City of Promise, Essay Example

Was the post WWII experience for Asians and Latinos substantially similar or different?

Introduction

Latinos and Asians were among the first group of foreign groups who entered the American territory after the occurrence of World War II. The belief over the American Dream, which the American administration strongly campaigned for during the time was rather effective in inviting more immigrants into the country. The desire to get more people to work in the country is directed towards initiating the country’s approach to economic recovery, which it desperately needed especially after the war years. Constituting an assumption of development in the process by which industries began to flourish in the country, the increase of immigrating individuals in the country was not completely far from being subjected to social ridicule.

The discussion that follows shall provide an indicative visualization on how Latinos and Asians received almost the same condition of treatment from the American society when they first entered the country during the post World War era. In an aim to show comparison, it is assumed that this particular discussion shall provide a good source of understanding that would indicate a distinction on how supposed minor groups in US have survived the years of oppression and how the situations of the past affected the current condition of recognition that the said groups receive from the American society.

Argumentation

Latinos have been considered in a stronger position of recognition against Asians in the United States; Asians have long assumed this particular claim as they see how they are treated lesser than that of the Latinos in the communities that they are engaged with. Relatively though, this thought is often provoked to be affected by the condition of speech that the Latinos have over the English language. Most often than not, except for Filipinos who are considered fluent in English, most Asian countries need to study further and harder to be able to master the utilization of the English language. On the other hand, more Latinos are able to speak English effectively within short time of practice. Because of language barrier, Latinos have been more accepted, more appreciated and much easier understood by the American counterparts.

During the post World War era, the manifestation of differences between races became rampant in the US. Although the nation welcomed immigrants, not all are treated well, especially those who cannot fluently speak English or even at least utter several basic words of the language. Most of the immigrants struggled to communicate with their American counterparts hence making it harder for them to be accepted in the society. As a result to this, discrimination was introduced in the American society which grew into a social cancer that cannot be resolved even up to this day.

When it comes to the difference of treatment, it is assumed that the faster learning process that Latinos undergo when it comes to language acquisition became a ground for battle between Asians and Latinos as they desire to enter the US society with the capacity to survive and grow with the nation. Notably, the language advantage that the Latinos in comparison with the fluency in English-based speech of the Asians resulted to specific differences of recognition on the manner by which they have been treated by the American society. What makes a the process of social immersion impossible for the Asians during the time was that they cannot even fully understand and utilize the language that is used in the country that they have embraced to be their own. Hence, instead of being subjected to be employed in good job placements, most Asians settle for lower-level works that earn them a mediocre salary. Nevertheless, they did not complain, as they know that it is their language that needs to be proven acceptable first before any social acceptance could be pursued. In relation to this matter, Asians have become minor in relation to the Latinos and the status they take into account because of the fact that Latinos are often more outspoken than the Asians are. The fast acquisition of language by this particular group led them into assuming their position in the society faster compared to Asians. Being traditional and all, Asians also refused to be fully immersed in the culture of the American society therefore rendering them more chances of being ridiculed in the community.

Opinion

They are but equal depending on the state they are living in: this particular argument indicates the fact that recognition of minorities such as Asians and Latinos in the country remain strongly dependent on population volume. For instance, Miami became a home to hundreds of thousands of Latinos even just after the Second World War. Settling in the area and establishing their own communities have allowed them to find an identity that is theirs in the middle of living in a foreign land and dealing with foreign people. Knowing that they belong in their local communities that feature their local cultures and practices, the Latinos found a way to make themselves comfortable even when they are nestled by the arms of the nation that they trust would help them as much. In other states though Asians get a higher share of the population, hence in such areas, they are likely more appreciated and respected.

Such separation of acceptance among immigrants based on population volume in a particular location and how many Asians or Latinos are living in the area. Seeking to define themselves with the communities they are living with, immigrants from both Asia and the Latin nations have become aware of the need to outnumber other races in the society so as to be accepted fully. The treatment that the immigrants received was rather territorial which, means that if an area is populated mostly by Asian then it would be easier for them to find a job that would suffice their daily need. The same is true in states that have been strongly populated by Latinos.

Relatively, after the war years, people wanted to do nothing but to recover from the situation that devastated their own countries and even their own lives. In response to such call, preparations for the future have already been outlined in the minds of the immigrants. Providing them then chance to decide on whether or not they are to live in an area prominently occupied by another race. As the situation becomes clearly defined under the conditions of successfully handling tasks for the American economy to recover faster, Asians and Latinos were then treated as minorities, discriminated and were given less recognition as humans during the time. Liberation of human principles were what made it easier for both groups of minorities to define their ways within the American society in the latter years that followed the post World War era. Nevertheless, it could be proved through this section of the discussion that both Asians and Latinos had to deal with the same rate of struggle, the same aspect of indifference and the same distinction of recognition that they received from the American society.

Summary

In relation to the findings that have been discussed within the context of this paper, three primary points could be developed from the condition of defining the pros and cons of immigration to the US during the post World War era. The condition of social acceptance that Latinos and Asians had to deal with specifically indicated the possible capacity of these groups to be stereotyped in the country, yet in so many ways, both groups, although different in race, were treated in almost the same manner by the American society. These five points specifically show such similarity:

• People accept the minorities based on the volume of their population in the area
• Latinos and Asians were received in the country as added workforce for the nation’s economic recovery
• Both groups of minorities are stereotyped and discriminated by their American counterparts

Up to this era, although many things have already changed and several elements of social development have already been adjusted, it could be realized that the condition of treatment that the Latinos and Asians receive from Americans as a whole remains the same. Discrimination and stereotyping is still rampant not to mention the fact that they are considered as minorities in the country of while communities.