[1]Ro Khanna

Friend,

As I contemplate the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month, which began
September 15, I can’t help but recall Fredrick Douglass' seminal 1869
speech, “Composite Nation.” In this speech, delivered four years after the
Civil War, Douglass outlined a bold vision of a pluralistic America that
remains profoundly prescient:

“If we would reach a degree of civilization higher and grander than any
yet attained, we should welcome to our ample continent all nations,
kindreds and tongues and peoples; and as fast as they learn our language
and comprehend the duties of citizenship, we should incorporate them into
the American body politic.”

Douglass’ words are just as poignant today as they were nearly 160 years
ago. When we talk about patriotism, we often equate it to a blind faith in
exceptionalism. Yet the unique nature of our democracy is due in large
part to the rich multiculturalism we’ve fostered over a complex history.

Hispanics, who make up over 18% of the U.S. population, are very much an
integral part of the American body. What’s more, there’s a rich diversity
to the Hispanic-American experience, a broad representation of cultures
and ethnicities, of beliefs and backgrounds, that encompasses the entire
Spanish-speaking world. Some Hispanic-Americans are new immigrants who
traveled from afar to build the life of their dreams here. Some are
descendants of Hispanic families that have been living in this country for
generations. All of them affirm the power of the multi-ethnic,
multi-racial democracy about which Fredrick Douglass spoke so eloquently.

The United States is the greatest nation the world has ever known- but we
should try to engage in a more honest and reflective patriotism. Ours is
an immigrant nation, one that encompasses cultures that span the globe. We
have made phenomenal strides through centuries of struggle and yet there
is still so much more we must do to reach the ideal put forth by Frederick
Dougless. Whether Hispanic, Asian, Black, white, or indigenous, we are
American, and we will use both what makes us unique and what makes us
alike to push our country forward to win the 21st century.

Onward,
Ro

 


Contribute to Ro's campaign for re-election: [link removed]

This email was sent to [email protected]. Email is the most important way for us to reach you about opportunities to act. If you need to remove yourself from our email list, click here to unsubscribe: [link removed]

PAID FOR BY RO FOR CONGRESS
PO Box 3513, Santa Clara, CA 95051