or these dudes:
then I think I'm good. Well, that's not true. If being an American means being these dudes, then I'm glad I'm (insert racial/ethnic identity here)-American. I think it's just interesting that there's actually no merit to this situation whatsoever and these "Americans" are still going on and on about it. I mean it's like they have no understanding of our citizenship laws or history and... Oh, wait, I think I've stumbled on the problem. Well, for the next time that this becomes an issue (in a few months time I'd imagine) I just want to say two things:
1. If at least one of your parents is an American citizen, and has not given up that citizenship, you are an American.
2. Contrary to popular belief, Hawaii is, in fact, a state. So, by default, if you are born in an American state you are, regardless of your parents' citizenship status, an American citizen.
Whew, I'm glad that's over with because it was getting... well frankly... annoying as all shit!
But that's all "common sense" (yes I know mom, commense sense is not, in fact, common). What I really wanted to talk about is how this whole situation has brought into focus the way that some peole in this country (and some outside of it) understand citizenship. Namely, there are a shitload of people who equate citizenship with race. Thus, what's actually going on here, in my estimation, is an assertion that American means white and Hawaii is so foreign, what with their luaus and Asian people, that they're not a valid part of "our" country. So let's take those in kind.
First, I would like to say that even if President Obama's father had not been Kenyan I truly believe that some people would have questioned his citizenship as a Black man... Oh, wait that happened didn't it. Everytime a white person questions a Black person's patriotism (or any person of color), what they're actually saying is "you're not a real American." Because, let's face it, a real American in this calculation is a white person. Thus, white people can criticize this country all they want, but their citizenship is not at question. But when we do it (person of color we), we're suspect. If people believe that shit than just be bold enough to say it, because pussy footing around and using coded, post-racial language is so irritating. Just say you're a xenophobic racist so people can ignore you. Oh, never mind I see why you're doing what you're doing. Damn... you crafty devils.
I just think that people need to be more aware. I find it interesting that no one in California questioned Arnold Schwarzenegger's Americanness, a man born and raised until his early 20s in another country, but they questioned Pres. Obama's. We all know why that is (race) and I'm so tired of the people who ignore that or (gasp) don't see it.
I also hate that these debates are based on the President and First Lady's rare moments of criticism of the U.S. In their minds, any person of color who dares to crticize this country does not know what it means to really be an American. Well I would like to say that criticizing our government and elected officials is exactly what being a "real" American means. So even these "birther" douchebags are Americans... unfortunately. I would also like to take this time to say that a history of oppression is the true trend in American history, so people of color (the collective majority mind you) just might have a better handle of the "American experience" than these douchebags with the signs...
Secondly, our president was born in Hawaii. When I first heard the critique I thought, "um, but it's a state..." We annexed that shit in 1896 and so totally made those islands our bitch... I mean made it our 50th state in 1959." And since our 44th president was born there two years later... what's the problem again? And then it dawned on me... Hawaii has a shitload of Asians.
In Hawaii, people of Asian and Native Hawaiian ancestry make up more than half of the entire population. And in my opinion, the whole "birther" controversy isn't just about whether or not our president is a citizen, but if Hawaii and all those Asians are American. White settlement efforts on the islands didn't come out of a vacuum.
I originally wanted Jean and I to write this entry together because I saw a near perfect union our interests (mine about African Americans and Jean about Asians) but since we're in 2 states, with a 3 hour time difference and generally lazy (stereotypes be damned!) it just didn't happen. So I solicitied her comments on the issue:
When I'm in America, i've been approached by ignorant folks who assume I'm a newI've heard, and experienced. this with friends on a number of occasions and it irritates the hell out of me. We can talk about the U.S. being a plural society all we want but the truth is that we are taught to believe that unless the person is white, black (and, if we're smart enough to think about it, Native American) they're foreigners/immigrants. As Jean points out above, this completely denies the scores of Asian Americans and Mexican Americans who, because of our propensity to annex new territory and search for ever cheaper labor to exploit have been in this country for hundreds of years. That's a serious educational lapse.
immigrant into the United States, don't really know English (until I open my
mouth), or my parents must have been new the country from the Philippines.
Being 2nd generation Filipino-American, I go to Cambodia and white
tourists think i'm a prostitute from Cambodia and ask my travel buddies how much
I am, or if I'm for sale. The stereotype I've frequently come across is
that if you are not white, or look "American", you must be a foreigner. In
the case with President Obama, the investigation went too far; and was a blatant
attack on people of color. It was a large statement of ignorance through
racist actions. If he was white, there would be no investigation of his
birthing and U.S. citizenship status. People of color are constantly
looked at through an "otherized" lens; with the option of immigrant bi-focals
(Even though Filipinos may have been here for over 400 years, there is still an
immigrant stamp on every Filipino-American). That is why, when my
grandmother asks if someone is "Americano" she doesn't just mean "American", she
means to ask if "is he full (or part) white". Or, if you have a name like
"Barack Hussein Obama II", you're immediately under suspicion of being
"non-American". That is why I want my children to have crazy
"non-American" names, unlike "Jean". Investigations like this really shows
the depth of political racism Obama has to endure as a president. It
speaks volumes of "systematic investigations" that may occur in any job, or
position that one may hold where their superior is trying to find any means
possible of firing a person of color. It harks on hatred and fear of the
idea that people of color are taking jobs away from qualified white applicants
or candidates. These investigations are a disguise for the deep seeded
racial tensions that our political system is founded on.
From the beginning, being an "American" (don't get me started on how really anyone on this continent is an American, I guess that's another post too) has never meant white. And when it did it was a myth.
And I don't know if this post was a coherent critique of the issue so much as a rant. An "I don't understand wtf you all are talking about. None of this makes any sense so it's hard for me to make sense back"-rant.
But I'll leave you all with this little piece of hilarious clarity:
So maybe we should consider secession... or something.
No comments:
Post a Comment