The movie "This is England," a semi-autobiographical story about an 11-year-old boy living in tumultuous Britain in 1983, brings to light a frightening issue that should be familiar to all Americans: prejudiced nationalists. In the movie, they refer to themselves as "realists." We all know them better as Skinheads.
Approximately one year ago, while sitting in my gray cubicle listening to KPFA online, I heard of a disgusting and tragic event that reminded me of what I thought was historical. A group of people were peacefully protesting the creation of laws that would hinder current immigrants from gaining citizenship - immigrants who had been on this journey for possibly years. Just like they did on Bloody Sunday in March of 1965, the police showed up in full protective gear carrying weapons. Because one person got frustrated and threw an empty pop bottle towards the threatening line of officers, one might say, all hell broke loose. The police began to fire. Videos show a group of people crowded around the streets watching native dancers celebrate their culture suddenly running in fear of flying rubber bullets, being pushed back by infantry lines, ordered to leave the area immediately. What began as a peaceful assembly ended in a hellacious seizure to the city's primitive idea of control, edging towards what Civil Rights Activists have been fighting since Harriet Tubman.
The United States, from its very beginning, has been a melting pot, a place where people came for religious and cultural freedom. I should hope that one's beliefs or color of skin or style of clothing should ever be a reason to not welcome a person into a country which was designed to escape from religious limitations and regulations. Although hatred is a trait that has been among humanity since the beginning of time, perhaps this America should begin to learn from history instead of repeating it.
I am America; this is America. Let us not forget that we are all America, and that freedom is not a thing to keep to ourselves. Everyone deserves opportunity, including you, including me, includent them, whoever they are.
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