Immigrant-American identity should be based around democratic participation

March 7, 2017 — by Isabelle Yang

People should redefine what it means to be American. 

The history of America is a dark fairytale, an ill-humored narrative of the near extermination of indigenous peoples, the Jim Crow laws and the first-ever Muslim ban in the world.

Yet despite all the antagonists in the American story, princesses and princes — Sojourner Truths and Abraham Lincolns — have blossomed into what we are taught as being the pinnacle of “being American.” But for anyone seeking national identity, there is no easy definition to “being American,” and many immigrants in America continue to more closely identify themselves with their country of origin.

According to a survey by the Washington Post, being a “true American” boils down to being able to speak English and sharing American customs and traditions. For decades, Americans have implicitly defined what it means to be an American, whether this came in the form of celebrating Christmas and following the NFL or practicing Christianity. Above all, America has prided itself on its democratic freedom, despite its drastically lower voter turnout than any other developed country.

Americans, along with the rest of the world, have neatly packaged what being American is. While the strict image that American society has drawn up in its manual of becoming American, many immigrants or even American-born citizens feel far from American.

For a nation where 10 percent of its 318.9 million people consists of immigrants who support many of the largest American industries, just the feeling of “not being an American” can stem bigger problems than just cultural isolation.

In one of the most divisive elections in American history, voter turnout barely passed the 50 percent mark in a 20-year low according to CNN. Despite how America boasts its democratic freedom and expanse, it doesn’t hide the low voter turnout.

It’s no surprise a country that has suffered waves of nativism is afflicted with low voter turnout. Immigrants often feel a sense of cultural homelessness, that their lack of “feeling American” prevents them from voting. In fact even in 2012 the Hispanic voter turnout fell at 48 percent and despite the higher Hispanic voter turnout in the 2016, they were dwarfed by white and African American voters. They often believe that because they aren’t “American,” voting for American politicians and policies don’t apply to them.

Even parents like my own, who immigrated from Taiwan more than 30 years ago when they were 18, struggle to find reason to vote in a country they feel “isn’t even theirs.” Only when they were panicked by the impending reality of Trump as a president did they ever feel motivated to vote. Despite the disconnect many immigrants feel to American culture, voting and participating in democracy is something that defines being an American.

Still, “feeling American” or not shouldn’t be an excuse to refusing rights given to all American citizens. The Muslim ban and President Trump’s executive order to end funding for sanctuary cities have the potential to affect millions of people and Americans. Exercising our “American democracy” by protesting and voting and calling out government corruption could potentially help these millions.

Even though immigrants struggle with balancing their cultural identities while living in America, American policies — both domestic and international — have far reaching effects that are felt around the world.

This is ever more so important in a time when America has entered this uncertain time. The only way to prevent the same feeling of hopelessness that has plagued many is to exercise that right to vote, regardless of whether citizens feel truly American.

In the end, the country’s problems matter to every American, no matter where you are from. In order to prevent history from repeating itself like a badly made horror film, Americans — immigrant or not — should pay attention and participate and vote. Those are the first steps to feeling — and being — truly American.

 
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