This is in response to Rishi Kundi’s Wednesday column, “Opinions don’t make traitor, know someone before criticizing” (SN 9/19).

He is correct that many, but not all, people automatically assume if your skin is not black or white, you are from a foreign land.

I also am an American like Kundi. My parents are from India and we are Hindu, not Muslim as many assume.

There is nothing wrong with being Muslim, but people should not assume I am one.

We’re not even very religious like most people.

My sister was born in New Jersey, and I was born in Ohio. The only language my sister and I know is English.

But on Tuesday, I went to the “Meet the Firms” event at Kellogg Center searching for employment. One recruiter for Consumers Energy asked me if I was a “permanent resident.”

I noticed the recruiter asked this to other people that evening as well. All those people had one thing in common, not a single one of them was white or American in this recruiter’s mind-set.

I told her I was born in Ohio. She said, “Oh, MSU is a diverse institution and I know students here who are from England, France and Norway.”

Although none of them are American for legal purposes, they are considered more American than someone like me, who was born and raised in the United States.

By the way, I am voting this Election Day. If that’s not being patriotic and doing my constitutional duty as an American, I don’t know what is.

Arvind Sapra
accounting senior