Independence Day From an Immigrant Nurse’s Perspective
Most of us may be gearing up to celebrate the long weekend ahead. It is July 4th weekend after all. The day that the whole United States of America celebrates Independence Day. However, for nurses including the immigrant ones, maybe it is just another holiday-to-work day. I should know because I, too, am scheduled to work in my per diem job.
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Some people celebrate July 4th with family gatherings. They have picnics, and barbecues at home. Some enjoy the day off by spending it in the waterparks or in amusement parks. Disney or Universal, anyone? Still, others watch the parades, fireworks, and other local festivities.
Truly, it is a day to celebrate. Regardless of whether one is born here or an immigrant, it is a momentous day especially if we know the reason for such a celebration. Personally speaking, it is even more meaningful to me as an immigrant because it also marks my own independence.
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Brief Civics Lesson
For those of you who may be new immigrants, here’s a quick and brief civics lesson.
Despite a lot of alternative theories, Christopher Columbus has been credited with “discovering” the New World. While he may not have been the first to set sail and arrive at the continent, his voyages opened the pathway from the Old World (Europe) to the New World. America, as you and I know, was named after Amerigo Vespucci. He was an Italian explorer who realized that America is a separate continent from Asia.
Because of that opening, there were some Europeans who set sail to the Americans. Some of the most notable ones were the pilgrims aboard the “Mayflower” who escaped religious persecution in England. They intended to land in Northern Virginia. However, the rough seas of the Atlantic nearly shipwrecked the “Mayflower.” Because of this, they landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts in 1620. There, they built the Plymouth Colony, with William Bradford as its governor.
Several other colonies also came into existence primarily by the Eastern Seaboard. There were French, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, and of course, English colonies established. Nevertheless, the significance of the 13 English Colonies lies in the fact that they were the first ones that came together to form the United States.
The Continental Congress
Merriam-Webster defines a colony as essentially a group of people residing in a different place, yet maintaining ties to the motherland. The 13 English colonies were united in opposing the taxation imposed by the British government in the mid-1760s. Increasingly frustrated about taxation without representation and the consequential Boston Massacre, the colonist defied British rule by dumping 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor in 1773. This was the first major act of defiance and henceforth has been known as the Boston Tea Party.
In retaliation, the British Parliament enacted the Coercive Act hoping that it would dissuade the colonies from uniting. Contrary to the intention, the opposite happened. In 1774, the colonist elected representatives from the 13 states, except Georgia. They met in Philadelphia to create the Continental Congress. The congress aimed to resist British oppression, primarily due to unjust taxation. While ideas were swirling, this first congress did not blatantly demand independence from British rule. Some of the early leaders included John Adams and George Washington.
The American Revolution
The Battles of Lexington and Concord ushered in the American Revolution in 1775. The British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord to seize an armed cache. Paul Revere and his companions alerted the colonial Americans, who at that time still considered themselves British. The clash on that fateful April night came to be called
It effectively marked the start of the Revolutionary war.
Despite the fact that war started, the Founding Fathers deemed that it was proper to convene the Second Continental Congress. Additional Members were Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. They voted to install Washington as the commander in chief of the Continental Army. Fresh from the Americans’ defeat in the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, General Washington arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts to take command of the Continental Army.
The defeat did not dampen the Americans’ spirits. Instead, it served as a morale-booster as they became more resolute to win their freedom through peaceful or even bloody means.
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The Declaration of Independence
Despite the ongoing war, the colonists still proclaimed loyalty to the British crown. In 1776, English philosopher and immigrant Thomas Paine penned his controversial pamphlet “Common Sense” which inspired the revolutionists to take arms against England. In essence, he raised the point that representational government is better than a monarchy or any government based on aristocracy and/or heredity. He further stated that trade relationships should not only be exclusive between America and England. Rather, the first should be free to trade and conduct commerce with the rest of Europe as well.
In mid-June 1776, a committee comprised of Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, Livingston, and Sherman drafted a formal statement of the colonies’ intention for independence. Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence document, written mostly by Jefferson, on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are the three essential documents of the United States of America.
How is this Relevant to an Immigrant Nurse?
While most nurses migrate to the United States (US) as permanent residents or “Green Card” holders, some of them may one day want to become US Citizens. Here are a few tidbits about what to anticipate in your citizenship examination.
More than that, I honestly feel that it is important for migrant workers like us to understand the story of our adoptive country which we now have the privilege to call home. America is not America without its own struggles. Maybe to people like me who hail from developing countries, America is indeed the land of milk and honey. It promises opportunities I might not have had the pleasure of exploring had I stayed in my native Philippines. Without knowing the history, however, I might just continue to look at it from its very pretty and attractive facade.
I love the Philippines, don’t get me wrong. Probably knowing the story of the US as a former British colony brings me back to my own country’s struggle with colonial experiences. I was not alive in 1898 when the Philippines declared its independence, obviously. Nevertheless, the atrocities and abuses our ancestors went through in the hands of our colonial masters in the past were well documented.
My parents were kids when World War 2 broke out. My paternal grandfather died at the hands of the Japanese military while protecting his livelihood.
Regardless of the location, these were some global events that profoundly affected, and continue to affect, all of us, even indirectly, a few generations down the road.
Our Call
Being global citizens, it is our sacred duty to cherish our freedoms and to thank those who continue to preserve them for our benefit. Sometimes, we may not see things eye to eye because we come from different backgrounds and perspectives. That is okay.
Just like the colonists who were immigrants themselves, we will always cherish our ties to our motherland. However, just like their bravery and resolute will, we, too, have to be vocal when things are not right.
The very first item on the Bill of Rights confers upon citizens and residents the freedom of speech, press, and religion. We shouldn’t be bullied into subscribing to popular belief just because it is “mainstream.” We have to express our disagreements in a civilized and mutually respectful manner.
As we provide care to our patients, we do so without any regard for their color, belief, political leanings, or religion. I must admit that I have taken care of patients or families who may have had different perspectives about things. If I didn’t have anything to say that will appease them, I just listened or held their hands. At the end of the day, I came home satisfied that I didn’t impose my belief on them and was still able to provide the best care possible despite our different beliefs.
If all of us are tolerant and respectful of each other, I think we will be able to live in a much better and peaceful world. Here I am again with my utopian dream, but isn’t it a promising prospect?