"Mericans" and "Response to Executive Order 9066" both convey the struggles of living in america and being from a different background. Even though, they may have been born and raised in america they aren't seen as Americans. They are constantly faced with generalization and stereotypes. For example, some people are surprised when they speak English. Okita and Cisnero both faced struggles, people generalized all Mexicans and all Japanese to act in a certain way based on their appearance and background.
In a "Response to Executive Order 9066," Okita uses American identity throughout his poem. The narrator is a young girl who sees herself as more of an american. However when the internment was issued it wasn't just the Japanese Americans who were accused of espionage and sabotage, it was all Japanese Americans because they feared more betrayal. The narrator grew up in america and says, "I have always felt funny using chopsticks and my favorite food is hot dogs." Hot dogs are seen as a cultural american
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She is stuck between her heritage and where she is living, America. She tells us how she isn't allowed into the church, however, she also isn't allowed to leave the front of the church. Not to mention, her grandmother is very traditional and doesn't believe in the "barbaric country with its barbaric ways." Micaela says, "cannot spend our allowance on fried cookies or Familia Burrón comic books" or "run off and have our picture taken on the wooden ponies." Although her grandmother shows a disliking to america, she has a very different view of america. Meanwhile, her brother is playing a game of war where he is fighting the Germans, which is seen as a part of american culture. A little later, a man and a woman are talking to Micaela's older brother, Junior, and they are speaking in Spanish but are soon surprised that they speak English. They assumed that they didn't speak any