Saturday, January 6, 2007

USA at the Cross Roads


It seems illusionary and I often wonder watching news in the USA. All most all TV channels including radios seem very much polarized in their presentations. I am an alien to the USA and unfamiliar with how news media practice their democratic rights here. However, I am pretty sure the polarizations are realities of present US society.

I cannot at least suggest what it should be and what should not be. I am not the Judge. I am an observer. As an awaken independent that has came to the US to enjoy liberty and human rights, am I not at least free to express my feelings and thoughts that I appreciate or not?

I think the most concerning issues in US today are Iraq and Immigration. Some people might put it other way Immigration and Iraq. I have seen, experts express their wise opinions with nice articulations to win an argument, which kind of issue need to be addressed first. Whatever it is; I don’t mind.

However, I believe both issues are important enough to bring sustained impact in the course of US history. Iraq primarily can affect international relations of the US government where as Immigration is sure to affect US demography. International relation or demography, which is more important?

Iraq is testing the will of the mighty US, which is the only supper power in the world. When we study the progress as well as the destructions, which are going on simultaneously in Iraq, it seems the US citizens’ sacrifice in Iraq is in vain. The draining of resources need not to be mentioned.

However, I feel instead of uniting American people against enemy, the Iraq issue has divided them. The consequences of divided American opinion have created more violence in Iraq. With divided American public and the President who lost majority in the house Vietnam situation can reappear.

Can the new house with the democrats in majority bell out the US presence from Iraq without repeating Vietnam situation? At least I am not convinced.

The political impact of cut and run from Iraq will naturally inflict US position in the world politics. The rival Iran will take advantage in the region. If President Bush wants to continue the US presence in Iraq will it be possible without public support in a democracy? What is the way out?

The next thriving issue is Immigration. From all over the world, people are still coming to US for better opportunity and share the American dreams as it used to be in the past. Millions of people in US are working and earning their living without legal status. In the eyes of the American law they are all illegal. But at the same time is US capable of deporting them all? If it does, will it not be a human cry and against the democratic American moral principle of liberty and fair justice system?

The American history suggests it is a nation of the immigrants. It is true no matters who he/she is except the Native Americans, all Americans are either immigrants or children of immigrants. The past is, once you are in America means you are an American. This is the actual spirit of America. People who came here from all over the world have contributed to make it a great nation on earth.

However, at the same time America had the very dark past. It was divided in free men and the slaves. The brutal killing and wiping out the Native Americans and grabbing their lands by the white immigrants were the reality of the dark past.

While watching news channels it seems some people who were once immigrants are against others specially the Mexicans. What an irony? The land of immigrants is against immigration.

However, the question arises are those people really against all immigrants? Has the same kind of treatment done against whites illegal? It was reported in CNN there was not any white person who felt victim of the authority after a raid in a factory. The inhuman treatment was done to the people. Some critics call it racial profiling. This has really become a very big issue in US.

It is sure; the demography of the US is changing fast. Some people say that there is nothing to raise the eyebrows for it because American demography has always been changing for so many centuries. Once there were no black and white people in this land but now they are in minority and majority. Will the sky fall in course of time if the whites become minority in the US? Is not the USA at the Cross Roads? Is this a ridiculous question to ask?

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