My Country 'Tis Of What?

[celeste_noelani]

I am not an immigrant. I am the daughter of occupied peoples. An overthrown kingdom. And I'd like to take this moment to remind you, old work friend on FaceBook, acquaintance I'm still getting to know on twitter. Neighbor, bartender, classmate I haven't seen in twenty years. Your Nation of Immigrants narrative is flawed. Your bootstraps encouragement is broken. We didn't all come here wearing boots. Some of us didn't come here at all.

We are a nation of complicated, difficult, garbage-laden truths that need to be spoken. Let us speak them and remember without being spat upon for our memories or our pain. Let me remember my history. Understand that it is yours. Teach it, in full, to your children. They can handle the complexity. My children already do.

- See more at: http://www.runningnekkid.com/content/my_country_tis_what#sthash.plNyHBYZ.dpuf