There are four significant lessons from Kindergarten that have survived in my memory over the course of my lifetime: how to sculpt a vase out of paper mâché, the recipe for making blue Play-Doh, all of the ways a rock can be decorated to look like a farm animal, and most importantly, how to perfectly recite the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States with correct form and proper etiquette. All of these lessons have lived in the obscure recesses of my mind for approximately 15 years, but the fourth lesson has been exercised much more frequently and certainly introduced to the lives of every other individual in America beside myself. Almost like clockwork, our muscle memory reminds us, when appropriate, to stand up, remove any headwear, place
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Along with the restrictions outlined by Lim, immigration to the United States faces challenges such as California’s Proposition 187, which denied public services to illegal immigrants in order to specifically discourage Latino migration and entry into the country. Racial bias and conflict was fundamental to passing the initiative, as anti-Latino campaigns were used to greatly influence voters and obtain winning votes. Racially motivated initiatives can be hard to expose, as verbiage can mask discriminatory sentiment even if the policy is tried under equal protection and in its nature culturally discriminates (Ancheta 99). Additionally, gaining citizenship to the U.S. is not simple. As immigration visas expire, finding sponsorship and support for a track to citizenship status is scarce and complex. Undocumented families and individuals can go years without finding a path to legal status …show more content…
With these fears, daily life in America can be filled with paranoia and stress (Lim). Nevertheless, Asian American’s have been working hard to challenge and re-define what it means to be American. In an interview with Asian American undocumented student Tony Choi, Lim unveils a young boy with a “flat American accent” and a place with several other Korean peers in an advocate group dedicated to the DREAM act, a legislation that allows undocumented youths who have served in the military or attended two years of college to obtain green cards and continue their potential in America. Tam Tran, a Vietnamese graduate from UCLA testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law to push for the DREAM Act as a future adult and potential contributor to American society (“Testimony”). These students have actively worked to show that their potential and hard work for education and dedication to the country is a large part of what it means to be an American. Physical appearance and birth country does not limit in what country the heart
Along with the restrictions outlined by Lim, immigration to the United States faces challenges such as California’s Proposition 187, which denied public services to illegal immigrants in order to specifically discourage Latino migration and entry into the country. Racial bias and conflict was fundamental to passing the initiative, as anti-Latino campaigns were used to greatly influence voters and obtain winning votes. Racially motivated initiatives can be hard to expose, as verbiage can mask discriminatory sentiment even if the policy is tried under equal protection and in its nature culturally discriminates (Ancheta 99). Additionally, gaining citizenship to the U.S. is not simple. As immigration visas expire, finding sponsorship and support for a track to citizenship status is scarce and complex. Undocumented families and individuals can go years without finding a path to legal status …show more content…
With these fears, daily life in America can be filled with paranoia and stress (Lim). Nevertheless, Asian American’s have been working hard to challenge and re-define what it means to be American. In an interview with Asian American undocumented student Tony Choi, Lim unveils a young boy with a “flat American accent” and a place with several other Korean peers in an advocate group dedicated to the DREAM act, a legislation that allows undocumented youths who have served in the military or attended two years of college to obtain green cards and continue their potential in America. Tam Tran, a Vietnamese graduate from UCLA testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law to push for the DREAM Act as a future adult and potential contributor to American society (“Testimony”). These students have actively worked to show that their potential and hard work for education and dedication to the country is a large part of what it means to be an American. Physical appearance and birth country does not limit in what country the heart