"Who Belongs? U.S.

Immigration Rhetoric on HIV/AIDS" was the Milton Lecture that

took place on October 18. The speaker, Karma Chavez, discussed what the word belonging

really means and how it can mean different things to different people in certain scenarios. She

also talked about how HIV and AIDS affect US immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Ms. Chavez opened her lecture with a cartoon image involving the Statue of Liberty.

Typically, Americans think of the Statue of Liberty with a very positive connotation; however,

the cartoon she showed portrayed the Statue of Liberty as a very negative and hypocritical

thing. She then went on to explain how many immigrants were turned away from the United

States, even though the US claims to be open to anyone. She then raised the question, Who

belongs in the US?

This image was very eye opening because it is hard to imagine what it must be like to

want to come to the US for a better life, but being turned down based on where you were born.

It also caused me to reexamine my definition of belonging. I realize that while minority

groups are still part of America, they may feel as if they do not belong based on their ethnicity.

The US should be a place where everyone, no matter their ethnicity or place of birth, should

feel accepted and part of the community. Every culture has something unique about it, and our

differences should be appreciated and celebrated, not ridiculed.

Ms. Chavez then went on to talk about how people who were HIV positive were not

allowed into the US for most of history. Only recently did the government change this law and

allow immigration for individuals who were HIV positive. She proclaimed this was very unjust

and inhumane and that people should not be kept out of a country based on that fact alone.
Ms. Chavez then expanded on the idea of belonging and made a case that those people

belong here too.

At first, I was skeptical about her opinions on the issue. While it may be unfortunate, it

makes sense that someone who is HIV positive would not be allowing in the country. After all, it

is our governments job to protect us. However, as I reflected on the issue, I started to

sympathize with those who were not allowed in the country. While they may have HIV, that

does not define who they are or what they can do as a person. The US should not keep people

out based on that; they should instead let them in and focus on educating the public, rather

than making HIV positive immigrants out to be the enemy, like Ms. Chavez suggested. These

people deserve the chance to join our community. No human is better than another based on

where they live; therefore, the US should be more open about who they let into the country.

The Milton Lecture I attended was very informative and stimulating. It made me

consider different things I had never thought about before. While my major is sport

management, I do enjoy courses in the humanities. This lecture was one that caused me to

reconsider my personal definition of belonging and caused me to make an extra effort to

make those around me feel they belong in the Syracuse community.sss