Are Immigrants Really the Problem?

Admittedly, I have not finished this section as of yet, however, from what I have gotten through, this chapter exemplifies the United States smoke screen it has up towards minorities and social disparities. As has been such a theme throughout much of this book, this country likes to diminish the work and accomplishments of minorities and try to perpetuate the "American homogeneity", that frankly does not, and has not ever existed. From using East Asian farming techniques and reframing them as their own, to the little known concentration camps post-Pearl Harbor, to blaming immigrants for all of their problems, the United States always seems to blame others.

The Green Revolution, increased used of hybrid varieties and pesticides, while possibly positive with their intentions, has lead to numerous environmental and health problems. We are now turning to various indigenous farming practices for solutions, though they are under the guise of "groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs". I believe I discussed this in previous posts and certainly we discussed in class, about the academic prestige that is flooding the agricultural field. Now, academic research is very important and provides insights and confirmations to many known practices. It also can bridge the gap between indigenous knowledge and those in power / policymakers. Ideally we would live in a world where intuitive knowledge about the planet that has been harvests for thousands of years can be trusted, but right now we unfortunately live in such disconnect with the natural world that we must quantify it. In doing so, much of this intuitive knowledge has been pushed to the back and out of the spotlight. The compost and  soil amendment practices that have long existed in East Asian cultures is talked about and used more frequently, often without the proper credit. Not only are these farming practices stolen from immigrants, the immigrants are often ostracized and punished for crimes they do not commit. 

 After Pearl Harbor, tens of thousands of Japanese-American immigrants were forced into concentration camps, something that the United States does not like to discuss as part of its history. The Nazi's were awful and evil, what would happen if it came out the United States did exactly what was happening in Nazi Germany? These people, simply trying to make a living for themselves, in a country where they are already outsiders, are separated even further and punished for a crime they did not commit. 

Even prior to the events following Pearl Harbor, the United States had a great issue with Asian immigrants. Chinese immigrants made up a large portion of farm workers, often getting underpaid, under valued, and over worked, with no ability to own land of their own. When American citizens got up in arms about "immigrants stealing their jobs" (sound familiar?), Chinese immigrants were no longer able to work on the farms, causing a drastic decline in farmworker labor. Because of this, immigrants from Japan were brought over to fill the holes of Chinese immigrants. If the Chinese immigrants were taking all of your jobs, why was it then necessary to bring in MORE immigrants? Why weren't those roles filled by the white Americans, apparently so desperate to work on farms? Perhaps it wasn't really the immigrants that were the problem. 

There is lack of accountability by the United States, constantly blaming people of color for their shortcomings, especially as seen in the agricultural fields. Rather than attacking the root cause of poverty, environmental degradation, and social inequality (ie, a corrupt system), it is seemingly easier for them to blame newest wave of immigrants. The United States is hyper-aware of the ability to steal land from others and they do everything in their power, no matter how criminal and deviant, to ensure it doesn't happen to them. But at the end of the day, land cannot ever truly be "owned". If anything, we are owned by the land and it is critical we live in such a manner to pay our rent. A successful and cooperative society can only be reached if we acknowledge the facets of history and work towards a future where things like this do not happen. We need to learn from one another and coexist with each other in a manner that is uplifting, not derogatory and criminalizing.