http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/tabor/041117
I found this article on Illegal Immagration and to be honest i was slightly discusted by it. It speaks of George Bush's "amnesty for illegal aliens" plans, and how Bush plans to encourage and give legal citizenship to illegal immigrants so they can begin building their lives. The writer of the article is Nathan Tabour, and American Political activist who is very anti these plans, and comes across as very un-politically correct. At one moment he says 'By God's grace, our society has succeeded in creating immense wealth where many others have created only poverty' he completely misses the point that it is because of country's like America's wealth that there are Third World country's. I found it interesting that he says 'By God's Grace' this is in some sence bordering on the Manifest Destiny idea and the American Dream, that in America life is better and that God is favouring America to be prosperous. He also comments on that if we keep letting Third World country people in then America will face the same problems as the Third World countries are facing. How then can America advertise itself as a place to come and rebuild your lives, and have a betterway of life? To me thats quite hypercritical. You can't advertise yourselves as a great country for people to come live in and then complain when people come.
Its also interesting that he practically blames all of America's problems on illegal immigrants, from the low minimum wage pay, to the terrorist attacks on september 11th; 'Certainly, most illegal aliens are not terrorists. But it only takes one.' His writing reminds me of the 'Gangs of New York' where the 'true' Americans were placing themselves on pedistools above the Irish, and European Immigrants; 'There are now over 10 MILLION illegal aliens in the U.S. Remove them, and opportunities will abound for authentic Americans', what does Nathan Tabor count as an authentic American? Even Immigrants children as long as they are born in America are considered American Citizens.
One final thing he mentions is the reason for immigration laws; 'We have immigration laws for simple and valid reasons: to protect our uniquely American culture, our national sovereignty, our public security, and our standard of living'. To me this shows why immigrants find it so hard settling into new lives in America, with people like Nathan Tabor around clearly trying to make sure that his 'uniquely American culture' is not damaged, how can people who maybe slightly different because of skin colour, or language ever hope to truely fit into this new modern day American society?
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Illegal Immigration:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-26-moving_N.htm
This item is about illegal immigration and new laws against it, which is putting fear into illegal immigrants and causing them to leave, since the government wants them to leave this means that the laws are effective, however there is nothing against legal immigrants. “Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta says, says, "We don't want to chase immigrants away, just the illegal aliens who are causing many of the problem we are having."”
The departure of these illegal immigrants scared of losing everything they have and so going back to the countries they came from has been noticed in schools too. “About 60% of Kendall-Whittier Elementary School's 950 students are Hispanic, Principal Judy Feary says. Since an enrollment report Sept. 10, she says, 14 have left. Four more said last week that they would move.”
It appears that the harsh new laws against illegal immigration are working.
This item is about illegal immigration and new laws against it, which is putting fear into illegal immigrants and causing them to leave, since the government wants them to leave this means that the laws are effective, however there is nothing against legal immigrants. “Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta says, says, "We don't want to chase immigrants away, just the illegal aliens who are causing many of the problem we are having."”
The departure of these illegal immigrants scared of losing everything they have and so going back to the countries they came from has been noticed in schools too. “About 60% of Kendall-Whittier Elementary School's 950 students are Hispanic, Principal Judy Feary says. Since an enrollment report Sept. 10, she says, 14 have left. Four more said last week that they would move.”
It appears that the harsh new laws against illegal immigration are working.
Monday, April 21, 2008
First person immigrant narrative:
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/aug/08/commentary-tribune-intern-learns-about-immigration/
This narrative deals with stereotypes and misconceptions of immigrants because of their background and where they have come from. The writer, Adriana Gomez goes straight into how badly Mexicans are treated and disrespected by Americans when going into their country.
“"You should be ashamed of being a Mexican," a person I didn't really know said. "I know I would."
He didn't care to know anything about me. To him, I was just another murderer, kidnapper or drug dealer waiting for the right moment to take over his country.”
She also discusses how people have become ashamed of their background and try to forget their native tongue etc. to fit in with the American society and do not like being seen as anything other then American.
Adriana Gomez mentions the lack of knowledge about the Mexico and the misconceptions that some people have obtained, such as one person thinking it completely un-modernized. “An Albuquerquean once asked me if we had computers and Internet in Mexico. He was not trying to be offensive. He was really curious about it.” This piece shows the misunderstandings and labels of immigrants of the US, and shows what some of them must have gone through.
This narrative deals with stereotypes and misconceptions of immigrants because of their background and where they have come from. The writer, Adriana Gomez goes straight into how badly Mexicans are treated and disrespected by Americans when going into their country.
“"You should be ashamed of being a Mexican," a person I didn't really know said. "I know I would."
He didn't care to know anything about me. To him, I was just another murderer, kidnapper or drug dealer waiting for the right moment to take over his country.”
She also discusses how people have become ashamed of their background and try to forget their native tongue etc. to fit in with the American society and do not like being seen as anything other then American.
Adriana Gomez mentions the lack of knowledge about the Mexico and the misconceptions that some people have obtained, such as one person thinking it completely un-modernized. “An Albuquerquean once asked me if we had computers and Internet in Mexico. He was not trying to be offensive. He was really curious about it.” This piece shows the misunderstandings and labels of immigrants of the US, and shows what some of them must have gone through.
Review of "Brokeback Mountain":
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tm_objectid=16550380%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=brokeback%2dmountain-name_page.html
This reviewer tries to draw the reader in by firstly dealing greatly with the celebrity status of the two main characters in the film ‘Brokeback Mountain’, before then going on to discuss the main point of the film, the controversy over gays. Not only does it start out with the mentioning of a celebrity, but it ends with one too. It isn’t that long a review, but it does give the reader a brief summary of the film, so they know what to expect and mentions that “it's already an Oscar favourite” By mentioning this the film is sure to get viewers, who choose their choice of viewings on the bases of Oscar and such like award ceremonies judgment. The reviewer does however have a good opinion of the film, describing it as, “an incredibly touching and genuinely moving film about yearning, unrequited love and growing old alone.” This review is clearly written for a newspaper meant for those who are into highly popular topics, such as well-known award shows and A-list celebrities.
This reviewer tries to draw the reader in by firstly dealing greatly with the celebrity status of the two main characters in the film ‘Brokeback Mountain’, before then going on to discuss the main point of the film, the controversy over gays. Not only does it start out with the mentioning of a celebrity, but it ends with one too. It isn’t that long a review, but it does give the reader a brief summary of the film, so they know what to expect and mentions that “it's already an Oscar favourite” By mentioning this the film is sure to get viewers, who choose their choice of viewings on the bases of Oscar and such like award ceremonies judgment. The reviewer does however have a good opinion of the film, describing it as, “an incredibly touching and genuinely moving film about yearning, unrequited love and growing old alone.” This review is clearly written for a newspaper meant for those who are into highly popular topics, such as well-known award shows and A-list celebrities.
Controversial issue facing the west today:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-delta21jul21,0,5934211.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials
There is the issue of water rights in California, as the south of California wants to divert water from northern California to the south using a peripheral canal.
There also currently issues regarding water rights in states with low rainfall, such as, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. However this article deals with the water dispute in California.
The dispute are over who the canal shall benefit, as it will benefit the south, but perhaps not the north, and environmentalists who want to leave the delta alone to preserve it’s ecosystem.
“Jerry Brown ran into crushing opposition in 1982 when he backed a peripheral canal that would carry water around the delta to users in Southern California. Those users saw it as an extension of the system that greened their cities. Northern Californians, environmentalists and others saw it as a water grab. It was defeated at the polls by a 3-2 margin.” So now Californian’s have to decide what they want to do with their water and who the water should belong to. “Californians should surrender old hysterias and give a considered delta solution — perhaps one that incorporates a peripheral canal — a chance to emerge.”
There is the issue of water rights in California, as the south of California wants to divert water from northern California to the south using a peripheral canal.
There also currently issues regarding water rights in states with low rainfall, such as, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. However this article deals with the water dispute in California.
The dispute are over who the canal shall benefit, as it will benefit the south, but perhaps not the north, and environmentalists who want to leave the delta alone to preserve it’s ecosystem.
“Jerry Brown ran into crushing opposition in 1982 when he backed a peripheral canal that would carry water around the delta to users in Southern California. Those users saw it as an extension of the system that greened their cities. Northern Californians, environmentalists and others saw it as a water grab. It was defeated at the polls by a 3-2 margin.” So now Californian’s have to decide what they want to do with their water and who the water should belong to. “Californians should surrender old hysterias and give a considered delta solution — perhaps one that incorporates a peripheral canal — a chance to emerge.”
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Edward Steiner- Immigrant to America
http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Past.html
This website is a selection of extracts from immagrants to America. I decided to look at the first extract (under H G Well's account of Ellis island) The account is writen by a Edward Steiner who was an Immigrant to America I did some background reading on him and descovered he was born into a German-speaking family from Bratislava . In the extract he speaks of watching a father and son approach the commissioner, They were from Russia, I looked to see if I could find out why lots of Jewish Russians were leaving Russia in 1881, to see where there was a push factor to their emmigration. As the exteract says: "Ask them why they came," the commissioner says rather abruptly. The answer is: "We had to." This interested me and I discovered that the reason they 'had to' leave was because of Pogrom, meaning that they were most likely being persecuted in their home country. This extract really opened my eyes, I was shoked to see that this father and son were split up and that the father after travelling all the way from Russia to America was going to be sent back, for no particular reason. This extract really expresses the emotion the son must have been feeling, he was 'ashamed to look his father in the face' . His father had in fact done an amazing thing, believeing that life generally would be better in America than it could ever possibly be back home, he Sacrificed his happiness and even maybe his life, if he was being persecuted back home, so that hopefully his son could better himself.
Its interesting that at the beginning of the extract Edward talks about an old couple who had been invited over by their children to live there, the children are ruled to be put under 'sufficient bond to guarantee that this aged couple shall not become a burden to the public'. These children have obviously sent for their parents because they want them there and want them to live with them. They don't want to be put in sufficient bonding, but they didn't have a choice, either except the ruling or be sent back to your country.
The Immigration process was much harsher than I thought it was. It is a subject which interests me and so I had a look at the Ellis Island website to see where there was anyone with my name who travelled to America. I discovered quite a few women called Rebecca Lewis who travelled to America all of different ages. There was one girl who was 21 just a year older than me, she was a Russian Hebrew, who had lived in London and sailed on the Saint Paul ship from Southampton to New York and arrived there on May 26 1912. I think its really interesting to be able to look up these records. Finally I was able to also look up Edward Steiner from my extract, he arrived in America on April 10 1894 on the Moravia Ship from Hamburg via Havre. Its interesting to be able to look up these people, even if it only gives us a few details about them.
This website is a selection of extracts from immagrants to America. I decided to look at the first extract (under H G Well's account of Ellis island) The account is writen by a Edward Steiner who was an Immigrant to America I did some background reading on him and descovered he was born into a German-speaking family from Bratislava . In the extract he speaks of watching a father and son approach the commissioner, They were from Russia, I looked to see if I could find out why lots of Jewish Russians were leaving Russia in 1881, to see where there was a push factor to their emmigration. As the exteract says: "Ask them why they came," the commissioner says rather abruptly. The answer is: "We had to." This interested me and I discovered that the reason they 'had to' leave was because of Pogrom, meaning that they were most likely being persecuted in their home country. This extract really opened my eyes, I was shoked to see that this father and son were split up and that the father after travelling all the way from Russia to America was going to be sent back, for no particular reason. This extract really expresses the emotion the son must have been feeling, he was 'ashamed to look his father in the face' . His father had in fact done an amazing thing, believeing that life generally would be better in America than it could ever possibly be back home, he Sacrificed his happiness and even maybe his life, if he was being persecuted back home, so that hopefully his son could better himself.
Its interesting that at the beginning of the extract Edward talks about an old couple who had been invited over by their children to live there, the children are ruled to be put under 'sufficient bond to guarantee that this aged couple shall not become a burden to the public'. These children have obviously sent for their parents because they want them there and want them to live with them. They don't want to be put in sufficient bonding, but they didn't have a choice, either except the ruling or be sent back to your country.
The Immigration process was much harsher than I thought it was. It is a subject which interests me and so I had a look at the Ellis Island website to see where there was anyone with my name who travelled to America. I discovered quite a few women called Rebecca Lewis who travelled to America all of different ages. There was one girl who was 21 just a year older than me, she was a Russian Hebrew, who had lived in London and sailed on the Saint Paul ship from Southampton to New York and arrived there on May 26 1912. I think its really interesting to be able to look up these records. Finally I was able to also look up Edward Steiner from my extract, he arrived in America on April 10 1894 on the Moravia Ship from Hamburg via Havre. Its interesting to be able to look up these people, even if it only gives us a few details about them.
Immigration: Stories of the Past
The website I have chosen is http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Past.html and has many extracts of different first person narratives from people who travelled through Ellis Island. One extract I found interesting was the one at the end of the web page by "Endre Bohem, Hungarian, at Ellis Island in 1921, age 20". Although it is short, it is a good example to use of the terror that they were feelings when they came over and how oppressed some of them might have been from fleeing from their previous countries, which had very poor job opportunities and harsh living conditions. From looking at Endre's narrative, he expresses his fear when asked if he is ok, but lies and realises that he is safe in America. "Then sheepishly I said to the woman who had approached me before, "I lied to you, because of what I've been through in Hungary... I didn't realize I was free, I wasn't going to be put in prison." From this comment, it never occured to me how scared the immigrants must have felt leaving their country, fear of being arrested for being there.
Also, the website had many over extracts that are quite useful in getting a sense of what the atmosphere was like within Ellis Island as I had envisioned only people by themselves trying to get into America looking for jobs and then perhaps bringing the rest of their family over. However, this isn't the case as many people would get upon ships with their entire family and life packed up in bags. This however caused problems after the Quota Act came into place, which I found interesting as they then had to divide families up and had to send some of them back if they found them unsuitable to be there.
""Polish quota exhausted," pronounced the helpless inspector. Then they brought the case to me. Deport the baby? I couldn't. And somebody had to be quick, for the mother was not doing well under the idea that her baby would soon be taken from her and "transported far beyond the northern sea."
This must have been devastating for the families, for them to go all that way to America and then have some of them be turned away. It made me think how brave they must have been and how awful the living conditions must have been in their original countries for them to take such a big chance to make such a huge change within their lives.
Also, the website had many over extracts that are quite useful in getting a sense of what the atmosphere was like within Ellis Island as I had envisioned only people by themselves trying to get into America looking for jobs and then perhaps bringing the rest of their family over. However, this isn't the case as many people would get upon ships with their entire family and life packed up in bags. This however caused problems after the Quota Act came into place, which I found interesting as they then had to divide families up and had to send some of them back if they found them unsuitable to be there.
""Polish quota exhausted," pronounced the helpless inspector. Then they brought the case to me. Deport the baby? I couldn't. And somebody had to be quick, for the mother was not doing well under the idea that her baby would soon be taken from her and "transported far beyond the northern sea."
This must have been devastating for the families, for them to go all that way to America and then have some of them be turned away. It made me think how brave they must have been and how awful the living conditions must have been in their original countries for them to take such a big chance to make such a huge change within their lives.
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