Los Estados Unidos de America

Last night was a big festival here in Provo with the famous "stadium of fire" starring Carrie underwear, urr. underwood. At the end of the show, there's a fire work display. This apparently counts as Provo's firework show. Which is lame because most of Provo, (students and immigrants) can't afford to go to the show. So like the many other poor people, me and a friend went to the mountain to watch the firework show. Let me tell you, it took an hour to drive 2 miles coming home which is to say that it was packed. But that's not what this post is about.

Disclaimer, what I am about to say may sound racist, but I assure you I have a deep love and respect for the latino and hispanic community. I enjoy the food, the music, the people and especially the dancing. I have had business Hispanic business associates and teachers. Not to mention friends. I speak the language and know the culture. I'm simply commenting on the U.S.'s drastically changing culture

On the mountain, all we could hear was Spanish. No matter where we were sitting, we were surrounded by el espanol. This is the one time during the year that I don't want to hear Spanish. Part of me wishes the United States wouldn't be changing so rapidly. I'm not ignorant to the over all problem which is world poverty. Hispanics wouldn't be flooding into the U.S. if the economy of Latino countries were strong enough to support them. Drug cartels and tourism wouldn't be their main commodities.

I am not opposed to having more immigration, I feel like the inscription in the pedestal in the statue of liberty needs to be a supported ideal more today than ever.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

So while I full heartedly support immigration, what bothers me is current policy on immigration. I don't know much about the process, having been a us born citizen, however I know that it is cumbersome enough and bureaucratically red-tape impossible enough that millions, literally MILLIONS, of people risk life and limb to enter the U.S. illegally. And as I understand it, they do it pretty successfully.

The U.S. census bureau estimated in 2008 that 15.4% http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html of the united states consisted of hispanic (latino born) people. 2 out of 10 people may not seem like much, but talk to any boarder patrol officer (which i happen to know a few) will tell you that the census only accounts for the legal immigrants, not all of the illegal immigrants. While it's impossible to calculate the total number, my guess as well as others put that number at about 4 in 10 people in the U.S are of latino origin.

While we will have a better idea once the 2010 official census is complete, we still won't have an accurate view of illegal immigrants.

Regardless however, I feel separated from my fellow Americans, not just in language, but in culture. I feel that English ought to be the official language of the united states. I feel like every time I fill out a job application, or school application that I'm being discriminated against when I'm obligated to proclaim my race. Along those lines, affirmative action was, (like most political blunders) well intentioned but the side effects actually worsen the problem.

Continuing my rant, I see pro sport players who refuse to pledge allegiance to the flag. I see pacifist religions that refuse to protect our country in battle. I see the pledge of allegiance being banned from every public school. I see us debt growing around 14 trillion dollars. http://www.usdebtclock.org/ I see an one endless war, with no victory, after another. I see a robin hood type of taxation, steal from the rich to give to the poor, instead of teaching the poor to become rich and giving them an opportunity to do so..

There are many problems with the united states. So many that I fear that she may fall apart sooner than later. But having traveled the world, I feel incredibly blessed to have been born in the U.S.A. In spite of her blemishes, she is a beautiful country. I certainly hope that God will send good men and women to protect her. Her shores, but especially her government which is rapidly decaying.

I don't know whether or not to have hope in the future that the united states will return to its roots deep in the soil of freedom, or whether to just accept that times have changed, but the one thing i do know, is that I am annoyed at only hearing Spanish while celebrating the forth of July. Not that I don't love the language, but I am currently IN the United States of America, not Spain, not Mexico, the USA.

Dios bendiga Los Estados Unidos. - God bless the United States.