...One of the strongest narratives in American history is that the United States is a land of immigrants. Even though this may be true, the U.S. historically has paradoxically supported immigration as much as it has been against it. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Japanese restrictions in 1907 and the Immigration Act of 1907 are all examples of blatant policy, which prohibited immigration of certain groups in the U.S. The primary reason for all these restrictions were to protect the “Real American” basically a white male with European origins. The second biggest narrative in American history is the idea that U.S. history is primarily constructed and influenced by white and black lives. It is at times completely ignored that Hispanics have made as much of a difference into this country’s political landscape, geographical look, and economic stature as any other race....
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...Illegal Immigration and Border Policy In recent years, Illegal immigration has been a contemporary political and social debate. It has been the platform of many politicians, especially in the southwest, and it is often a popular subject in news media. People in favor of strict immigration policy often claim that illegal immigrants are costly to the American economy and that they take American jobs. The border control policy is ineffective, it is often too costly for its effectiveness. Border policies have increased the number of immigrant deaths in the deserts of border states. Not only that but the US/Mexico border is harmful to the environment. The anti-immigration policy that's currently in effect goes against a rich cultural history in North America. Lastly, popular arguments made for strict immigration will be brought to light. In 2006, George W. Bush signed H.R. 6061, also known as the Secure Fence Act, in an attempt to increase border security and expand the US/Mexico Border. Prompted by heightened national security measures after 9/11, the bill was designed to "help protect the American people" and marked " an important step toward immigration reform" (Bush 2006). The bill doubled funding for border security, increasing expenditures from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $10.4 billion in 2006. This money went to "[authorize] the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our Southern border" and to "[deploy] thousands of National Guard members to assist...
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...The movie “El Norte “is the one of the most successful and influential movies to represent the immigrants state. Director Gregory Nava’s gives the story of Guatemalan siblings Rosa and Enrique’s journey in a melodramatic way. The movie is divided to three main parts, Guatemala, Mexico and United States. The story of Rosa and Enrique’s shows us community, the power of language and culture in different countries. The story begins in Guatemala; it shows the happy family life which Rosa and Enrique have. Their family friends are visiting and they are talking about the life in United States. Rosa’s godmother says she has been reading Good Housekeeping magazines for ten years but she could not dare to go to El Norte. They are dressing colorful traditional Guatemalan costumes and appreciate their traditional music which is playing on the street. Their father Arturo is working as a coffee picker when he leaves home to attend a meeting against the unfair working conditions, Enrique runs after him to stop his father. Enrique asks his father not to go to the meeting because his mom was afraid that he will get in to trouble. Arturo said” I am afraid too but we can’t go this way we have to fight for our land”. The message that director wants to give us is in the Arturo’s statement to his son, “Poor have a heart and soul we try to teach this to rich too“. Arturo was honest man who was after his rights. Their father was killed terribly, so their life totally had been changed. Enrique was...
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...The Narrative of Illegality The discourse of “illegality” is one that has become deeply ingrained and unquestioned in our society. Although it is rooted in contradiction, the narrative surrounding “illegality” establishes these “illegal” immigrants as a threat to the creed, identity, and national security of the United States. Like other elements of the “common sense” instilled in us by neoliberal ideologies, “illegality” was constructed so capitalism and the global apartheid could continue to thrive. It is an effective measure that produces a vulnerable labor force and a never-ending supply of detainees. It does not stem from any natural principles and at its core “illegality” is arbitrary and paradoxical. “Illegality,” therefore, is nothing...
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...,Compare and contrast the narrative structure of at least two of the films studied. Your answer should also evaluate the reasons why these structures were chosen. Since the commercial success of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores Perros in the year 2000, there has been an indubitable resurgence in the amount of interest in, and amount of films being produced within Mexico. This picture, as well as Y Tu Mamá También (2001) by Alfonso Cuarón both received worldwide acclaim and have set a high benchmark for the other Mexican releases since the millennium to live up to. This essay will explore the prominence of narrative structure in the aforementioned Amores Perros (2001), as well as Amat Escalante’s Los Bastardos (2008) and Guillermo Del Toro’s El Espinazo del Diablo (2001). The constituents of a film’s narrative structure come under two different entities: the content of the film’s story, and the way in which the story is presented to the spectator. Vis-à-vis the content of the films story, the essay will mention how, on a thematic level, these films each rely heavily on the use of violence to delineate its message and intentions. James Kendrick states that the use of violence in a film is employed as a structuring device and it is evident that each of these films uses violence for differing intentions, of which the essay will later make discernible. Subsequently, the essay will contrast the order in which the stories are presented to the viewer, chiefly, regarding how Amores...
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...Immigrants a Vulnerable Population BSHS – 302 September 20, 2011 Today, immigration policy and immigration is mostly debated at the extremes, between those who want no immigrants and those who want no borders, implying that immigration is an all-or-nothing proposition. It is clear that some type of policy and reform needs to be established. This writer will discuss and identify the causes of the problems or issues for this population. Focus will be placed on these topics: the history of the population, the nature of the social problems or issues experienced demographics and common clinical issues and intervention strategies, as well as a discussion of future interventions. Since, I live in a rural agricultural area that has been flooded with immigrants for the past decades; I have become very familiar with the Haitian and Hispanic populations. Finally, these groups are from different origins, recognized by various names, and all have taken broad paths to arrive in the United States. Immigration is the center of United States history. The earliest colonization of immigrants was established in the United States in the late 1500’s throughout the 1700’s. Additionally, with the exception of the Native Americans or Indians, evidence proves that America’s citizens are the product of immigration, whether they came as volunteers or they were forced (US Census Bureau, 2000). For example, the transatlantic slave trade created a lasting image of black men and...
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...The central argument of Ronald Takaki’s book is that Americans view history through a filter called the Master Narrative of American History. Takaki states that “ this powerful and popular but inaccurate story, our county was settled by European immigrants, and Americans are white” (Takaki, 4). The Master Narrative is a small minded representation of what America is and who they are which leads to generalized thoughts that people have on a day to day basis. “ Through this filter, interpretations of ourselves and the world have been constructed, leaving many of us feeling left out of history and America itself (Takaki, 5)”. Ronald Takaki delivers his argument by including personal experiences and secondary sources while analyzing different ethnic...
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...The United States has a turbulent relationship with immigrants coming from Mexico. Since the Mexican-American war and the annexation of the southwestern states the United States has had American citizens from Mexican origins, and Mexican immigrants crossing the border. The United States overlooked these groups of people until they became a prominent working force and a major influence in businesses and agriculture. Businesses accepted Mexican workers for their cheap labor, but politicians used them as scapegoats for the loss of jobs, and economic turmoil narrative to the public. There has been a contradictory stance on the work force coming from Mexico as they at best were ignored by the public and taken advantage of, or at worst, dealing with...
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...Michael Crowley argues that Mexico is the most “under-appreciated problem facing the new US administration” under Obama’s second term since it has been compared to Pakistan of being at risk of “rapid and sudden collapse”. However, he assumes that it has been always this way and the United States has done nothing to help the Mexican authorities on the drug-related issue. In fact, the casualties in this war rose by 100,000 deaths but it was President Obama who introduced to US Congress the Merida Initiative, in which the US government provides financial and technical aid to the Mexican government. The results of this program can be perceived in the amount of criminals and in how the Mexican armed forces have improved their weapons and intelligence services. That said, America is concerned about Mexico but they also know that their neighbor is not as worrying as Pakistan, or even Iraq and Afghanistan. However, he applauses the recent achieved reforms of President Peña Nieto and finds him a promising leader to change the current narrative of Mexico by opening the oil and telecommunications sectors, improving the education and labor system, and modifying the tax and criminal code in just the first two years under his administration. In fact, this has made of Mexico the “favorite nation” to invest for the Wall Street community and even their government bonds were rated as A- by Moody’s, making Mexico the only Latin American economy with such grade. Unquestionably, this is...
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...deported to Mexico. 4. Pérez attempts to preven the van driver from summoning the police by saying that he will pay for the damage. 5. Pérez answering the Chicano patrolman in Spanish is not an accident because he knows that the policeman is of Mexican descent. Since he knows this, he feels as though his Spanish will be understood by the officer....
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...For years the United States tried to avoid getting into conflict with other countries. For example, “Americans were not on the whole concerned about the rise of Nazism in the period leading up to the war, or even at first during the war.” Dreaming up America Russell Banks 2008 Edition pg 89 paragraph 1 “So, I don’t think what was happening in Germany in the 1930s was as frightening to the U.S. as it would have been had it happened elsewhere, because we trusted them a little more. Also, most of the victims so far seemed to be Jews, and no way was the U.S. going to come to the defense of Jews at that time. Especially if it was going to cost us money. The other thing was our sense simply of the physical distance. It wasn’t hard in those years leading into the war for Americans to say, this doesn’t concern us.” Dreaming up America Russell Banks 2008 Edition pg 90 paragraph 1 American troops went to Afganstan, with the intital intention of locating known terrorist Osama –Bin- Laden for his involvement with 911 attacks in the U.S. But because the Taliban requested that Bin laden leave the country, and they declined to extradite him to us without evidence that he was involved in the 911 attacks. American troops were dispatached to Afgan to right the wrong that was done to America. We would not have gone to Afganstan if American lives had not been taken without a second thought of our precious life really is. American Air Forces had to interviene regarding the Libya...
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...from the previously mentioned resources, and provide an informative, detailed focus on one specific area: America’s Southwest border, identify some vulnerabilities, threats, and offer governmental strategies being implemented to mitigate these vulnerabilities and threats, protect our country, and its citizens from such violent acts. The topic of discussion is the National Southwest Border Counter-narcotics Strategy (2011). The main topic will discuss America’s vulnerability along the Southwest border, a brief history of border protection, previous criminal activities, current trends, and preventative measures currently being researched and implemented to reinforce the safety and security of our homeland, and its citizens. Now, a brief narrative about the southwest border. The NSWBCN Strategy is a key component of the government’s comprehensive national response to the threat along the Southwest border. The strategy complements the Administration’s (under President Obama) unprecedented increases in technology, personnel, and resources to the SWB, cooperation with Mexico through the Merida Initiative, (more on that later), and our national effort to reduce the demand for illegal drugs at home. This strategy focuses on the primary goal: “Substantially reduce the flow of illicit drugs, drug proceeds, and associated instruments of violence across the Southwest border (SWB).” The mitigation of such illegal activities, along with the continued apprehension of the criminals that conduct...
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...How can a writer provide his or her readers with personal insights about highly debatable themes, such as social and racial segregation impact in the fragile educational system in these United Sates–with a dash of political innuendos, as some might argue–without being deliberately facetious? Ruben Navarrette Jr., a proud Mexican America and Harvard graduate certainly aims and hit the nerve of old societal conceptions considered by him to be unfairly outdated, as he candidly elaborates a persuasive narrative in “Well, I Guess They Need Their Minority” (Maasik, Solomon 211). Navarrette sails through his writing, exposing a mix of personal frustrations and psychological torture from his early years. The article’s vivid description of a kid whose hard work and dedication to excel as a high school student ‘shooting for the starts’ and being accepted by the country’s most prestigious universities should be nothing but an inspiring tool to all young minds out there. Instead, the piece brings a harsh and dry reality picture of a world unknown to most teens; the real and spiteful world where the grown-ups live in: a place doused with prejudice, shallow in values, and worst of all, a place where skin or hair color not only imply but dictates social status and where the human rights solely sound good on the paper. Yet, while presenting his views on the hurtful reactions he encountered upon receiving good news from prestigious colleges that he’d met the standards to get in, Navarrette delves...
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...William Shakespeare once said, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon." In American media the same can be said for the Latino culture. In the eyes of the media, some are born Latino, some become Latino, while others have Latino thrust upon them. Latinos in the media include, politicians, actors, activists and criminals. The vast majority of these individuals create their own personification. Their media image is formed by the causes they support, the roles they play and the words they speak. In this regard, these individuals are either "born Latino" or "achieve Latino". In contrast, athletes are often judged before they ever speak to the media. Our perception is formed based on how these individuals are portrayed or personified by the media. For this reason, it can be said that athletes have "Latino thrust upon them". Of all the major sports, Latinos have had the greatest impact on major league baseball. Today nearly 25% of the players in the major leagues were born in Latin America (Berry, 1). As such baseball provides a unique perspective on Latinos in the media. Players rarely provide insight into their personalities rather our perception is based upon what the media wants us to believe. In this regard, baseball media artifacts enable us to see how differently Latinos were personified in the media over time. In the end it will become apparent that while their growth and achievement on the field has escalated, media perceptions have...
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...America’s policemen of the world, our military. Jennifer M Jeffcoat Lisa Dimitriadis, MA, MPH, Professor Contemporary US History March 15, 2014 Strayer University For years the United States tried to avoid getting into conflict with other countries. For example, “Americans were not on the whole concerned about the rise of Nazism in the period leading up to the war, or even at first during the war.” Dreaming up America Russell Banks 2008 Edition pg 89 paragraph 1 “So, I don’t think what was happening in Germany in the 1930s was as frightening to the U.S. as it would have been had it happened elsewhere, because we trusted them a little more. Also, most of the victims so far seemed to be Jews, and no way was the U.S. going to come to the defense of Jews at that time. Especially if it was going to cost us money. The other thing was our sense simply of the physical distance. It wasn’t hard in those years leading into the war for Americans to say, this doesn’t concern us.” Dreaming up America Russell Banks 2008 Edition pg 90 paragraph 1 American troops went to Afganstan, with the intital intention of locating known terrorist Osama –Bin- Laden for his involvement with 911 attacks in the U.S. But because the Taliban requested that Bin laden leave the country, and they declined to extradite him to us without evidence that he was involved in the 911 attacks. American troops were dispatached to Afgan to right the wrong that was done to America. We would not have gone...
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