Multi-Culturalism, A Double-Edged Sword

MULTI-CULTURALISM -A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD by J.C. Sullivan (576 words)
Checking in at The Cloisters, Sea Island, Georgia, I learned my roommate was a peer from our Birmingham, Alabama office. Possessing a life-long curiosity about people, names and places, I eventually asked him about his background. “American,” he replied. Well, so was I.

Pursuing that question regarding his particular ethnic background, I was surprised to learn that he didn’t know. Having grown up in Cleveland, Ohio, a town sometimes called EthniCity, I was always mixed in with various nationalities that were closer to their roots than the gentleman from Birmingham. My friends were first and second generation Polish, Hungarian, Irish….you name it.

I fondly remember the first time I was exposed to the wonderful aroma of John Amato’s sisters baking Italian bread in their West 127th Street home. Eating it fresh from the oven with a slice of tomato on it was a pleasure I remember clearly to this day. From John I learned of the existence of a Sicilian volcano, Mount Etna. Later in school, when I named it as a volcano my teacher did not know, she incorrectly perceived me as a genius (or so my Aunt Marge said).

During those formative years, in school and at home, we were not taught any prejudices against other nationalities. We were, and remain, American first. Oh yes, we were closely allied with our ethnic background, but we were American. Cleveland had its Polish, Czech, Irish, etc, social organizations for sure, and our families, for the most part, had fun and support belonging to them.

We lived in a wealthier nation then. The post-World War II American economy was the world’s model. Jobs were plentiful for those who sought work. And, our families had paid their “dues.” Today, however, things are different.

The State of Georgia recently passed legislation banning illegal immigrants. The government reported their state had the fastest-growing illegal immigrant population in the nation. In Stillmore, a poultry plant was raided and 120 illegals were rounded up and bussed to immigration courts in Atlanta. According to an AOL on-line poll, 77% of Americans support the action. Broadcast television recently covered pro-immigration rallies in American cities. Many Americans, like me, perceive the people who, for example, hoist Mexican flags at these rallies, as a people wanting to be Mexicans in America. We perceive this to be very different than being an American of Mexican descent. Internet images of the American flag flying upside-down on a California high school only served to fuel anti-immigrant anger. Oops, did I say anti-immigrant? I meant to say anti-illegal immigrant anger.

We are witnessing the “polarize the issue” game. And anyone with a camera and microphone is supporting the immigration agenda without regard to the difference. Americans are NOT anti-immigrant. We all come from immigrant backgrounds. We are, however, anti-ILLEGAL immigrant. We now have in this nation hundreds of thousands of unknown people who we know nothing about. They are unschooled, unvaccinated and come with the only clothes on their back, like many of our ancestors. Today, however, they carry half-gallon plastic bottles of water, which later double as urine containers on freight trains. Some of these illegals are criminals and murderers.

Differentiating the two issues would clearly set a path for us to follow. The message to immigrants and our government is this – get in line and come in the front door!

Sullivan is a freelance writer residing in northeast Ohio.