Ally+S

Allegra Smith


 * Sophmore, Pre-Law, Undeclared major
 * From Syracuse New York
 * Syracuse University All Girl Cheerleader
 * Worked with a refugee camp for kids over the summer

Dialogue: Me, Oskar Schindler, Carol A. Mortland, Random Student

Background: Waiting in line at Goldstein Student Center one of the students in line questions their use of immigrant workers.

Student: Why are these immigrants always coming in and taking our jobs, at least if they're going to work here they should learn to dress and sound more American!

Carol: You forget that America is a land full of immigrants, at one point in time your parents were in the same position as the students working here.

Oskar: These students have just as much right as you do to work here.

Student: If they work here they should at least be payed less than us instead of taking all of our government money

Oskar: Maybe you should try better to get to know these students, then maybe you would feel differently about your position.

Me: I agree, by working with refugee kids I understand their culture better and I can empathize with the student workers here, because I have an understanding of who they are and I know better than to judge them based on premature ideas of their people.

Student: Well if they are going to work here they should at least learn to speak english.

Carol: It's not that they don't want to learn english, they just don't want to lose their own language in the process. America has this idea of trying to Americanize everyone who enters our country as soon as possible. There's this idea of superiority when it comes to Americans. We try and force our culture on these new comers without first trying to understand their culture, the reason they are so resistant to learning our culture is that we show no interest in learning theirs.

Oskar: "When you know people you have to behave towards them as human beings" Maybe if you took the chance to meet a few of these people you would learn that they are the same as you, just a student trying to make some money, go to school and live a fulfilling life. You probably have friends who were immigrants as children but you just never took the time to find out. These people you are shunning just want an unbiased chance.

Student: I guess I can kind of understand what you mean.

Carol: Good and if you need anymore convincing maybe you should read my book, "Manifest Destinies."

Me: I've read it, its a very good book

Carol: Thank you.