RISE OF THE IMMIGRANT CLASS

The concentration of U.S. flags would have made any Fourth of July parade envious. On Monday, an estimated 1.1 million immigrants took to the streets across the United States to celebrate "A Day Without An Immigrant." Tens of thousands of New Yorkers converged on Union Square, forming a two-mile long procession to downtown Manhattan.

Displays of American patriotism at the rally dwarfed those found at other American protests. Here was a group that was genuinely appreciative that they had the opportunity for a better life. Throughout Manhattan you could hear the chant "Si, se puede!" (Yes, we can!) Whole families, from newborns to grandparents, added to the festive vibe in Union Square's usually stagnant political atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the protest suffered the central activism flaw that can be found at many demonstrations today: bitter partisan divisions. Today's America seems to have little room for compromise. The "you're either with us or against us" attitude made popular by our president's famous quote is hardly reserved for one political faction.

Instead, this ethos has increasingly been adopted by many of the nation's fractured interest groups. Following this path-a situation where only half the population will be on the winning team-the democratic dream of America may very well be in peril.

One specific wedge issue is the lingering attitude that, by default, immigrants deserve a chance at what America offers by any means necessary. The idea here is that we essentially forget about historical injustices and look for an immediate solution that would lead to better integration (not assimilation) of immigrants. As a result, many of today's immigrants remain confined to their own insular communities. This situation has begun to make "the great melting pot," a vision long held as America's primary strength, seem all but impossible.

Despite some of the concerns the protestors raised, the ideal America for an immigrant does not have to include covertly cleaning toilets and doing restaurant work in order to send a few bucks back home before retreating back to el barrio. The early American immigrants learned that their best chance to succeed meant giving up a little bit of their culture in exchange for a more national one.

Considering that almost every major industrial nation has more rigid immigration requirements than the United States, new immigration reforms in the U.S. demand careful consideration (e.g. the bill that would have made it a felony for anyone to help an illegal immigrant).

Unlike most activism in America in recent years, the "A Day Without An Immigrant" rally transmitted an energy not felt since the historic Vietnam-era protests of the past. Perhaps all the optimism, hope and sincerity that day became exaggerated by the near perfect weather blanketing the city.

Nevertheless, if you were in Union Square or anywhere on Broadway near that two-mile procession, it already felt like a significant difference was being made. Like it or not, America has started down a new path that promises to change the cultural and political fabric of the country forever. How the nation responds to the "browning of America" will determine the future of America's socio-political legacy.