An insightful Student News column

Peter - I am not so sure about her point. As an immigrant myself of European extraction, I was until my very retirement in professional circles reminded of my being a foreigner. Most signals were quite subtle, and not necessarily discriminatory. As humans we seem to have a need to categorize and it could be construed by the receiving party as not complimentary. Over time, I discovered that even those born here were placed in a cubby hole. One just has to get used to it and it is not necessary meant to be hurtful but it seems to make the originator feel more empowered. Never ever did that come up among educated colleagues if only in a playful way. I did not take offense to it because I knew who I was and am, and then let it roll of my back. The secret is assimilation and all goes away after that. That is the message for the student. She is bright and a marvelous writer but she should not set herself apart also based on the lack of a commercial item.