PART-2: DO WE KNOW WHO WE ARE?
Click here for PART-1:
Click here for PART-3:
Click here for PART-4:
Click here for PART-5:
As I suggested in my previous post, Turks in the US are made up of several groupings as I have identified over the years. The reason for the revelation of this separation of classification is to justify the notion that all Turks (here in the US - let alone the native Turks of Turkey) are not created equal. We are a microcosm of everything American in our beliefs, values, and traditions. However, there is also some common ground amongst ourselves as we recognize and accept the underlying denominators that separate us from the majority of the general population of the USA.
My point in all of this is to exaggerate the opinion that assimilation into America or Americanism is not the giving up or the elimination of the Turkish identity but the embracing, followed by the injection of the proper Turkish values and culture into the American society, and thereby naturally becoming a part of and benefiting the American phonemena by introducing additional features to the American way of life.
First, let me address the separation factors. On the one side, there are Turks who have recently (this can be as much as up to five years or more, depending on the assimilation factors of the family, and can vary among the family members) arrived in the US as immigrants. This group still has very close ties to Turkey and Turkish-ness, while they recognize America and Americans to be the necessary way to reach their means. Their dilemma is having their kids raised in the traditional manner while remaining loyal and true to their Turkish background.
Then there are those on student visas completing their undergraduate and graduate studies. Their intention at first is to return to the homeland upon completion of their degree but their hidden desire, increasing as the years go by, is to somehow find a way to remain in the US, sometimes by desperate measures. These people still see themselves as Turks and deal with Americans in the simple present 'they' sense.
Next comes the diplomats, guests, visitors, tourists who are here for a period of time, sometimes permanently temporary. And they are what they are. Permanently temporary or temporarily permanent and not much can or should be expected of them as far as the assimilation into the American society. This is really sad from the point of view of the permanent resident Turks in the US as they soon discover the disconnect between themselves and the Turkish official/government representation not really having the proper qualifications of representing their countrymen in this 'foreign' land.
Lastly, I will address the other side of the Turkish-American vs American Turk (as my friend Murat calls it and even has created a Yahoo! Group specifically designed to fill the void) grouping. The first generation Turks who have been in the US for longer than 10 years or more, as well as the second generation Turks who have been born in the US to first generation Turkish-Americans, make up one side of the equation.
Some of these people are at a constant battle within themselves as well as within the whole Turkish question, depending on factors such as marital, family, material, and other reasons and obligations by playing both roles of 'identifiance' with each extreme. They are experts at seeing things from both sides but sometimes add to the confusion by playing at odds with either of their allegiances, especially when it comes to issues of national (Turkish or American or both) or global interests.
However, most of the people in this group bear a certain responsibility as torch bearers, and as part of the most effective, if not the largest grouping, seem to be model citizens achieving the ultimate dream of mine as I outlined above of 'true assimilation.'
The more extreme of this equation is the emergence of the 'fully-assimilated' model, represented by those Americans of Turkish descent who have been here for generations and seem to not care about or dismiss the Turkish factors or those who have intentionally moved away from the Turkish alignment during their many years here and have become totally obsolescent in their search of the American dream, at the expense of disregarding the obstacles they attribute to being identified as Turkish.
These people have fallen to the trap of what I call, 'inclusion by disclusion.' In other words, they believe they have to give up one to become another.
I have a solution to this epidemic while still necessarily assimilating into all things American. That will be the topic of my next post. I bet you can't wait . . .
Technorati Tags: turk, turkish, turkey, us, usa, american, assimilation, generation, culture, cultural, values, immigrant, society, background, epidemic, foreign
