Children pledging allegiance to the American flag at San Francisco’s Raphael Weill Elementary School in 1942. Those whose families were of Japanese ancestry were sent to internment camps. (Dorothea Lange)
By Hannah Chao
Since November 2016, I have felt like an outsider in my own country. Although I had always felt a little different from the majority culture, I still felt like people saw me as an American prior to that election cycle.
But with COVID-19, it has become even more clear that many see me as a perpetual foreigner. People who look like me were suddenly seen as carriers of a virus and were harassed in their communities. For many of us, it was the first time we’ve directly felt the painful sting of prejudice and racism.
This upset me. I was angry that American citizens were being told to “go to China.” I was frustrated that Asian Americans were being told to “demonstrate that we are part of the solution” to be accepted by the majority culture. My country was no longer a place of liberty, but of fear.
That thought reminded me of the song “America,” which is more commonly referred to as “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” I thought about how the last lines of the first verse––“From ev’ry mountainside / Let freedom ring!”––were not a reality for Asian Americans.
The entire first verse can be seen as a patriotic cry. It is extolling a “land of liberty” in which freedom rings out loudly and clearly. And yet, it can also be read as a cry from the oppressed and a plea for change. Would the bell of liberty ring for all of us? Or would it stay silent for Asian Americans and only toll for a privileged few?
That was the thread that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. teased out of this same song during his “I Have a Dream Speech” in 1963.
So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
Inspired by this interpretation of the lyrics, I decided to play with the lyrics in my head. When I looked up the song, I found more verses. But I also discovered an abolitionist version of the song.
During the pre-Civil War era, abolitionists rewrote patriotic songs to highlight the injustices of slavery. Their version of “America” inspired me to write a version for Asian Americans to continue that cry and plea for change.
I hope this new version is an encouragement to Asian Americans. We are not alone. Our voices are part of America’s song, and we should sing loudly and proudly. We can be sure that God is with us and for us, and that he hates racism even more than we do. We can cry out to him and know that we are heard. I eagerly await the day in which the original “America” can be sung in one voice, not as a hope or an aspiration, but as truth for all of us.
Original Version
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!
—————————————
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.
—————————————
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
—————————————
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King!
Asian American Version
My country, ‘tis of thee
Miguk [1], land of beauty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my father lived,
Land where my family lives,
Immigrants to citizens
Let freedom ring! [2]
—————————————
My native country, thee,
Our fathers crossed the sea,
Changing their names
Why do you glare at me?
Am I foreign property?
American dignity
Is mine I proclaim. [3]
—————————————
Let spices scent the breeze,
Lanterns from all the trees
We add to the song;
Let yellow tongues awake,
In all our rights we partake,
Stereotypes will break,
Our sound prolong. [4]
—————————————
Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Expose all our nation’s sins.
Break down all racism.
Strengthen us from within.
Great God our King!
–––
[1] “Miguk” is the Korean word for America that literally translates to “land of beauty.”
[2] It was important to me that the new lyrics mirror the original as much as possible, yet tell the American story through the Asian American experience. We are connected to the history of our country, not as the children of pilgrims but as immigrants who proudly became citizens.
[3] The second verse veers the most away from the original text, but I tried to follow the feel of the abolitionist version’s second verse. Here, I directly address the perpetual foreigner syndrome that many Asian Americans face.
[4] Asian Americans contribute so much to our country, from delicious foods to community celebrations. As is our right, Asian American voices are growing louder, criticizing the model minority stereotype that has harmed us and our country.
Hannah Chao is the editor of SOLA, where she also often writes. She has been editing for SOLA's website since its inception in 2016. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a B.A. in print journalism. Hannah attends All Nations Community Church, where she is also the administrator. She is a wife and mom of two beautiful girls.