One

These are a few of my notes on the status of immigration in our country.

For true progression to occur in the world we live in today we must first obtain--indefinitely-- respect and compassion for one another's differences. Whether our differences are culture, gender, race, or sexual orientation. Respect for one another's unique identities requires just that and a bit of understanding. This does not mean we have to like it, or even want it in our communities although we should embrace it because we undeniably have strength in diversity. But the reality is that immigration is upon all of us whether we're ready or not and it's not going any where any time soon.

Fear is the single greatest enemy in this country and is the sole reason for many of the "hush-hush" history chapters in the U.S. i.e. trail of tears of 1835. Have we forgotten about the 20,000 Native Americans that passed away during this brutal and inhuman eviction. When a government entity can instill fear in a nation of people that is when that people can forget about their past barbaric discrepancies. In 1835 Georgia only became inhabited with Americans after the native Cherokee Indians were forced out and joined the trail of tears to Oklahoma.

So the question remains can we ever truly get back to one? Meaning one race. After all aren't we all human? Isn't that the race we all belong to no matter what cultural, sexual, or gender background we come from we are all human and given any situation we would all most likely react the same way. If your family was starving would you not do whatever it took to feed them? Even if that meant you didn't eat for a day or two. That is exactly what millions of Latinos do each and every day of their lives. Yet most Westerners if put in the same situation would secure their child's welfare long before their owns. In the end despite the mountains of differences that lie on the surface between Americans & Latinos we always come back to one.