15: The Border Patrol State

            Ms. Silko’s essay “Border Patrol State” sheds light on a group of people that is often overlooked in today’s immigration debate. As residents of Texas, we hear a lot about Mexican immigration and its effect on the state, but Ms. Silko’s emphasis on Native Americans and border patrol in the southern United States was really interesting. 

            After reading the accounts of her own personal experiences and the experiences of others, I felt frustrated, as she did, that border patrol officers in service of the United States would mistreat her and others in such a way. I agree that when it comes to immigration, racial and gender profiling occurs more often than not. However, just because someone is of a certain ethnic, cultural, or financial background does not and should not make them a target of such profiling. Silko explained that she and her friend Gus were order to “Step out of the car” and were not allowed to ask any questions or verbally defend themselves. They were simply a target because they were of Native American descent.

            On the other hand, I disagree with Silko’s statement, “It is no use; borders haven't worked, and they won't work, not now, as the indigenous people of the Americas reassert their kinship and solidarity with one another.” In other countries around the world, borders do work. For many reasons the United States immigration policies and practices are not working, and although I certainly don’t have all of the answers, illegal immigration is a problem that is affecting our country. Before moving to Fort Worth, I lived in San Antonio for 18 years, where many of the residents are Mexican or have families from Mexico. In addition to those legally living in San Antonio, the city has had a huge problem with illegal immigrants living in the city, living off of welfare and sending their children to San Antonio’s public schools, which are supported financially by taxpayers. I understand that for many immigrants, America is seen as a land of opportunity and a place to better themselves and their families, but the United States cannot simply just let everyone who comes into the country illegally continue to stay and live off of those who came to this country legally.  For this reason, among many others, borders need to work, and reform needs to take place in the United States immigration procedures. However, supported by Ms. Silko’s accounts, I feel that reform in the area of border patrol and immigration officers is needed as well, so that experiences like hers will be prevented. 

14: The Things I Would Carry

             It is very difficult to imagine myself as part of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’ unit in Vietnam, and there are so many things I think that I would like to have with me if I were in such a situation. However, considering the limited amount of space with which these soldiers had to carry their lives with them, I narrowed my list of items.

            I guess it’s kind of a given that I would like to possess the means to protect myself, most likely in the form of ammunition. I would also need provisions to sustain myself, such as food, water, a blanket, and a source of fire. Other than these understood basics, there are a few other items that I think would be necessary for me to have if I were a part of Cross’ unit.

First and foremost, I would bring my Bible. As a Christian, my faith is one of the most important things in my life, and I feel that the strength that I would receive from daily Scripture reading would be even more important in a situation similar to Jimmy Cross’. I would also bring pictures of my family and close friends. Although O’Brien’s story showed what can happen when a soldier is too concerned with what is happening back in the United States, I don’t think that I could get through a traumatic experience such as being at war without some sort of piece of home, in particular reminders of my family and other people that love and are supporting me. Lastly, I would bring a journal to document my thoughts and major occurrences during my time away from home. Not only would this allow me to look back and reflect on my experiences later, but it would also serve as a place to put down my private thoughts and feelings that I might not want to share with anyone else. O’Brien explained that many of the men in his unit were ‘acting.’ They would say that they were not scared or that watching their comrades die didn’t effect their emotions, but he knew that things like that definitely did, and having a place to reflect on those kinds of experiences would be helpful. 

13: Dream Come True?

In our class this semester, we've read a lot of stories of people who wanted so badly to take part in the 'American Dream,' but for whatever reason, were stopped short of attaining it. However, this story of Zitkala-Sa is a little bit different than all of those stories. 

A Sioux Indian, Zitkala-Sa is taken to a missionary boarding school to be ‘civilized.’ She is expected to learn to communicate in English, her long, braided hair is cut off, and she is taught stories from the Bible. This new culture that she is learning to be a part of is the complete opposite in what she has known as normal all of her life. Her Indian ways seem to stick out like a sore thumb, and she is punished if she does not comply with the ways of the ‘palefaces.’

After living in this new culture for three years, Zitkala-Sa finds that returning home to her previous culture is even more difficult than before. She explained, “During this time I seemed to hang in the hears of chaos, beyond the touch or voice of human aid.” She feels that she does not belong with her illiterate Indian mother and brother who do not understand her feelings, and she feels caught in the middle. She is not young or old, or “a wild Indian nor a tame one.”

In reality, Zitkala- Sa obtained what we could label as ‘the American Dream.’ She was a civilized, educated woman who attained great things in the eyes of whites. But by achieving this ‘dream’ that really was not her own, which led her to feel ostracized by her own people and out of place in both worlds. 

Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen

"Were any person of the blood of the chiefs, myself for example, to visit Hawaii to-day, scarcely would the knowledge that we had reached the port of Hilo get to the ears of our people when a house would be provided for our occupancy, food would be brought to our doors, and we would be made welcome amongst our people for weeks, months, indeed years, if we chose to continue our residence."


I chose this quote because I felt that it emphasized the sense of community that is embedded in Hawaiian culture. Queen Liliuokalani demonstrated this by pointing out that just at hearing that they were coming, plans would be made to not only welcome them as they arrived, but also to make them welcome for so long as a year. This definitely contrasts with the United States at this time, as they were not quite as united as a nation yet.