09/08: On the Road Again, 5
Category: American Culture
Posted by: an okie gardener
When on the Zuni reservation we visited a couple of shops featuring artwork by Zuni and other Native American artists. (Zuni have a tradition of fine jewelry work.) Both shops were run by men with accents perhaps from Lebanon. We purchased a Navajo pot, and a Zuni painting. We also purchased pendants and a fetish from individual artists who approached us while on the reservation.
In Flagstaff the motel owner was European, Polish I think. In Concord the motel manager/or owner may have been Arminian. The night clerk was Afghani. In Albuquerque, Southeast Asian, perhaps Laotian. I don't know how many convenience stores/gas stations on our trip were run by Pakistanis or Indians, including one by turbaned Sikhs.
Legal immigrants bring renewed energy and ambition to America. They are a blessing. If we ever shut our doors we will be the losers.
But, as I've argued before, a nation can accept only a limited number of immigrants per year, and maintain the culture that attracted immigration in the first place.
As usualy in politics, people shout slogans designed to cloud the issue. Those of us who want to secure our borders and regulate immigration are called "anti-immigrant." Horsefeathers. I am pro-legal immigrant, and anti-illegal immigrant.
"Give us your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free." But at a rate we can assimilate.
Previous On the Road posts: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4.
In Flagstaff the motel owner was European, Polish I think. In Concord the motel manager/or owner may have been Arminian. The night clerk was Afghani. In Albuquerque, Southeast Asian, perhaps Laotian. I don't know how many convenience stores/gas stations on our trip were run by Pakistanis or Indians, including one by turbaned Sikhs.
Legal immigrants bring renewed energy and ambition to America. They are a blessing. If we ever shut our doors we will be the losers.
But, as I've argued before, a nation can accept only a limited number of immigrants per year, and maintain the culture that attracted immigration in the first place.
As usualy in politics, people shout slogans designed to cloud the issue. Those of us who want to secure our borders and regulate immigration are called "anti-immigrant." Horsefeathers. I am pro-legal immigrant, and anti-illegal immigrant.
"Give us your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free." But at a rate we can assimilate.
Previous On the Road posts: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4.
Martian Mariner wrote:
I was watching the Olympic opening ceremony last night with some friends, and we commented on the difference between the USA and other countries. During the parade of nations, for the majority of countries, it is indeed nationality which is on display. The Finland team, for example, looked Finnish. The China team looked Chinese, the UAE contingent looked Arab, and so on. The team from the USA, however, had a truly multi-ethnic look. Europeans, African-Americans, Asians - it seemed as if all of the world was represented on the one team.
I think that's the America that the Gardner is lauding here.