Minorities and Immigrants

It is difficult to understand the difference between minorities and immigrants without a class defining the two categories. Minorities and immigrants seem to be one in the same for many people until a person learns how different the two really are.  The one thing that causes them to be similar is the fact that both go through discrimination and marginalization.  These two groups are distinguished from the dominant culture, but one is more reluctant to assimilate into the dominant culture, while the other is willing.  Immigrants are willing to assimilate because they chose to come to America.  Since it is a choice an immigrant makes it is easier for an immigrant to follow their “social contract” with the dominant culture. They will be willing to abide by the dominant culture’s rules. Minorities, on the other hand, have no “social contract” because they were either brought unwillingly to America or forced to accept to be taken over by the dominant culture.  Minorities have no choice or options so their idea of the “American Dream” is really an “American Nightmare.”  Many ethnic groups can fall either into the immigrant category or the Minority category, but one that is in between both is the Mexican Americans.  It is difficult to place them in either category because some are immigrants and others minorities since the dominant culture resides on some parts of the country that once belonged to Mexico.  Although the United States is filled with people from different ethnicities,  some have chosen to reside in the United States to fulfill their “American Dream,” some have been forced to live the “American Nightmare” and some fall in between the two categories, the “ambivalent minority.”

To begin with, since immigrants have chosen to come to migrate to a new country for an opportunity, their narratives are of hope and success.  Immigrants are a wide range of ethnic groups: Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, Irish Americans etc.  These ethnic groups learn to assimilate to the new culture and way of life because they are aware they can go home if they please.  They arrived in the new country for a chance that was not available to them in their mother country. Immigrants claim that they will return to their mother country after they have saved some money.  Most of them do not return because they get accustomed to living in their new surroundings.  In Mohr’s “The English Lesson” William Colon states that “‘I am working here now, living with my mother and family…I study Basic English  por que…because my ambition is to learn to speak and read English very good. To get a better job’”(IA 23).  William has learned to assimilate to the dominant culture by learning the language.  He knows he will have a better opportunity if he spoke English.  William learning English, in a way, makes him leave his old culture behind.  Yes, he will still be speaking Spanish, but that will slowly fade away through his children, then his grandchildren.  In the story, “In the Land of the Free,” Hom Hing is willing to abide by the rules of the government when asked to hand over his son.  Hom Hing knows that he is a business owner because he was given that opportunity by the country he is now living in.  His assimilation causes him to accept the rules and follow them.  Hom Hing tells his wife in Chinese “‘Tis the law…’”(IA 5).  Hom Hing knew he had to give up his child to the customs officer.  He had faith that he would have his son returned to him in a timely matter, but it was not as easy as Hom Hing believed it would be.  Yet, he had to take that chance on a country that had taken a chance on him.  Immigrants seem to have patience with the dominant culture.  They seem to believe that their willingness to abide by the rules will eventually land them ahead.

To continue, minorities are those ethnic groups that have been forced to accept the dominant culture’s invasion or have been brought to live in the dominant cultures world without their consent.  Minorities refer to predominantly the Native Americans and the African Americans…and some Mexican Americans.  These groups tend to resist the act of assimilating to the dominant culture.  They hold on to their cultural traditions for a longer time span than the immigrants.  Minorities feel that although they are put in a position unwillingly that they can still attempt to hold on to their cultural traditions.  They do hold on to their traditions longer than immigrant groups.   Native Americans have been forced to accept the fact that the land they called their own was no longer theirs.  The dominant culture took over their world and forced them into a smaller space.  Yet, Native Americans attempt to hold on to their traditions.  In “The Man to Send Rain Clouds,” Leon and the others decide to bury Teofilo without a Christian burial.  The Native Americans want to have a traditional burial for Teofilo.  Yet, they want Teofilo to send them rain for the crop season.  They believe if water is poured onto Teofilo’s grave he will send them those rain clouds.  Leon has to go ask the priest to pour holy water on the grave.  Leon is not concerned about the holy part of the water, but just the water itself.  The priest agrees after refusing at first.  The priest may have thought that the people were accepting his religion, but after the priest walks away it states that Leon “felt good because it was finished, and he was happy about the sprinkling of the holy water; now the old man could send them big thunderclouds for sure”(IA 209).  Leon was not concerned about Teofilo having a Christian burial, he was concerned with his peoples’ beliefs.  African Americans have been brought to this country through force.  Unlike Native Americans who were here all ready, African Americans were pulled from their homes and family to provide a service to the new country.  It was not an “American Dream” they found in the new country, but an “American Nightmare.”  In Bambara’s “The Lesson,” the children realize that there is no equality between them and the dominant culture.  The story asks who “are these people that spend that much for performing clowns and $1,000 for toy sailboats? What kinda work do they do and how do they live and how come we ain’t in on it”(IA 151).  The children realize that just around the corner from their home there is a whole other world.  There “Dream” is to just be equal and have the same rights as all the dominant culture.  The minority groups are not as lucky as the immigrant groups.  Chance and opportunities are not handed to them.

     Furthermore, the last group is a group that falls in-between both the minority and immigrant status.  The Mexican Americans fall into the category of “ambivalent minority.” Certain states at one point belonged to them, so they felt like a minority group.  Others migrated from Mexico for a better life and an opportunity to succeed financially.  There are some Mexican Americans that believe the land they live on will always be Mexico from Texas to California.  An example of Mexican Americans being a minority group is through the idea that they attempt to maintain their cultural beliefs.  In Candelaria’s “El Patron,” the story is based on the Mexicans’ belief in the hierarchy of “Dios, El Papa, y el patron”(IA 221).  Senor Martinez held this idea up high because that was the natural order of things for him and his people.  He wanted to pass that tradition on.  He resisted in letting the dominant culture take away his cultural belief, although his children might have been assimilating.  This is how Senor Martinez, a Mexican American, can be viewed as a minority.  On the other hand, a Mexican American can assimilate to the dominate culture like in Cisnero’s “Barbie Q.”  The young characters are fascinated by Barbie.  “‘Your Barbie is roommates with my Barbie, and my Barbie’s boyfriend comes over and your Barbie steals him away…’”(IA 253).  Barbie is a blue-eyed, blond haired doll created by the dominant culture.  These are Mexican American children assimilating to the dominant culture.  They are accepting to the fact that the dolls they enjoy as a toy looks nothing like them.  They do not question it.  They just look forward to playing with her and adding to their collections.  This is how the Mexican Americans can fit into both the minority category and immigrant category.  Some Mexican Americans resist giving up their traditional culture, while other assimilate to the dominant culture.

To conclude, minority groups differ from immigrant groups, although they do face the same discrimination.  Minority groups never wanted to live in the world of the dominant culture.  Immigrant groups seek opportunity and abide by the dominant culture’s laws.  It is important to understand the differences because minorities do not want to be considered immigrants since they had no choice to live in the country.  Plus, a person living in this country needs to understand how different ethnicities have gathered together in this country, whether it be by choice or force.  These courses are relevant because the stories told by immigrant groups and minority groups are important to all the people that call the United States their home.  [RO]