"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore;
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
- Emma Lazarus, 1883
What better way to celebrate the 4th of July - 4 days since I became an American citizen - than visiting two historic sites that are very much a part of the immigrant odyssey. When America opened her doors to immigration in the late 19th century, the first boatloads of mostly Europeans arrived in the shadows of the Statue of Liberty before passing through Ellis Island. Many Americans today can retrace their ancestors among the 12 million immigrants that sailed to the New York harbor.
In honor of those who came to this country long before me, I decided to revisit the Statue of Liberty National Monument and The Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Today is the first time after several previous visits that both the Statue and the Ellis Island actually means more to me. Today, they're not just tourist attractions but reminders of this country's great immigrant tradition of which I'm now a part of.
As I went up the statue's pedestal and looked up at this great symbol of freedom, I thought about the founding fathers of this country and the many ideals they fought for. I thought about some of the words that stood out in the Declaration of Independence:
"...We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..."
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..."
LUGGAGE OF THE PAST
CHECKING NAMES AT THE IMMIGRANT WALL OF HONORAt the Ellis island, I thought about the many immigrants who took their first steps here towards becoming Americans. Whatever reasons they have had for coming - whether that's the pursuit of life, liberty or happiness - these early immigrants who sacrificed a lot during those years have certainly helped in shaping this great country into what it is today.
STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT
THE ELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION MUSEUMAs I sail back towards Manhattan, bearing an American flag given to me by a park ranger, I felt an enormous sense of pride. I felt fireworks exploding within me. This is what happens when you know you've worked hard to get to where you are right now.
Happy Birthday USA!
Happy Birthday USA!
