"An Open Border" - Poem Analysis

An Open Border
by
Scott Rohter
Take some bricks and build a wall
Make it solid, strong and tall.
Let it stretch from gulf to sea
That safer at home we all may be.
Build it wide from rim to rim
So terrorists and smugglers can’t sneak in;
And make it deep, secure from holes
Through which flow the drugs that wreck our souls.
Stop the drug trade in its tracks.
Keep us safe from terrorist attacks.
And let it stand the test of time
I pray, keep safe this land of mine.

Consider this, that it’s your job
To keep those out who would rape and rob;
From this great cause you cannot run
While so many of us have lost daughter and son.
You ask our children to serve and fight;
They trust their leaders to do what’s right.
And what’s right is this — it’s easy to see;
It’s plain and simple, as one, two, three —
If you’ll keep us safe in the war on terror
An open border is a fatal error.

This poem was found on a website entitled "We Need a Fence," so this poem is very one-sided, only pointing out the negative aspects of incoming immigrants. But while this plan to create such a wall is discussed, the possibility of terrorists and drugs entering the country by a different route, perhaps by plane or boat, is never mentioned. Also, the allusion to the war in Iraq is questionable. If we should not allow anyone into our great country, what gives us the right to invade other countries? This is not to say that the piece is useless: one can learn much about the methods of propaganda, including the usage of patriotism and unity, a strong rhyming scheme, and the one-sided perspective.

"Blue Collar Workers Hurt by Failure to Curb Illegal Immigration" -Analysis

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"Don't Forget Immigration Reform"- Analysis

This article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-pastor22mar22,0,7700251.story

This Los Angeles Times article, by Dowell Myers and Manuel Pastor, looks at immigration and what we can do to resolve issues surrounding the hotly debated topic. The article is obviously pro-immigrant, at one point stating, "Immigrants should not be viewed as a problem to be solved but an asset to our regional future." In Los Angeles, the population is approximately one third immigrants, about one half of the workforce is comprised of immigrants, and two thirds of LA's youth are children of immigrants. The article uses these statistics to convince the reader that immigrants are an integral aspect of LA's culture and economy. The authors call for action from politicians, both Federal and State, as they leave the reader with the statement, "Clearly we cannot wait for Washington; we must start this conversation now in Los Angeles. And maybe in the process, we can lift the tenor of the national immigration debate and point the way to a comprehensive reform that will focus less on borders and more on our common future." The authors are both well qualified and view immigration as a positive factor, dispelling many xenophobic fears about the inability of migrants to assimilate and severe economic differences.

"This is my House" - Poem Analysis

This is My House by Richard MacWilliam

This is my house, and you are a guest in it.
Please - leave when you are no longer welcome .......
I will have no hesitation in using force -
Beneath my smile lies
Fear
And
Hate.


This is my house: it needs rebuilding -
I value you
For your skills:
But without those skills
You
Are
Nothing.


This is my house: you are not welcome,
Yet my morality insists that you stay -
But
Only
One
At
A
Time.


This is my house: we are friends,
And you can stay forever -
But only because
We
Are
Friends.


This is my house: we are brother and sister.
You are most welcome.
Live here and join our family.
We will argue: we will love: but most of all
We
Will
Live.


This is my house. Next door is another house.
I have been in that other house.
That other house is part of my street.
It is a nice house.
I
Like
My
Street.


In this poem, each stanza represents a different group of people: the first only wants his guest (like the immigrant) until he, the owner, wishes him to leave and the last accepting of everyone and every house around him. The poem starts with the most discriminative person and ends with the most open person, similar to the path America is taking right now. The author does not make a statement that points out where we are now, but he does suggest that instead of allowing people to enter the U.S. just because of what jobs they are capable of performing, they should be accepted for how good they are overall because help keep us diversified and more accepting of others.

Picture of Immigrant Working

In this photo, one of Mother Earth's prettiest gifts surrounds another important element of our lives, at least in the eyes of the photographer. The background of the picture, blurred intentionally, almost suggests that right now, America should really be focusing in on the issue. Choosing to take this picture at a flower center rather than at a less appealing place makes the viewers eyes jump. With the location and the fact that only one immigrant is present, the photographer sends a message that immigrants aren't trying to cause us harm or interfere in society, they just want to work and bring joy to our lives.

But it also should be noted that there are no "Americans" working with this man. Without his help, these flowers would never be given as a gift or put outside one's house. Thus, the immigrants, like the flowers, need to be able to move freely to help not only themselves, but everyone around them.

What forces are preventing the issue of immigration from being resolved?

In an article from a respected magazine, The Economist, a caption reads, "Tight legal controls have driven Latinos to illegality. Why not try reversing the policy? Politics, that's why." After reviewing various other sources, it becomes apparent that American politics are, in fact, the only major obstacle that stands in the way of resolving the debate over immigration.
The Economist contends that, "The difficulty is to reconcile economic reality with political reality." Although immigrants are proven to be beneficial to the United States' economy, immigration is a tough issue to tackle for both Republicans and Democrats. Many politicians are afraid of negative repercussions because of their "soft" views. The Economist briefly describes President Bush's 2004 proposal for a guest-worker program, and then goes on to say, "Republican politicians, with their eyes on [the 2006] midterm elections, openly defy their president." Immigration was a major issue in Tom Daschle's senatorial run; political analysts blame his defeat on his liberal views on immigration. After California Republican Congressman David Drier saw his support weaken due to his "soft" views, he toughened up, sponsoring legislation that, if enacted, would impose penalties on employers for hiring illegal aliens. However, a counter force to this hard-line view exists. Big businesses employ many of the eight to ten million illegal immigrants in the US. The Economist notes that "few politicians want to alarm the very businessmen who finance their election campaigns" by enacting legislation that would penalize employers for giving jobs to illegal aliens. An article from the McClatchy-Tribune News Service describes how John McCain, a Republican presidential candidate, almost lost the South Carolina primary due to his bipartisan immigration reform plan. Fellow Republican Lindsey Graham defended McCain, and was shouted down by his voters. Although McCain still pulled of a victory because of his positions on other issues, "most agree McCain's stance on immigration has cost him some support."
With such forces acting upon our politicians, it is a wonder immigration reform has gotten anywhere at all. Because views vary from "The libertarian advocacy of open borders to the isolationist instinct to fence them off," government leaders are being pulled in two different directions and unable to accomplish anything.

"Small Businesses Face Cut in Immigration Work Force" - Analysis

The article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/us/14visa.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=small%20businesses%20face%20cut&st=nyt&scp=1.


Katie Zezina's article explains the domino effect of a Congress standoff. Only 66,000 H-2B visas (seasonal work visas) will be given out in 2008 as opposed to the 120,000 visas given out by the United States last year, with over 85,000 of those workers from Mexico. Not only are these people out of work, but their employers, having difficulty finding seasonal workers in the United States, are struggling. One owner of several restaurants, a golf course, and inn, William Zammer Jr., will be opening his businesses later and closing earlier in the season than usual. By only allowing such so little an amount of seasonal workers into the U.S., both small business owners and consumers will suffer.

It is interesting to note that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has been the main reason for the limited amount of visas. In fact, it almost seems paradoxical that a group that should be fighting for more accomidating immigration laws would be upholding immigrants. But with these limitations, they hope the economy will suffer enough for the government to finally agree with a comprehensive immigration overhaul. (See the above article for more explanation.)

The author uses many quotations from business owners who will be affected by the diminished number of foreign workers, making the argument more convincing. She definitely agrees with the purpose question of this blog: immigrants cannot be replaced. As she mentions, "The labor pool in many resort areas is not deep enough to provide new workers, and many people do not want seasonal jobs." While some of the jobs most affected might be filled by Americans, many companies are "giving away work," something almost unheard of. The article insists that the economy will struggle without the immigrants, but whether it will be enough to alert the government can only be told with time.

"The Immigration Equation" - Analysis

This article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/magazine/09IMM.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=immigration%20equation&st=nyt&scp=2.

Roger Lowenstein’s article, “The Immigration Equation,” takes an economical viewpoint on looking at immigration. While the article does have a slight bias in favor of immigrants, it does present two opposing opinions through two men: George Borjas, a Cuban immigrant who believes immigrants derive Americans of a better economy, and the Canadian David Card.
Even the fact that Lowenstein chooses to open and focus on an intellectual immigrant shows how dependent America is on immigrants. Lowenstein also makes a point that “like gardeners and seamstresses, a surprising number of Ph.D. economists in the U.S. are foreign-born.” He goes on to mention “America’s diversity…is a secret of its strength.” From this statement, it can be concluded that these immigrants of varying skill levels and nationalities, make America and its economy thrive. Thus, in order to continue growing as a country, our identity must remain diverse.
As Lowenstein goes on to describe the many views and opinions of economists mainly concerned differences in wage and education, he does finally mention that “immigration policy responds to a host of factors – cultural, political, and social as well as economic.” While all the facts and figures prove that modern-day immigration has been a huge issue of concern in the past few years, they cannot explain exactly the sudden surge of immigrants. “What the economists can do is frame a subset of the important issues,” Lowenstein states at the end of the essay. And that is exactly why this article is useful: the author has been able to show us the impact of immigrants on economists and their necessity to Americans by both keeping prices of goods and labor low as well as keeping America a strong country overall.

Mexican X-ing

This is a picture of an immigrant crossing by a road in southern California. Signs such as this are common where illegal immigrants are frequently seen crossing roads in large groups. In an episode of Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia, comedian Carlos Mencia makes fun of this sign after asking a variety of people what it means, trying to convince a California DOT spokesman to admit it is an "Immigrant Crossing" sign, and by making his own sign that sterotypes Mexicans. As a result, for many people this has become a sign that mocks and ridicules illegal immigrants while enforcing negative stereotypes. Unfortunately, these stereotypes often carry over into politics and result in ignorance and biased legislation.

Mexico's Brain Drain

This cartoon illustrates the "Brain Drain" from Mexico to the United States. The winged brains, representing intelligent, educated Mexicans, soar over the barrier to United States citizenship. Meanwhile, the poor, uneducated Mexican migrant at the bottom is left staring up longingly at the United States. The purpose of this cartoon is to illustrate the difficulty that the majority of Mexicans find as they try to find legal means of entering the United States. With no other alternative, the poor Mexican crosses illegally. In order to obtain a visa or other form of legal paperwork to live in the US, an induvidual is forced to take an interview and prove that they are qualified. As recent immigrant Andrea Torres said, "My dad got a visa a few years ago. Even then, as a college graduate with a promise of a job in Florida, it was hard. Now it's just impossible." This cartoon is an argument for the loosening of immigration requirements to the United States from Mexico in order to make it easier for poor Mexicans, like those at the bottom of the cartoon, to be able to live and work in the United States.

Minuteman Cartoon

This cartoon depicts a member of the Minutemen group, who is against immigration to America, watching the Mexico-American border through binoculars. A steriotypical illegal immigrant, wearing a sombrero, hands him a drink. Despite the conflicting character backgrounds, the Minuteman is completely unphased with the fact that an illegal immigrant is helping him out: his two-way radio stays deserted in the sand. With this cartoon, a question regarding the necessity for immigrants is raised: could Americans, even those against illegal immigration, survive without the services the immigrants provide us with? Though left somewhat open for interpretation, the comic does suggest that Americans should take a look and see how many elementary tasks are completed with immigrants' help: the evidence is closer than it appears.

Does Illegal Immigration Hurt American Workers?

Currently, there are six million illegal immigrants in the American workforce (roughly 5% of the total.) It is often argued that these workers are taking jobs away from native-born Americans. However, it is also argued that illegals, rather than taking jobs, are indirectly creating them through the boost their labor gives to the economy. Additionally, Hispanics added an estimated ten billion dollars to the economy in 2002. However, this ten billion is out of a total of over three trillion.
Another often-used argument by immigration opponents is that if illegal immigrants were not so willing to take low-paying jobs, then working conditions in those professions would be considerably higher. Unorganized, "unofficial" illegal immigrants can work for miserable conditions for less than minimum wage. This argument is undercut, however, by outsourcing and the ability of American-based companies to relocate jobs to Asia and other worldwide. If these companies were forced to negotitate with unions that require higher wages and better working conditions, then they might just decide to pack up and leave altogether for a place with even more expendable workers with poorer working conditions.