Immigrant Gas Station

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I'd seen this window at a Marathon gas station on Fairfield Avenue on Fort Wayne's south side many times before I stopped there a few months ago to buy gas for the first time. I was surprised to see that it was run by immigrants from Asia!

I've talked to many immigrants over the years and many of these people who have chosen our country as their home are more genuinely appreciative of our free society than many American-born citizens are. A lot of businesses hang the American flag in the window, and I think a lot of them do so to exploit patriotism for profit. I don't think that is the case here.

 

[jordanstarr]

Another great shot Chris...I've always enjoyed your genuine approach to photograph beyond what's on the surface. Keep up the good work.

 

[oftheherd]

Black, white, and a lot in between. What a nice photo. The commentary is great as well. Thanks for sharing this, and for all the others you have been showing us lately.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Thanks Jordanstarr and oftheherd. I knew this would be a powerful image. It took me a couple of months to get it because there were always cars parked in front of the window every time I'd drive past! Finally got my chance while driving home from shooting something else, so I finished the roll by making a couple of exposures of this place.

 

[35mmdelux]

Except for the native Americans everybody on this continent is an immigrant. That is the strength of our great nation. It takes courage to leave the "old country."

"A lot of businesses hang the American flag in the window, and I think a lot of them do so to exploit patriotism for profit. I don't think that is the case here."

I agree with you.

 

[jky]

"...more genuinely appreciative..."

... because compared to what was back home, it's gravy....

Nice photo.

 

[randolph45]

Pride or fear

Pride or fear

Chris
I have wondered if flag desplays in immigrant establishments was for the pride of there new homeland or fear of retrobution from hoolagans out to knock them around .I'm sure we have all seen or read about local people around us who have suffered the latter because they are "not one of us" which is B.S. to begin with . Am I nieve to think that anyone willing to uproot themselfs,come here,work there butts off and make a better life is entitled to do so.

Sorry to much soap box
I like your picture
It is after all thought prevoking 🙄

 

[robert blu]

Good photo and great words
robert

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris
I have wondered if flag desplays in immigrant establishments was for the pride of there new homeland or fear of retrobution from hoolagans out to knock them around .I'm sure we have all seen or read about local people around us who have suffered the latter because they are "not one of us" which is B.S. to begin with . Am I nieve to think that anyone willing to uproot themselfs,come here,work there butts off and make a better life is entitled to do so.

Sorry to much soap box
I like your picture
It is after all thought prevoking 🙄

You may be right in some places, but not in Fort Wayne. Indiana has a long and nasty history of racism, but it has always been directed almost entirely at Black people, not immigrants. We have the largest population of Burmese people in the United States here in Ft. Wayne, a large number of Bosnian Muslims, and a fairly large number of Mexicans, and it is very rare for anyone to say anything against them.

There are still small towns in northeast Indiana where Blacks are not welcome, but many of these towns have Mexican and Asian residents. I'm not sure why racists here accept immigrants whose cultures are a lot different than ours, while adamantly rejecting English-speaking Christian Black Americans whose families have been here longer than most of the white people here have. Most Black Americans are descended from the slaves. Importation of African slaves was prohibited at the beginning of the 19th Century (while slavery itself remained until 1865), which means that most of the Black people here are from families with very long histories in the USA, while most of the white people here in Fort Wayne are descended from Germans who came in the 1850s. Strange, isn't it?

 

[aad]

My friends who have immigrated here are genuinely happy and proud to be American.

So am I.

 

[jsrockit]

A lot of businesses hang the American flag in the window, and I think a lot of them do so to exploit patriotism for profit. I don't think that is the case here.

After 9/11 occurred, many stores run by immigrants in the NYC area put flags in their windows or on their doors. This time, it wasn't for profit, but out of fear.