Latinos non-violent protests demanding changes in the New Immigration Law - Essay Example

?Running head: Persuasive Essay Persuasive Essay Insert Insert Grade Insert 18 October Persuasive Essay My Dear Countrymen/citizens Writing here from the state of Arizona, which is one of the few states to have and catered for a large number of Latino people, I would want to address the hearts of great men and women of Arizona and larger America society. Importantly, this concerns the reservations some of you have expressed with regards to Latinos non-violent protests demanding changes in the New Immigration Law. First, let me acknowledge that the issue of illegal immigration in USA remains a concern of everybody in our society, and Latinos are not excluded (Boundary of the United States Para. 1-4). American Latinos suffer in the same way their fellow non-Latinos suffer when illegal immigrants impact on the social, economic, and political security become overwhelming and less manageable. Just like white Americans, legal and genuine American Latinos wants a free society; that is equal in its dealing with everyone, and that is just in treating everyone fairly and not because of his or her race. This is in addition to rewarding all people equally depending on their hard work and success without discrimination; indeed, that is the same thing American Latinos want to see in America. My brothers and sisters, let me remind you that the issue of illegal immigration in USA has not started with Latinos, but remains historical in nature, starting even before the independence of this great nation. Throughout this period, efforts, visions, and mechanisms to deal with immigrants has not been fair at all; rather, it has tried to pursue, promote, and institutionalize discrimination in our Nation to particular groups of our nation. This discrimination has further been transferred and implanted in our society’s instruments of justice, economy, education, political, and legal environment to an extent that they largely draw a thin line between genuine American Latinos and the illegal immigrants. Latinos who call America home should remember that they have not been spared in this wide discrimination and segregation, and this has not been their fault but the ignorance, laxity, and cruelty of our various social institutions and structures that continuously ‘refuse’ to accept these people as part of American people. The presence of American Latinos in this great country cannot be questioned or doubted, specifically if one had to revisit the history of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 and Gadsden Treaty of 1854 (Englekirk and Marin p.1). For those who may appear to be ignorant of these two treaties and only view Latinos in the perspectives of illegal criminals in USA, part of Mexico was curved off and became USA territory through constitutional recognition. People in these territories therefore had no choice but to call USA their home; yes, their home to enjoy all privileges entitled to all Americans. They did not force their way to become Americans, but it is America that made them part of this society. Becoming Americans further did not deny the Latinos their cultural identity, their cultural belonging and also their cultural freedom. They still remained part and parcel of their brothers and sisters at ‘home’. What I have noticed with majority of you fellow Americans is that, we sparingly visit and reflect on out constitution, which is the supreme custodian of our actions. Our constitution remains clear and candid that all people of God are endowed with certain unalienable rights, which remain inherently natural and part of human being. Nobody can boast, claim, or even seek credit that human rights are privileges granted by the government or any form of mechanism. Therefore, it greatly saddens when the rights of Latinos are grossly violated in the name of dealing with illegal immigrants. Let me express here that, being objective and rational in your mind as I am will allude to the fact that the issues and problems facing Americans in terms of security, economy and social welfare have not been brought about by Latino people. There are many white Americans who are a threat to the security of the country just like there are many African American as well as people from other ethnic groups. Therefore, the country cannot just generalize and systematically implant the notion that Latinos remain the dreaded people to the security and economic set-up of the country. Let me posit that, there are many Latinos, majority of whom remain loyal to the principles of USA constitution, but remain victims of brutality of injustices in our society. There are many Latinos, hard working and governed by essence and tunes of the ‘American Dream’ toiling honestly, patiently and obediently to achieve the American Dream, but whom our injustice systems and instruments continue to deny chance, space, and freedom to be proud of America. Many of you, I know will be quick to point and castigate Latinos as criminals, tax evaders, free beneficiaries of social welfare services, and all manners of excuse. But wait a minute, visit our incarceration records, and however biased they may be, they will point to the fact that our prisons are full of white criminals, bound to derail achievement of American Dream for other people. At the same time, however skillful they may be, there exist many white Americans who commit major white collar crimes that have crumbled our corporate and business world. Moreover, there are many white Americans whom this great society will be much better if it were not for their criminal, social, legal and economic malpractices. However, my brothers and sisters, our society’s social control systems remain blind to these white Americans and because of their origin and color enjoys immunity to engage in all manner of ills. Let us be bold and truthfully, even for one minute and appreciate the good work Latinos have done for this country. Their energy, dedication and motivation continues to drive the growth of American economy. Their presence in many industries across the country has catapulted USA as the most powerful industrial country in the world. Many areas of the country continue to blossom and glow from the entrepreneur and sacrificial activities of Latinos. Remember historically, the American standard of living rose fastest during peak immigration periods and continues to rise today. Therefore, our greatest source of wealth is not natural resources or the capital base, but the ingenuity and creativity of our entrepreneurs and workers, whom constitute Latinos. Let us be candid that majority of immigrants who come here are motivated by desire to seek a free, productive life that in nature embody the American spirit. Through their actions, they have shown that they are far better Americans than most people born in the U.S. A, an aspect they even expresses in politics, while most Americans do not even bother to vote, Latinos abandon their former life and culture and risk everything to embrace the American dream. I am particularly saddened by your expressed reservations for the Latinos protest over the New Arizona Immigration Law. But I request you my brothers and sisters to take time and reflect upon the history of minority progress in this society. It has always been bitter, cruel, discriminatory, killing, and even demoralizing, all carried out by the very institutions and instruments that are to see implementation of the new law. And if in the past have been ignorant of the basic rights of humans, what convinces majority of you that this time they will behave? Dealing with illegal immigration cannot be achieved by harsh conditions that are spelt out in the new law; instead, it will just accelerate the already increasing tension in our state and America as whole. Dealing with illegal immigration requires goodwill, sincerity, respect, and uphold our constitution. We need collaborative mechanisms among the various social, political, economic, cultural and legal institutions of our society. We cannot just create politically-motivated laws and think that isolation of other social mechanisms will bring genuine success. Let us also not forget that America remains ‘nation of immigrants’, and we cannot just wake up one day and deal with the issue for ones and all (Silverleib Para. 1-3). What our nation needs is, a comprehensive and workable immigration law that reflects input of various people and resources in our society, and more so, a law that is not perceived to be discriminatory in its content, expression and connotation (Silverleib Para. 1-3). All of us can agree to the fact that all of us need an American society that is ‘home’ to those who can call it home and that we cannot just discriminate through ‘inhumane laws’ in order to achieve that ‘paradise’ home. I believe therefore, my brothers and sisters you will act, think and reflect on Latinos’ concerns with a pure heart less guided by humanity evils that have characterized our society for a long time. Yours for the cause of Latino rights Insert Name Works Cited Boundary of United States. Americans working to stop illegal immigration. N.d. 21 October 2011 http://www.endillegalimmigration.com/History_of_Illegal_Immigration_in_US/index.shtml. Englekirk, Allan & Marin, Marguerite. Countries and their cultures: Mexican-Americans. El Chicano Publishers, 2011. 21 October 2011 http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Le-Pa/Mexican-Americans.html. Silverleib, Alan. “Obama calls immigration reform critical, blasts GOP opponents.” CNN Politics, 10 May 2011. 21 October 2011 http://articles.cnn.com/2011-05-10/politics/obama.immigration_1_immigration-laws-american-immigration-reform-mexican-border?_s=PM:POLITICS. Read More