Joel Stein’s article (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1999416,00.html) about Indians in time.com turned very popular among netizens and here is the response to that from our reader:
“Joel Stein is definitely getting sued. No doubt about it. I also heard about this article in a radio discussion. Most of the Indians did not like it as it hurts their feelings.As a child who grew in this small town and saw those rapid changes in culture and population, it is definitely understandable from his point of view, but he should have chosen better words.
America is a land of immigration. There is no great history beyond 400 years in America. Everyone currently living in America or whoever called 'Americans', migrated from Germany, France, England, Spain, Africa and Mexico. Asians are little late to join this migration. In fact, the archeological studies say Asians are the first people to enter America some 20k years back through Alaska from Russia. That is Paleolithic era in America. So, an 'American' in America is just a legal citizen or born in America. Their ancestry doesn't matter. If that is the case, most of the people in Edison or any other densely populated by Indians, are legally American Citizens or in the process of acquiring it, or working temporarily but legally.
The main immigration issue America is facing primarily in states like California and Arizona is illegal immigration. There are many people migrating from Mexico through unsecured border to these states. This is a bigger problem America has to find a solution.
Having said all this, I like the picture used in this article. Trying to write, 'Welcome to Edison Township' in Hindi script. That is 'creativity in art'.
Dinesh Chintapenta, NJ
[email protected]
“Joel Stein is definitely getting sued. No doubt about it. I also heard about this article in a radio discussion. Most of the Indians did not like it as it hurts their feelings.As a child who grew in this small town and saw those rapid changes in culture and population, it is definitely understandable from his point of view, but he should have chosen better words.
America is a land of immigration. There is no great history beyond 400 years in America. Everyone currently living in America or whoever called 'Americans', migrated from Germany, France, England, Spain, Africa and Mexico. Asians are little late to join this migration. In fact, the archeological studies say Asians are the first people to enter America some 20k years back through Alaska from Russia. That is Paleolithic era in America. So, an 'American' in America is just a legal citizen or born in America. Their ancestry doesn't matter. If that is the case, most of the people in Edison or any other densely populated by Indians, are legally American Citizens or in the process of acquiring it, or working temporarily but legally.
The main immigration issue America is facing primarily in states like California and Arizona is illegal immigration. There are many people migrating from Mexico through unsecured border to these states. This is a bigger problem America has to find a solution.
Having said all this, I like the picture used in this article. Trying to write, 'Welcome to Edison Township' in Hindi script. That is 'creativity in art'.
Dinesh Chintapenta, NJ
[email protected]
