National Shame
I feel so sad when immigrants feel the need to hide their roots. Ever ask a middle eastern looking person where they're from only to have them say "Persia?" What, he's wanting us to think he flew over with all the drama and romanticism of Aladdin on his magic flying "Persian" carpet? Um. Okay. Helloooooooo, you're from IRAN silly goose! Be proud of it. What about those from places like Bosnia, Croatia, and parts of the now-splintered-USSR-whose-names-I-can't-remember-since-they-change-almost-daily? You guys don't have to mumble it like you're expecting us to gasp in horror make a crucifix across our chest with our fingers and run for cover. If you're from the Middle East, don't say you're Mediterranean because you're afraid all the blood will run from our face right before we call the Homefront Security Department. And you guys from France. Well. I might forgive you eventually, but I'm sticking to California Merlots for a while longer. Be proud of your roots, mes amis. Who the hell gives a crap if some give you the brush. Just remind them that, in a way, they're immigrants, too (unless their name happens to be Running Horse or Crazy as Shit.) After all, somewhere along the line, they forefathers (and foremothers, dammit) washed up on our shores--maybe riding on the Mayflower, hiking across mountains, swimming across e-coli infested waters while dodging bullets, floating into port on a block of styrofoam or hiding in the bowels of a tanker. Hell, when you compare those who fought death and danger to get here compared to those who never had to jump those hurdles, there's no question who earns more of my respect and admiration. It takes gut to come to a foreign land where you don't know the language or customs, where your clothes invite stares, where you have to shelf your PhD to wait tables for a while, where you have to leave your family behind until you become a citizen. My hats off to you. So when a nosey 48 year old lady with short graying hair, five rowdy kids and a husband who looks like he's wishing the ground would rise up and swallow him asks you where you're from, yell it out with pride!!!