[thechat] 103 Pak prisoners return from US - PakTribune

Erika Meyer emeyer at lclark.edu
Tue Mar 18 16:20:53 CST 2003


>http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=18927
>
>It's a good news for me that these Pakistanis are no more in love with USA and
>they'll prefer to live in their own country.

BTW, these prisoners were deported.  IOW, they were sent by US 
government back to Pakistan.

There is no indication in the article that they left the US on their 
own accord or that they "prefer to live in their own country."  They 
had no choice in the matter.

I have one more thing to say.  You have not been to the USA and 
really have no  more business judging us as a nation than I have 
judging Pakistan as a nation.  Nor do you have any business (IMHO - 
maybe this is my American individualism showing) in judging whether 
America is a good place for other Pakistanis to live, should they 
choose to do so.

If Pakistanis choose to come here, all that means is that they are 
contributing to American culture.  They can practice any religion 
they want.  They can eat any food, listen to any music they want, 
raise their children the best way they know how.  To me, that is what 
it is to be an American.

Will they become acculturated?  Yes, in general subsequent 
generations become more "American." But America also becomes more 
like the cultures that contribute to our fabric.  Diversity is the 
key to life.

Is it always easy?  No!  But it is important to be diverse and to 
allow many different voices to be heard.

The Americans on this list have been honest about their criticisms of 
their own country.

Syed, I hope that our willingness to be self-reflective and honest 
doesn't just feed your patriotic fervor. It's one thing to appreciate 
and have pride in your culture.  It's quite another to turn a blind 
eye to any negative in your own country, and to harp on the negatives 
of others.

Erika
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