China’s ‘Most Favorite Nation’ status, the International Monitory Fund (IMF), the ‘bread and circus’ mentality of contemporary American culture, and standardized testing. Till next time drive carefully, eat right, don’t smoke, and GOD bless you.
(vamaxwell@yahoo.com)