Unless you a Native America, then you are an immigrant, like me. We are all aliens in America. It’s time that we all embrace our inner alien. That is the fundamental truth that Nativists – those who argue against immigrants – seem to forget. If you are an American arguing against immigrants, then it is time to stop your hypocrisy and examine your own immigrant journey to America. Whether you are of Asian, Irish, European, Mexican or any other ancestry, you’re an immigrant, like me and countless others living and working in America.
Yes, I am aware of the notion that its not about immigration, but rather about doing it the right way. As much as I try to explain that there is no “right way” to emigrate it doesn’t seem to keep some of you from arguing that immigrants should come to America the “right way”. Except that there is no right way.
The Pilgrims, America’s founding settlements, didn’t come to America the “right way”. The Pilgrims, like all other immigrants to America came to the country and displaced the native populations. Manifest Destiny didn’t displace the Hispanic populations from the United States the “right way,” either, it just pushed them out, or absorbed them into the country. But it didn’t kill the Latino culture, or its spirit.
Take, for example the names of certain states, like California, Nevada or Colorado. Those are Spanish names. Outdoor grilling, a quintessential American pastime, isn’t American, it’s Mexican. Outdoor grilling American-style meats was introduced to Americans via the Vaqueros, or the Texan Cowboys, who’s cultural identity was also absorbed into the country.
In other words, the American identity is immigrant and it evolves as new immigrants introduce their heritage to the nation. The Pilgrims displaced the Native Americans and the westward expansion of the country displaced the Hispanics that were in the way. Each new culture displaces the previous culture as the country evolves. And therein lies the nexus to the hostility towards immigrants.
Each new evolution of the America culture displaces the previous one. The Catholic influx displaced the White-Protestant identity as the Hispanic culture is displacing the Anglo-Saxon identity that is leading the nativists’ fight against immigration today.
But the reality is that, except for Native Americans, there is no native culture that has the right to stop other cultures from changing the face of the United States. Whether it is culture or language, the United States is a country of immigrants. No U.S. citizen can lay claim to immigrating the “right way” because if you go back far enough in any American family you will find that the ancestors came to America as immigrants looking to change the face of America.
So, stop pretending you own the right to tell other immigrants following in your footsteps that there is a “right way” to immigrate to this country.
All Americans are immigrants, and as such, are alien to America. It’s time for all Americans to Embrace Your Inner Alien.
To help you along, here are a few social media graphics to proudly post on your social media channels:
Social Media Avatar: (right-click and save to your device)
Social Media Post – Large (right-click and save to your device)
Social Media Post – Small (right-click and save to your device)
I’ve also created t-shirts, coffee mugs and stickers to show case your inner alien. Follow this link to the store.
There is a legal way and an illegal way. Legal immigrants are not harassed by ICE and have nothing to worry about. As for cultural displacement, I believe in E Pluribus Unum. Anglos look at Mexico and can say we love the food and tequila, but that is not who we want to become, a lawless and violent nation like Mexico.