Tuesday, May 29, 2007

a perspective from over the border- the other border

Some may think I'm from Mars, I'm actually from Canada, same difference to some and to others- no it's not another state! All of that to say I have a so totally different perspective on immigration that I feel like I have two heads on my neck, a freak in the south, so far from "home".

How do I start? My mom is from Jamaica, dad is Canadian, but can trace his roots abroad within 2 generations. For a huge portion of the Canadian population, this is not at all weird, it's reality and it's celebrated. When a foreigner comes to our borders it's not the Spanish inquisition, but something like: "Wow, new blood, someone else to fill this vast space and help me out of the ditch in winter, want to immigrate?" Ok, so maybe not quite that easy. But Agent B was given the welcome mat, "we'd love to have you live here" speech by immigration a couple of trips ago, to my sheer delight.

You see it's a Canadian thing that we embrace different cultures. That is our pride: our diversity. The more the merrier.

Don't know our language? We'll learn yours! That's how I learned French. There has always been a tension between the French side of Canada and the English. If they were recent immigrants, I'm sure they would be welcomed with open arms. But the real battles of race there (French-English-Native) are rooted in the founding of Canada, which is not all that ridiculously long ago as compared to most the world. One proposed solution to the tension was to set up French immersion schools. Not where the French could learn English- the majority spoken language (like Spanish immersion here), but so that the English folk could better understand the minority. Neither of my parents know French, but they sent all 3 of their kids to French immersion schools (K-12) and me to a French college in Quebec-- it's all about learning about each other, learning to live as one, appreciating and embracing the new culture.

Canadians root for the underdog-- having troubles in your country? "Come to Canada- we have been there, if not this generation, then not too long ago." In the wintery North, our common battle is the cold, the elements, the vastness of space and what is seen as the oppressive neighbor to the South. Over and over immigrants are spouting off their love of Canada in that it has welcomed them and made them feel at home and among family.

I totally don't understand the arguments I hear here about: "illegals using up tax dollars and resources, those people coming here and taking our jobs... [our whatever]. I work hard to enjoy what we have here".

The fact is most of the world works hard so that we can enjoy what we have here, while they get diddly squat. They work interminable hours so that we can buy exotic foods cheap, an insanely huge variety, while they can't afford the very food they labored over for us (rich north americans). Who are we to say that we OWN the resources on this continent (and on every other continent if I hold up my almighty dollar- and that no- you can't have a chance to make a dollar too- and have my privileges like eating good food)? Is this not some kind of slavery? Why is it that I was born in a certain zip code (postal code for Canadians) and not on some dung heap in third world wherever? Would I be all adamant claiming my rites of nationality if I lived over raw sewage, if my kids basically working as slaves, if there was no opportunity for any real living? Would I not go looking somewhere else? Would I not be any less entitled? Are we not all humans on planet earth?

I've always seen the entire world as my home and as a totally alien place too. That I could live anywhere and also not be fully at home. There is Scottish, Norwegian, Jamaican and Canadian blood coursing through my bones, no telling where all the roots come from. So I've kinda thought I could just fit anywhere. It's true too. Hispanics here assume I'm Hispanic. Blacks think I'm black and Yovos (whites in the language of the Fon of Benin, West Africa) think I'm white. I can kinda drift in and out of situations and lay low.

But all this talk on immigration to me is like a slap in the face-- like go back to picking cotton you N*g** (Which I was called once as a kid and thought the other kid asked if I came from the county of Niger- which we had just studied in class).

To me, the entire immigration squabbles miss the point. The point being that we are all immigrants if we go back far enough (except a very precious few) and that any country's most valuable asset is not money or land or medicaid, but it's people. And that people coming from different places carry with them a richness that can not be duplicated even if they just come with the clothes on their backs. They come with culture, language, stories and drive, creativity, uniqueness, flavors, music, arts, knowledge and uniqueness that will become that of their new country if they are only welcomed, embraced and made to feel at home. I heard that genetically we are all related within 10 generations. Are we not all family?

7 comments:

Deana said...

this could...*should* be published somewhere! so right on!

miller said...

very good post!

i have a couple of questions concerning the immigration issue and i feel them brewing into a post of my own at some point...

here they are:

1) which government is responsible for the living conditions of non-US citizens; this one, or the one from which they come?

2) i assume Christians have a responsibility here. is this responsibility to get involved in politics or in ministering to the oppressed?

3)can we trust our government to do the right thing regarding immigration? (my sense is that no matter what it does, immigrants are still gonna get screwed)

4) are the concerns of those who oppose the current immigration bill unfounded; or could they be legitimate?

again, i am certainly with you on the plight of those who would immigrate! i think we really should see ourselves as global citizens who are really just transients... migrant workers if you will.

but this view i have (much like, if not the same as your own) doesn't erase the questions from my mind.

peace

Mike Murrow said...

totally off topic but...


man i do miss canada. although, when i asked about citizenship they only laughed. but other than that i loved it.

oh, yeah i like what you wrote.

agent wife said...

Thanks all-

Miller- some thoughts to add to your cauldron: I'm a non-US citizen, here legally, with green card, but no citizenship here. Some smart aleck lady in Canada cut up my free medicare card when she found out I was living in the US. Maybe it's like my accent a little from there, a little from here? I totally wouldn't trust the gov. or system to care for the marginalized. At one point, I heard there may be a bill passed forcing non-profs to refuse service to illegals. To me, that's one where we have to say we have a higher authority. If they are hungry- feed them. That's how I read it. It's not my job to find out why they are hungry or to judge if they are "worthy" of my bread.

RCM- Steve said...

Hi agent wife,

Nice post, well articulated.

I go back and forth in my thoughts about immigrants coming to this country. But one thing that the Lord impresses on me is my response to individuals. That's crystal clear: "love your neighbor as yourself", "when I was hungry you fed Me, when I was naked you clothed Me". Where I can make a difference in the lives of those around me, I should & I shall, no matter where they are from.

trish said...

Beautiful passion- sounds well-brewed in the outpouring. Respect your position. It angers me to hear the mentioned perspectives- it has always angered me. Like someone once told me,"No you cannot slap the redneck out of someone, no matter how much you want to or how hard you try." Not to isolate or pick on country folks. It is just where I happen to live, thus it is where I draw a lot of perspective with regard to comments made to my daughter like, Mexicans will never do anything great. Or to a friend of mine, " you guys are used to working outside in the heat."

I don't know - I have gotten equally irritated with people that teach each other how to maximize their gov't beni's.(people of all colors). It seems if they have that much "ability" they could contribute to community rather than draw from it.

In my heart. I love to help people. I love to be a giver. I love to love people.

I also get irritated when people choose to deny diversity. It is such a beautiful picture. It is the lovliness of God.

I actually thought I could get politically active in this small community. Start with city council. I had such unrest. No peace about it. I never turned in my app. It seems that there ended up being an empty seat. Bummer. I though I should get out in the community more. Meet more people, try to "make a difference." Sheesh. I tried to call a local club, to ask about joining. I was asked- who do you know? Who can recommend you? We cannot just let you in our "club". Whoa. So much for that route.

I know there are means of networking and building bridges to resources and I intend to find those ways and make them more accessible to people in my community. The people that need them, not the people that want to be recognized for paying to contribute to a well- deserving graduate in the sum of a 250 dollar scholoarship.

Thanks for caring. You are a beautiful lady.

agent wife said...

tangerine- thank you for sharing your experiences. I used to think it's just Texan ignorance (perhaps arrogantly so), but now I've been meeting more and more foreigners who have really been hurt by comments as well as feel like they've entered the twilight zone here with how everything is so dated in the way of perspectives, being so closed minded to other cultures or people.