First in a series
We are refugees, the Americans who are hated by extremists around the world – and yet all of them want to come to America.
In the streets of their countries, they burn our flag. They cry “Death to America!” Yet, at any given occasion, they are in the offices of the attorneys who specialize in immigration laws, paying huge fees in order to come to the U.S.
Or they stand on line for long hours, at the gates of the U.S. embassies, to migrate to America.
One of my friends who received a large scholarship from the Shah’s government, and was studying in the U.S., became revolutionary and returned to Iran to participate in the demonstrations in favor of Ayatollah Khomeini.
I am sure that she shouted “Marg bar America” in the streets of Tehran. As the time passed, though, she regretted and finally ended up serving a jail sentence.
One day a prison guard brought her a paper to sign. She refused. Kept blindfolded, she asked that they open her eyes so that she could read and sign. The guard understood that she was educated. He asked where she had studied.
“In America,” the prisoner replied.
“Oh, you are so lucky,” the guard enviously said.
After some time, my friend returned to America as a political asylum-seeker. I would not be surprised if the guard also has obtained asylum and is living somewhere in the U.S.
We know there are many ways to emigrate here. The legal way is to fill an application and wait until permanent residency (green card) permission is given to enter the country legally.
As the legal system takes a longer time, others illegally cross the borders, bide their time for a miracle, and finally, after many years of living with no official papers, they may obtain legal residency. Then there is the political asylum or refugee, for those who are in danger because of non-existent human rights in their countries. In olden times, this used to help famous authors, philosophers and politicians who were in imminent danger. They were accepted and won help to come to America. Soon they were integrated in our society, worked hard, produced and appreciated the newly obtained freedom and opportunities available to them here.
These people were active members of the society who were so happy for all of the available opportunities that later they became generous contributors themselves. They aided others to become proud Americans.
This wonderful patriotic spirit still burns brilliantly in many new immigrants.
(To be continued)
Dr. Rosemary Hartounian Cohen, who lives in the Fairfax District, received her Ph.D in sociology from the Sorbonne in Paris. She lived in two other countries before moving, with her husband and children, to Los Angeles in 1984. She has published four books in America. Since 1985, she has operated Atelier de Paris, an international art business, on Robertson Boulevard. Her email address is Rosemary@atelierdeparis.com
