Journey to Recognition

Journey to Recognition

When many Asians crossed the pacific to America, they were assured of getting opportunities for better wages so that they could support their families back at home. They never thought of how they could be treated or how their lives would change in the new lands. Most Asian immigrants got jobs in cane farms at first, where they would till in the farms for three to five years, depending on the contracts. A majority of Asians were mistreated in farms whose main objective was to rake huge profits after signing deals with as many immigrants as they could find. Despite feeding and housing them, most cooperatives still mistreated most of the immigrants with harsh working conditions and meager pay for challenging jobs. Feeding them meant that they could work hard in the farms and thus better projections in terms of profits. Additionally, a lot of Asians were discriminated against, and they could not get rights to own properties even when they had made enough to want to settle down. I think that racism, Orientalism, and inequality all played significant roles in how Asian immigrants were treated. Asian immigrants came to America in search of job opportunities to support their families back at home, but they were, however, mistreated despite working hard for their employers.

Many Asians saw that coming to America would be an excellent opportunity to increase their earnings so that they could support their families back home. Most jobs that were available for immigrants were manual jobs as the rest needed skilled labor. The farms that employed immigrants made following such contracts that lasted three to five years, depending on the employer and the service provided by the immigrants. The wages paid to these immigrants were, however, not proportional to the amount of work the immigrants did. Additionally, women were paid even less than their counterparts despite doing the same amount of work. As confirmed by Takaki, “Japanese-female field hands, … received an average wage of only fifty-five cents per day in 1915, compared to the seventy-eight cents Japanese-male field hands received” (135). Inequality of gender was, therefore, rampant even with low wages. I feel that this was a significant reason for the several resistances and strikes by workers against improper treatment and racial segregation tactics used by the Americans.

The working conditions for the Asian immigrants were not conducive, with most manual jobs being done in farms, the immigrants would wake up early and work in the farms for many hours under the raging heat or cold weather depending on the prevailing weather. The cane farmed in the farms also did them a lot of damage to their skin because of the blade-like leaves. Even with all these hardships, the “Korean workers were not allowed to talk, smoke, or even stretch their backs as they labored in the fields” (Takaki 140). I feel that this type of labor was inhumane, and most immigrants did the jobs because they had to and did not have any other choice. Compensations for injuries during work were never done, and until several strikes against the employers were issued, that is when the immigrants were heard. It was also convenient to most farms since Asian immigrants provided the cheap labor that was so much needed. Thus, it is clear to see that immigrants were vital to the success of most farms despite them being treated as aliens. Due to the inhumane working conditions, most immigrants never signed up for second contracts and never returned to the respective farms. As Chan points out, “the Chinese left the sugar plantation as soon as they could because the luna was abusive and the working conditions extremely unpleasant” (27). I feel that the immigrants deserved better treatment despite being aliens since they delivered quality services at a low wage and made sure the farm owners garnered huge profits.

Segregation was a significant issue among immigrants. Considering that it was a moment in the united states that was affected hugely by high rates of racism, immigrants were not finding ground in the new country. Similar to all other immigrants, these people had to pay the price of being immigrants in the new nation. Following the challenge of racial segregation, the Japanese immigrants found it difficult to locate the right schools for their children in the neighborhoods in which they lived. Following this, they were faced with several illiteracies, which was not only a threat to their current life but also their future. The high levels could see the results of the ignorance of economic downfall. The immigrant communities and society had to struggle economically with issues such as proper housing and inadequate water. The Japanese immigrants had to plunge deeper into the economic morbidity, especially after their inability to acquire jobs. According to Takaki, “While agricultural and railroad employers of Japanese employers were willing to include Japanese in subordinate economic and social roles, whites generally scorned their very presence, and white workers waged hostile and sometimes even violent campaigns to keep Japanese out of the labor market” (180). From the above explanation, it is evident that the Japanese’s main problem was racism, and that is what weighed them down to the point that they could barely get employment. Following their inability to get employed, their experience in the United States was not appealing, since they struggled in every aspect of their lives. Through this angle, the author addresses the various challenges that the Japanese workers had in the United States and likens this to the other immigrants. It, however, crosses the minds of the readers if the situation would have been different had racism not existing.

Furthermore, the Asians who are born in the United States have difficulty fitting into the social construction of the nation. Ideally, since the migration of the Japanese, they were always on the move. As such, personal growth for immigrants was steep. The employment contract required that the immigrants work for the stipulated duration. This did not, however, cater to any changes in the economy, and as such, their wages did not increase even after a long time. Takaki explains that “they did not live in permanent camps where they could build stable communities; they were literary here today and gone tomorrow” (183). Following the consistent movement, these people could not get the chance to develop economically, socially, and even emotionally.

As such, the people who were born later in the United States had it difficult to fit. They not only had no relatives, but they also did not have friends that they could relate to. As such, most of the next generation immigrants found themselves hanging on the edge. Through these new generation immigrants, Azuma explains that there is a new set of Japanese immigrants who did not have a place they could call home. In the United States, they were foreigners, and so was the case in Japan. In other words, the only people that were known to these people were the parents. Due to the constant movement of the immigrants, they could not keep up with the families and relatives. As such, people occasionally found themselves separated from their relatives. They would be located in different places where they were expected to begin their lives. Then new generation that was generated following the wave of Japanese immigrants could not relate to any ethnic group. They were occasionally torn between supporting their birth country, which most of them fell the allegiance to, and going back in search of their roots. However, after the abolishment of racism, these groups of second-generation immigrants could easily relate, and they found other things they could focus on, such as talent and education.

Pushed by the unfair treatments in white farms, a few immigrants thought it best to have their farms. However, this move came with some challenges, such as not being able to own farms and even paying their landlords some amount of what they harvested. I feel that such constrictions were to ensure that aliens never find the comfort to stay in America, let alone engage in profiting activities. Also, such measures made sure that immigrants remained as low-level laborers that would not benefit much and thus have little control over the country’s economy—pushed by such decisions. A few immigrants came together to form associations that could put their interests on the table, and maybe they could now have better days in America. However, as noted by Azuma, “Japanese tenant farmers worked under the rigid control of white landlords and other business interests” (64). Such led to many leaving farming, and they left for other activities in the towns. There was too much involvement and control by the white man. In one way, I feel that immigrants worked extra hard and were more of a threat to most Americans. The Orientalism mentality was working hard to see them as lesser beings who never deserved any of the benefits of being a recognized citizen. Asian immigrants, therefore, never enjoyed the benefits of living in America, and most laws were passed to ensure that they did not benefit from working or having any business, be it farming or laundry cleaning. Associations were frequently attacked with violations from the government that was pushed by the locals who felt that no matter the time spent by Asian immigrants, they would never be natives. Issues of citizenship cropped up, and immigrants from Asian descent remained illegible to citizenship for almost a century. I feel that racial segregation was the significant divide that caused tension between most immigrants and locals. Additionally, locals never wanted to feel controlled by aliens that were once casual laborers in farms.

The Asian migration to America brought with it many advantages and tension too. It should be noted that immigrants from China, India, and Korea were a significant source of cheap labor that enabled the American economy to grow to where it is. Despite the harsh treatment offered to most laborers, most immigrants never left, but they sought to get better jobs while still living in America. I am impressed with the fact that many immigrants even took it to themselves to educate their children in American schools, even with all the racial tension that was present at the time. It is sad, however, that even with all this dedication, Asian immigrants’ children were still not awarded jobs that met their skills and were still limited to odd manual jobs as their parents. A lot of policies and rules were laid out to exclude them from many services, but they, however, survived the tough times. Because of the organizations formed to defend the immigrants and most of their activities, there was better recognition of immigrants, and with it came better days for the future generations. Despite the many provisions that have come as a result of many years of sanctions, deliberations, and inequality, it is still not clear on the position that many Asian decent citizens living in America hold. Most of them are yet viewed as aliens in America, and also, when they visit their ancestral homes, they are still not seen as native residents. It is true to say that racial segregation and Orientalism are still significant players to the lives that Asian citizens live in America. It has been a long journey that has seen many suffering under the white majority in a different country, either way, I feel that it is time that racial differences are put aside, and all Asian immigrants are viewed as the critical element they have been to the development of America in the past centuries and many more to come.

Works Cited

Takaki, Ronald. Strangers From A Different Shore. Little, Brown, 1998.

Chan, Sucheng. Asian Americans. Twayne, 1991.

Azuma, Eiichiro. Between Two Empires. Oxford Univ. Press, 2008.