I Am American Despite What You See

Independence Day, the 4th of July. I am an American, but there have been too many times where I do not feel that I am such. Is this what the forefathers fought to achieve? This is the “United” States of America, right? If it is so, then why do we still experience racism today? We are too busy looking at one another as being different, that it is impossible to be “united.” I Identify myself as Indian because I have been put into the “other” box too many times. I was born and raised in America, America is all I know yet the way people treat you makes all of the difference.

I cannot count the number of times people (this includes people of  Indian background) have asked me where I was born, or when I came to America, and they are shocked every single time. I was even put in ESL when I was in grade school, but I know It had nothing to do with my ability to read and write, it was because my skin happens to be brown. And that is not even the tip of the iceberg; someone even had the nerve to tell me to go back to India! This incident took place in the year 2012, yes 2012 … I don’t even need to explain how I felt, WE HAVE A COLORED PRESIDENT FOR GOODNESS SAKES! Science shows us we are all the same, when looking at DNA there is no way to tell whether the person is black or green or purple or white or blue or yellow or brown or orange or red or violet or salmon or corral or etc … look at a 64 crayon’s box. Then why are we still wasting time and energy making people feel as though they do not belong. NEWS FLASH: none of us belong!!! Native Americans? .. ringing any bells?

So what are we celebrating independence from? Ourselves? The “other?” They are one in the same. I am not saying don’t celebrate the 4th of july, go out have some fun, BBQ, have a few drinks, watch some fireworks, or light some yourself. The 4th of July 1776 is no small accomplishment, this was the birth of our country, without the events that lead up to this date, we would not be here. All I ask is that you think about this the next time you encounter hate toward another person based on the color of their skin. As Aesop once said, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

~ Red, White, Blue