Experiencing Immigration Essays - Demography, Population

Experiencing Immigration The United States has been notorious for welcoming peoples from all over the world onto its lands in order to facilitate the growth of a diverse nation and generations of families have traveled to America in search of creating lives more fulfilling than those they had escaped. During the years of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the United States allowed the highest rates of immigration in its history with groups from a number of different countries sought an escape from the economical, political, and religious hardships their own nations bequeathed. This massive influx of such a myriad of ethnicities irreversibly changed the evolution of the newly formed United States and challenged existing ideas and attitudes of what constituted an American citizen. In addition, immigrants were faced with the difficult task of finding equilibrium in what seemed, and often was, a world full of chaos. Although those traveling to America came from contrasting origins, the trials and tribulations they endured were much the same. Reasons for immigration, arrival, living and working conditions, socialization, and increasing assimilation into the American culture were experiences common to all immigrating groups. These areas of adjustment and the ways in which they evolved illustrates typical immigrant experiences and proves that this was an era that truly shaped the evolution of the world. In general, factors pushing immigrants to emigrate from their own countries take on similar themes across groups. Fleeing religious persecution, seeking political asylum, and escaping economic hardships were just a few of the common situations that influenced the search for improvement in America. Some immigrants began their journeys with plans of obtaining seasonal work to augment their meager incomes and most intended on returning to their native lands thereafter. As time went on and relatives already in the United States enticed families to join them, those immigrating commenced with no future plans of returning to their homes. The rapid increase of immigrants entering under these circumstances led Americans to question the lenient policies of immigration that were implemented by the United States government and created controversial issues encompassing all involved. In addition to reasons for leaving their native countries, immigrants also shared the experience of the long and exhausting trek to America. Although some arrived via railway or, in few cases, airway, most were tightly packed onto steamships, enduring extremely unsanitary conditions. Passengers funded the trip with money they had saved or had boarding passes sent by friends or relatives already in America, as was generally the case. Despite the surge of excitement in arriving to their destination, immigrants were exhausted, hungry, and scared when they first encounter with their new home. Ellis Island, located in New Yorks harbor, was the arrival point for the majority of immigrants coming during the early 1900s. This building was designed in order to organize the process through which immigrants were granted entry. The officials working in this building enforced laws and orders passed from 1885-1907 which barred people with contagious diseased, paupers and persons likely to become public charges, and also antichrists, prostitutes, the mentally deficient, and the disabled. (American Identity Explorer CD-ROM) The tests that measured these ailments included medical, eye, and physical exams as well as two-minute interviews in which the immigrant had to prove that he or she had money, a place to live, and if not employment, then the means to obtain it. It was a long and grueling process to endure for the immigrant that had just arrived from a several day steamship cruise. Ridden by exhaustion, hunger, confusion, and anticipation, the immigrant was faced with hours of inte rrogations and examinations. It is amazing that 80% of immigrants were allowed passage and despite the number withheld pending further exam, only 8% of those wishing to enter were prohibited and deported to their native lands. (Lecture: 07 Feb 00) Fortunately for the immigrants, most had been prepared for the notorious experience of Ellis Island from family already in the United States. They were generally instructed on what questions would be asked and what the proper responses were so that despite the intimidation of Ellis Islands grandeur impression, the new arrivals had some a small amount of comfort in its predictability. Once the hours of examinations were completed

Born on the Fourth of July essays

Born on the Fourth of July essays Patriotism, bravery, freedom, are all words to help describe the qualities of the United States. As Americans, we all have a sense of loyalty and respect toward our county. What happens when one comes to the realization that our country stands for one thing, but in all reality means something different? This is the trap that Ron Kovic was sucked into during his experience in the Vietnam War. Kovic started out like most Americans. He had great pride and love for his country - probably more so than most people. Unfortunately, like many Vietnam War veterans, Kovic came to the conclusion that America is not all that it's cracked up to be. During and after the Vietnam War, Kovic's view of the war and of his country changed dramatically. Kovic was not proud of what he had done in Vietnam and felt nothing but regret. Throughout the book, Born on the Fourth of July, Kovic describes the multiple events that caused him to become an antiwar activist. Kovic's view of the Vietnam War ch anged dramatically due his feelings of guilt, remorse, and rejection. Every traumatic event that Kovic experienced put more hate in his heart for the Vietnam War and for Americans. As a young child, Ron Kovic, dreamed of the day he could join the Marine Corps. He and his friend would study exquisite pamphlets with very sharp looking marines on the covers, and daydream of the day that they too would become Marines (56). During Kovic's adolescent years, his dream was to become someone that people could look up to and respect, and he felt that serving the United States was a great way to accomplish his goal. There had always been a part of Kovic that took great pride in the United States, and he hoped that one day he would be able to serve his country. Kovic's dream finally became reality. In September 1964, the paperwork was completed and Kovic was officially registered to become a Marine (75). Although Kovic was fulfilling his lifetime dream, he co...

Americas post civil was growing pains Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Americas post civil was growing pains - Essay Example But during this period, a lot of people who entered America suffered a lot of pain because of discrimination. The treatment of whites and blacks were different, and it took a long time before everything in immigration was smoothed out. Two questions loom on this topic: Could events have been different if President Lincoln had not been assassinated, and how industrialization affected the lives of the American citizens during this period. To the first question: Could events in the Reconstruction period have been different if President Lincoln had not been assassinated. Yes, I believe it would have been because he had a lenient plan of transformation. The period of 1865–77 was called the Reconstruction Period in the U.S. history because it was a time when the federal government reinstated the states that had seceded during the war. It was a time when President Lincoln had to face many political and social issues such as â€Å"how to deal with the states when they were reunited, how to deal with the freed slaves, and how should Southern whites be treated† (Kelly, n.d.). If President Lincoln had it his way and if he had not been assassinated, he would have had lenient proposals for the seceded states. First, he wanted to consider those states that seceded on or at the outbreak of war as if they had not seceded. He wanted to grant pardon to southerners who participated in the war if they pledged allegiance to the United States. Second, President Lincoln would allow readmission of the state if it formed a government that would guarantee freedom of slaves, and if 10% of white voters in that state took an oath of allegiance to the US (Kelly, n.d.). His political opponents did not agree with this and after his death, made the reintegration difficult. To the second question: How industrialization and urbanization affected the life of the average working American during the period. It was significantly affected in many ways: economically, socially and cultura lly. The industrialization that started in early 1800s continued to grow steadily amidst the Civil War, although the American industry at that time was described to be typically small. However, after the war, when reforms were introduced, industrialization grew more tremendously as machines replaced hand labor, railroad network allowed marketing and distribution of goods in many areas, and inventions made work processes easier. Machines produced a greater number of goods, gave jobs to more people, and created specialization and labor division. As industrialization grew, the life of the average American was affected. Since businesses were situated in cities, people began to flock the cities in droves to look for work. The availability of jobs in cities attracted people from the farms to the cities. This situation, according to the website of theusa.online.com (n.d.), created an economic division of the rich and the poor, which was widely resented by the people. It had created the wea lthy, middle class and the underprivileged class of society. Immigration caused the population of America to grow by more than double, from 40 million to 100 million from 1870 to 1970 (theusa.online.com, n.d.) This period also depicts different pictures of an era. The South was economically behind the North because of the war while the frontier life of the West ended. The South remained to be an agricultural area all throughout the period of industrialization. The farming

The international monetary and finance structure Essay - 2

The international monetary and finance structure - Essay Example It was with the end of the war that developed nations came up with a new system, which sought a free flow of capital, stable exchange rates, and open trade. These three principles were fundamental in globalization and liberalization of the global economy. There were a number of concepts, which underpinned this new liberal economy. Liberal economics were premised on the recognition that there were inherent differences in the endowment of resources for different countries (Balaam & Veseth 127). Therefore, international wealth could only be maximized if countries participated in global trade. In addition, national currencies were to be sold and bought in a system of free markets, in which floating exchange rates enabled the markets to determine a currency’s value in relation to another. This system would ensure market equilibrium and the IMF was tasked with stabilizing rates of exchange with the IMF originally founded on the fixed rate system. However, this financial system faile d to keep up with the dynamism of various national economies, which meant the fixed exchange-rate system changed to a more flexible system and less capital transfer control. Under these conditions, the value of national currency was determined by interactions between supply and demand present in foreign exchange markets (Balaam & Veseth 127). ... These include the Gold Standard until WWI, the Bretton Woods system for fixed-exchange rates, prior to the end of WWII, and the floating or flexible regime of exchange rates (Balaam & Veseth 132). Economic liberalism that characterizes today’s international monetary and financial structures has been supported by; the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank. The World Bank was created with the aim of stimulating economies following the destruction of WWII on Europe (Balaam & Veseth 133). However, the institution’s emphasis shifted to development away from reconstruction as it began to generate capital funds from contributions made by its member states, as well as that made from financial market borrowing. Currently, most of the funding from this institution is used in the development of infrastructure. On the other hand, the IMF was formed in order to stabilize economies and exchange rates. Initially, the IMF was established as a fixed exchange-rates system. However, the system went out of use after an announcement by the US that they would stop guaranteeing the system. Finally, it formalized the currently in use floating exchange-rates system. Finally, the WTO, formerly the GATT, was instituted for the management of trade. The initial GATT was formed based on support for liberalization of trade, protection of home markets exclusively through tariffs, national treatment for MNCs, and non-discrimination in trade (Balaam & Veseth 134). It established multi-lateral negotiations among nations that had similar interests at hand, before being extended to all participants of the GATT. Much of its work was done over 8 rounds of negotiations, which progressively cut back on tariffs and addressed arising issues like copyrights and

Cultural diversity in professional comm Essay Example for Free

Cultural diversity in professional comm Essay While America fought World War II in Europe, riots broke out in the streets of Los Angeles targeting young Latinos. They strived for the same freedom enjoyed by whites, but were treated as poorly as African Americans of the era. In effect, they tried to disassociate themselves from this faction. Young Latino men referred to themselves as pachucos and sported oversize suits known as zoot suits. In the film Zoot Suit Riots, Joseph Tovares remarkably portrayed the difficult lives of Mexican Americans in the 1940s. Zoot Suit Riots is a powerful film that explores the complicated racial tensions, as well as the changing social and political scene leading up to the riots in the streets of Los Angeles in the summer of 1943. White Americans, police and service men targeted Latinos with their racist attitudes. Tovares argues that these Mexican American adolescents were victims, but they also stood up for themselves and fought back to gain the respect they felt they deserved. This generation of Americanized Latino children wanted to be recognized as American on their own terms. To distinguish themselves from their parents’ generation, they became zoot suitors, but learned that was not enough as racism was a widespread phenomenon across America. Tovares accurately portrays the lives of Mexican Americans victimized by highlighting the Sleepy Lagoon Case. To white Americans in Los Angeles, the murder was proof that Mexican American crime was spiraling out of control. Tovares, however, uses this as evidence to support that they were mistreated because the Mexican American suspects taken into custody all wore zoot suits. This reinforced the opinion white Americans had of Mexican Americans and their apprehension of men in zoot suits. He also interviewed both Mexican Americans and White Americans who lived during this event, even some participants in the riots. His use of oral history throughout the film is captivating as you hear the voice and emotional reaction of a person who actually experienced these riots. Tovares interviews Hank Leyyas sister, an important defendant in the case, who lived through the crime, the trail, the city, everything. She remembers it all and how much it affected her brother’s life. Her emotions when describing the riots helps the viewer understand how people were affected. Sailors of the time admitted in their interviews to attacking Mexican Americans and Mexican Americans admitted to reciprocating the behavior. Tovares’ film reflects on the racist abuse Mexican Americans received not only from White American citizens, but also from authority figures. Edward Escobar’s historical article, Zoot-Suiters and Cops, supports Tovares’ argument that zoot suitors were seen as dangers to society and this brought upon the attacks on them, but Escobar focuses more on the police aspect of the riots. Escobar argues, â€Å"Police, along with local civic leaders, believed that Mexican American youth, especially young males, were inclined toward violent crime. This belief merged with police officers’ frustration over their inability to crack down on the alleged lawbreakers and led to their allowing servicemen to beat and humiliate the zoot-suiters† (Escobar, 1996). Tovares agrees that police were problematic, but focuses more on the Sleepy Lagoon Case involving Mexican and White Americans who participated or lived during the riots. Escobar states that the LAPD consistently arrested Mexican Americans at a higher rate than the general population. During the war these numbers increased, especially arresting young Mexican Americans. However, Escobar argues that police officials misinterpreted their own statistics. Reported crime actually fell during 1942 and 1943, the years of the alleged crime wave. These â€Å"increases in arrests resulted more from changes in the law and in police practices than from changes in Mexican American behavior. Specifically, new immigration and draft laws for adults and curfew ordinances for juveniles, created new classes of laws that Mexican Americans violated, increasing the arrest statistics† (Escobar, 1996). The LAPD also employed selective enforcement in barrios than in white sections like the curfew ordinance as an example. This evidence strongly supports Escobar’s argument that the LAPD was more inclined towards the harsh treatment of Mexican Americans. Escobar focuses more on this than Tovares did throughout the film. While Tovares and Escobar both focus on the discrimination zoot suiters felt, Thomas Guglielmo shifts his focus to Mexican American racism was not only in Los Angeles but also in Texas in his historical article, Fighting for Caucasian Rights. Guglielmo argues that Mexican Americans who were born in the United States showed that they only cared about the United States but needed to be looked at again. They seemed active, focusing on being American, distant from Mexico but really these Mexican American’s due to the Good Neighbor policy still identified themselves with Mexico. Compared to Tovares, Guglielmo looks at American battles in Texas and legislative matter compared to the Los Angeles zoot suit riots. Guglielmo goes against Tovares perspective and says that there is more to Mexican American racism outside of Los Angeles. During the war more people of Mexican descent lived in Texas than any other state. These Mexican Americans that lived here are fighting for equality through legislation unlike the Mexican American’s in Los Angeles who are fighting for the same but by rebelling out through wearing zoot suits and adapting to that way of life. Both Toraves and Escobar perspective is on zoot suiters and police interaction where as Guglielmo focuses more on just Mexican Americans in Texas. Guglielmo argument is not as convincing to me because he focuses too much on legislation and Mexico compared to Toraves and Escobar focus on the discrimination Mexican Americans faced during the war that resulted in the riots. Toraves, Escobar and Guglielmo all highlight the struggle Mexican American’s faced fighting for equality, just presented it in different ways. Tovares strongly emphasized why the Mexican Americans wanted to break free. They were tired of being told what to do, where to go, what to wear. They created an image for themselves that separated them from everyone else. Escobar stated that the zoot suit phenomenon resulted primarily from the racism, discrimination, and extreme poverty that people of Mexican descent faced in the United States (Escobar, 1996). It did not necessarily give Mexican American’s more rights and equality’s that they fought for indirectly but brought national attention to their race that they needed to bring attention to fight for themselves. CITATION: Esobar. Zoot-suiters and Cops: Chicano Youth and the Los Angeles Police Department during World War II. 284-303. 1996 Guglielmo. Fighting for Caucasian Rights: Mexicans, Mexican Americans and the transnational struggle for Civil Rights in World War II Texas. 1212-1237. 2006 Tovares, Joseph, dir. Zoot Suit Riots. 2002. PBS Home Video. DVD-ROM.

Essay --

In the essay â€Å"In Praise of Margins,† the author Ian Frazier explains the idea that margins are needed in people’s lives to prevent us from going insane. He believes that as the world gets more jammed up and complicated, that people need margins where they can express themselves how they want and try new things without people judging one another. He states that â€Å"as the world gets more jammed up, we need margins†¦ where you can try out odd ideas that you might be afraid to admit to with people looking on. When Frazier was a child, he would go out in the woods and play with his friends, not worrying about anything and just freeing his mind. His imagination was limitless and he felt like he could do whatever he wanted to do without being afraid of other people’s reaction. Frazier conveys the idea that we need a break from our busy purpose-filled lives, and take a step away from reality. I agree with Frazier and his views on margins because a lot of the time we need a break from the wild day to day routine that people are involved in. If we take place in marginal activities or find our own marginal place, then we will be much more successful at our goals in life. Marginal paces are very valuable in our life and people should somehow incorporate it their daily lives in order to free themselves from their stressful life. As a child, I experienced a world of imagination where I was able to do anything I wanted and take my mind out of the world that I lived in. Whether it was a certain activity I was involved in or a specific place I went to, I got to clear my mind of all the things that were bothering me. Even to this day I still go to my own marginal place. With all the stress that college has like finals... ... all, people need and should have marginal places, activities, and things in order to be successful in their life. Having margins in your life makes it easier to think about difficult decisions and it can be less stressful when dealing with complex situations. I agree with Frazier’s views on marginal places, activities, and things, and think that everyone should have their own marginal place or activity. According to Frazier, â€Å"a book without margins is impossible to read†. This proclamation imposes that attempting to live your life without margins would be ineffective, and you would end up facing more and more problems, causing your life to be more stressful. If people incorporate margins in their life, and escape from reality for a brief period of time, then they can achieve their goals in a less stressful way, and end up feeling better as a person.

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Response to Literature Essay

Society is a judgmental and rejecting place. It only allows uniform individuals to be in this society which discards anyone’s individuality and pride. In the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, Nurse Ratched alienates the patients’ individualities which only allows them to never progress in their mental health. The society rejects the people who are not normal. In this case, the people are the ones with mental disorders. Kesey’s anti-establishment point of view against society portrays that the government misuses power to manipulate society which leads to the suppression of individuality through the literary devices analogy, metaphor, and symbolism. Ken Kesey conveys his theme by vividly explaining the â€Å"pecking party†. As one of the treatments, Nurse Ratched holds group therapy for the patients. During the group therapy session, McMurphy notices that the Nurse ignites all the conflict at first so he explains, â€Å"The flock gets sight of a spot of blood on some chicken and they all go to peckin’ at it† (Kesey 57). McMurphy is trying to explain the abusiveness of Nurse Ratched’s power. This analogy supports Kesey’s message of how society rejects and leads to the suppression of individuals. Kesey uses the chickens to represent the patients and the â€Å"first peck† would represent Nurse Ratched because she manipulates an individual which causes uneasiness to the patient which will never be the cure for one who is mental to get better. After McMurphy goes on about the pecking party, he says one more thing to Harding about the pecking party, â€Å"You want to know who pecks that first peck? † (58). McMurphy’s rhetorical question signifies his opinion even more. This allows not only Harding, but the rest of the patients to see how Nurse Ratched is just another person and how they should not let her take complete control over them. Kesey furthers his analogy after the pecking party image because it reveals and justifies who really does â€Å"peck that first peck†. This relates to the theme because Nurse Ratched represents the government while the patients represent society; concluding that the government continuously pecks at the individuals who feel that they are not a part of society. Overall, the pecking party is an analogy of how society suppresses one’s individuality because to be an individual one must â€Å"get better† like the patients attempt to do; but all they are doing are taking steps back due to Nurse Ratched. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Kesey demonstrates his use of metaphors through machinery comparisons to portray the theme of suppression of an individual. When Bromden characterizes Nurse Ratched he says, â€Å"So she really lets herself go and her painted smile twists, stretches to an open snarl, and she blows up bigger and bigger, big as a tractor, so big I can smell the machinery inside the way you smell a motor pulling too big a load. † (5). Bromden sees Nurse Ratched as machinery and not as a human being. This supports the fact that the ward is like a factory, just waiting to make patients into â€Å"products†. Kesey uses metaphor to compare Nurse Ratched to machinery because this describes her persona perfectly. Like a machine, Nurse Ratched is very smooth and calm about things at first but like every machine there are flaws. When Nurse Ratched meets her flaws, that is when things begin to go haywire like a machine. It can either breakdown or malfunction but it is always repairable. When Bromden has the dream about Blastic, he thinks â€Å"†¦I was looking to see – just a shower of rust and ashes, and now and again a piece of wire or glass† (88). The significance of Bromden’s dream is that it represents how the ward is inhumane because â€Å"a shower of rust and ashes† fell out of Blastic’s body instead of human organs. Kesey exemplifies metaphor through Bromden’s dream by explaining how society’s standards of being â€Å"accepted† can transform one to be inhumane and to lose their individuality. Overall, these comparisons relate to the theme having the machines represent a form of government, standing in the way, or suppressing, the individual, or society. This can support the main theme that society abuses their power to manipulate and suppress the individuality of others. Fog is used by Kesey to demonstrate them and to symbolize the aloneness and individuality of a patient. Bromden describes the effects of fog when he thinks, â€Å"I don’t have to end up at that door if I stay still when the fog comes over me and just keep quiet† (132). This explains how much control Nurse Ratched had over the patients. It demonstrates how something like fog takes away their individuality be they â€Å"just keep quiet†. The fog symbolizes a safe zone and aloneness for the patients because Nurse Ratched had so much authority over the patients that it was like a crib holding them while she was out. Kesey’s theme is supported in this because society takes away individuality as well as fog does. One characteristic they both share is the way they manipulate and abuse their power. Bromden also thinks about fog when he said, â€Å"You had a choice: you could either strain and look at things that appeared in front of you in the fog, painful as it might be, or you could relax and lose yourself† (131). Bromden describes how the patients were almost forced to be in the fog because â€Å"you could relax and lose yourself† and that the time that is all the patients really want. The fog also symbolizes a scapegoat for the patients so they don’t have to face all the challenges ahead because â€Å"you had a choice†. A simple break from everything, especially Nurse Ratched. This furthers Kesey’s message of how the fog is another form of control from Nurse Ratched, in which she abuses her power by manipulating her patients so they cannot get better. Ken Kesey uses analogy, metaphor, and symbolism to demonstrate how society uses their power to manipulate others which leads to a suppressed individual. He uses examples from the ward to compare the real outside world with a mental asylum. This world and society focus too much on how to fit in and it has become more of a moral thing to fit in than to be one’s self. Kesey blames it on the establishment that people are suppressed of their individuality, but is that really true? It has become a custom rather than a rule and that needs to change; and it starts from being a leader and an individual rather than a follower. The real story of individuals is not within the establishment, but it is within a person. To express that is to depending on the person and that is the problem in our society, no one likes to be that person to step up and be the first to go. But if someone were to do it, our society would change instantly.