Recently I had the strongest craving for chicken parmesan. Although I’m proud to say I’ve recently reverted back to a plan of healthy eating, I’d temporarily become a fast-food junkie and little to none of the required ingredients could be found in my home.
Dreading the 5 p.m. rush-hour traffic that was sure to clog the three open lanes at Wal-Mart (self-checkout lanes included) and being the genius that I am, I decided to swing by United off of University, grab the required goods and make a beeline for home.
I’m not sure if I was in such a hurry because I was determined to complete Mission Parmesan as quickly as possible in hopes of avoiding the crowd, but my genius quickly turned to pure subordination. In my haste, I had somehow failed to realize I was in Amigos, and quickly found myself wondering why I was having such a hard time finding common items.
Of course, this is still a United store with all the trimmings for good ol’ Chicken Parmesan, but if you’ve been there lately, you probably understand the atmosphere is somewhat different from the Market Street on 50th Street.
Part of me was a bit proud my lack of Spanish skills is what caused me to take notice of my surroundings. Another part was a bit baffled. During the past few years, illegal immigration, namely from our southern neighbor, Mexico, has all but dominated political discussion.
Although some who are strongly against this issue cite such reasons as the failure of certain individuals to acclimate themselves to American culture and the additional stresses added to our already weakened economy as causes for their opposition, others credit these same individuals for the continued existence and success seen in fields where Americans are said to be unwilling to work. Still there are those who believe everyone is entitled to pursue a better life regardless of laws that prohibit their pursuit.
Obviously all sides of that argument can be logically disputed, but other questions remain. Would we or do we as Americans break laws to pursue our own interests? Are chains like United encouraging Mexican citizens who come to the United States with no knowledge of English to remain ignorant of our native tongue, or are they simply allowing Mexican-Americans to preserve parts of their heritage while simultaneously adapting to American culture?
One of my biggest pet peeves is a person who agrees to place himself in a system that’s new to him but routine to others with the expectation that things within that structure should change to accommodate his ability to comprehend the system. I certainly wouldn’t move to China and expect Chinese citizens to make the sacrifices many suggest the United States continues to make as a result of the increasing illegal immigrant population.
Still, this doesn’t answer the question of whether chains like United are contributing to the problem or merely providing a bridge between two worlds. I suppose it may really depend on various things including your personal views and reasons why both Mexican-Americans and those here illegally who prefer shopping at these types of stores hold those preferences.
I’m unable to arrive at a solid conclusion myself, but I thought the topic was quite interesting considering all of the debate that goes back and forth regarding the things done by domestic business owners that encourage the continued flow and employment of individuals who enter our country illegally.
Though I don’t understand the predicaments some must surely face to be compelled to break immigration laws, I understand some of the consequences we may incur if we don’t make progress in this area. Yes, all men should be afforded the right to progress in all spheres of life just as many who defend illegal immigrants contest, but should this be allowed at the expense of the law?
Ironically, as easy as it is for some Americans to say the desire for a better life is not a valid reason for breaking laws, many U.S. citizens have found themselves fleeing to Canada and countries of the like in the wake of the ongoing health care crisis.
If you were an uninsured American whose life could be saved by treatment only available by either waiting years to gain citizenship in India or sneaking in illegally, would your desire for a better life be enough to turn you into an illegal immigrant? If so, would you expect other countries to accommodate your desire? Again, I’m not quite sure what I think, but it’s definitely worth considering before taking an unwavering stance either way.
12 comments
It's unfortunate that commenters even brought race into this, because that's not really the issue. Instead it is about culture. It admittedly can be difficult to differentiate, as not many illegal immigrants from the south are white or black, but the principle would be the same if there were large German-American or Kenyan-American populations that resisted assimilation.
Irby has every right to pose this sociological question. The people who should be ashamed are those who attempt to stiffle questions they may find uncomfortable by throwing around charges of racism.