The First Amendment

Have we ever thought to ourselves that our ideals are questioned in our time of need? A couple of days back one of my good friends quoted "we have to fend for ourselves...we cannot trust the system to help us always". It got me thinking to see where our ideals have been placed. I have been closely following the whole immigration debate and the number one concern for most senators is the idealistic point of view of the immigration. The idea that America is the land of the freedom and anyone should have the right and privilege to settle down in this nation. The undermining of this philosophy is that not everyone has the privilege to do this. We have to struggle and fill endless number of paper work to prove that you belong here. What is to mean to be an American? At the age of eleven I started learning American History. My first quiz I remember was to recite the first amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” It is the fundamental philosophy of the American political lifestyle and the most disputed one of all. The freedom of speech, the famous discussion that resonates in our minds and our hearts. We can question it as well as support it. Yet the question of immigration comes along it is never a clear cut solution.

Senator Kennedy pointed out in of his one of his speeches during the debate that most illegal aliens are no different from most Americans. They come into this country to provide for their family. Most of them are good people with a strong Christian background. Yet they broke the law by coming in illegally. Therefore the consideration that they could be just set free or face heavy consequences has disputed the American community. But the biggest question I think we should ask ourselves is how much as America influenced the rest of the world and changed people's ideas of a better life?

I am a liberal republican. From the age of eleven I have been under the American influence. I started going to the international school in Yemen and from there my knowledge of America grew more and more where I was more adaptable to the society. Being termed a TCK I always found it difficult to cultivate who I am. I am an Indian by birth but my influence of the Indian society goes as far as my family. Yes it is true I have some of the core principals that I carry which are Indian but I think more now in the American way than how an Indian would. It is because I have become accustomed and influenced by it. But the influence actually started when my father joined Caltex in 1975 and he being influenced and opened by the American dream I would say had the greatest impact in my life. When I came here to Boston in 2000 it was the easiest transition for me.

My best friends are the full breaded Americans. They influenced me in many ways of my thoughts and my actions. Music, food, lifestyle, upbringing, these are the things I was able to understand in this culture and how things worked. Most Americans are hard working people. There is an upbringing of making it out on your own. The individualistic ideas that shape you and you determine how your life is to be shaped. The freedom to say what you want to say. The Democratic idea that a man or a woman is free to do what he or she wants to do and say what you want to say as long as the laws are followed. I have lived in countries where this is just an idea but never the philosophy. This philosophy has influenced many cultures due to the ever growing American venture on the global market. Yet according to a piece of paper and a document I am not considered an American.

What is process to become an American or to be broader what is the philosophy of becoming a citizen in the country? Is it determined by just a paper for you to be acknowledged or is the philosophy of it all? Is it wrong for me to think this way where I have been more influenced by a different culture than my own?

When I finished college and no idea of what to do, the biggest problem I faced was immigration. I saw people around where they would take under the table jobs. Yes man does need to survive, so therefore he/she does turn against the law. I refused to that. I believed in the system. Even though 9/11 happened and all the Wars that are going along and with the economy trying to regain itself, I knew the system will fix itself over time. I believed that waiting patiently and trying to believe that God will bring sanity and stability is all I had. I did not have money and I relied on my friends who graciously helped me. I struggled to make things mend. I was rejected in my job opportunities where sponsorship was the biggest problem and they were blindly to turn away. Even in my previous job at Berklee, they would not look at me due to the fact that the system did not permit them to. Yet I told myself I will not break the law and I will follow and struggle to make it. Why do we have to fend for ourselves? Then what is the use of the government? If I am a good candidate for the job why am I been questioned on my nationality rather that whether I will be influential to the American community?

I see most Americans are sometimes unaware of some of the cultures. I feel that if I could explain to them where I saw it and how I experienced it, they would understand other cultures and how things work better. I saw this in my friends when they made their trip Singapore and Malaysia, they were easily adapting because they were aware of things that I talked to them about.

If I am a product of the American influence and the dream, why am I being always questioned of my rights to live here and that a paper has to be determined that I belong here? I have not broken the law by trying to get a job where it is not legal. I truly believe with my background I can understand people and work for a better influence. This is just not me but there are thousands of other people who are influence just like me.

The immigration debate has opened our eyes to see where the system has failed. It has not given a person like me any opportunity to grown in this society. May be just because I am young I do not understand the complexity of the system and why a simple guy like me can live and work here without the hassles and try to progress in society and influence it. It has given the opportunity for an illegal but for me who tries to follow the system by believing in the rights has no end to this debate.