Today's prompt from BlogHer is:
What is the one thing you wish people better understood about something in your life?
Pardon the following F-bombs. But hey, this is 'Murica, right?
I have a feeling ever since election day - or even since Donald Trump started campaigning - some people started showing their real faces. Which can be good, so you can get rid of some people in your inner circles. You could almost call it "Natural Selection." Oh sorry, I forgot you don't believe in evolution... My Bad.
Walking around downtown, sitting at cafes, at the mall, heck even at work. You hear it. "Let's kick all the fucking immigrants out of the country and make America great again."
I am a fucking immigrant. Thank you.
I came to this country to be able to stay with my husband, who served the US Army for 18 years, was deployed to Iraq 5 times, and suffers from the worst PTSD symptoms you can imagine. I helped him getting back on his feet more than once. I supported him financially even before we got married, because the VA system took its freaking time. If it wasn't for me, my husband would be just another homeless veteran, probably being an alcoholic or already dead.
I immigrated "the right way". I applied for the Green Card. Filled out tons of paperwork. Got vaccinated and physically tested if I am good enough to live in this country. Paid tons of money. Drove 3 hours to Vicksburg, MS, for a 5 minute Biometrics appointment. Drove 5 hours to Fort Smith to proof Immigration that we are a couple. That we are in love. As if leaving my family, friends - my whole LIFE behind for this man wasn't proof enough?!
Being an immigrant is not easy. I am blessed that my mom taught us english from a very early age. We spent almost 6 weeks every year in England or Ireland.
Nonetheless: I am proud of my heritage. I am German. But I live in this country. I love this country. I pay my taxes in this country. I even wanted to join the Air Force for this country. Sorry, I changed my mind about this last part for the known orange reasons.
So if you still feel the urge using the words "fucking immigrants" around me, keep in mind: YOU consider ME, A FUCKING immigrant, a friend. This whole country is a nation built by immigrants.
And no, I'm not even starting to talk about what's going in Standing Rock right now. But especially now with Thanksgiving coming up, you should take a minute and think about what is going on in this nation right now. And try to put yourself in my shoes for a minute. The shoes of a fucking immigrant, trying to build a new life because she had to leave her old life behind, to help someone that YOUR country FORGOT and almost killed.
TRY to understand this life.
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteAs a daughter of fucking immigrants to Canada, this resonates with me too. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry you had to hear that. My husband is a legal immigrant, so I am very much aware of the cost and process. The hate in this country right now is sickening.
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