Would visitors from another galaxy be deported from the US for lack of a visa?
Wait, wrong post.
Nacho at Woodmoor Village Zendo has an interesting post on the phrase "illegal aliens." Check it out. How we language things influences how we think about things, so I think his post is very relevant to the current situation.
Technorati Tags: Illegal aliens, Woodmoor Village Zendo, Language, Meaning
Del.Icio.Us Tags: Illegal aliens, Woodmoor Village Zendo, Language, Meaning
If those who come to this country without permission don't want to be "framed" as "illegal aliens," neither do American citizens such as myself want to hear them talk about their "right" to live and work here. If they have come here without permission, they have no such "right," and their strident, self-righteous insistence that they do because of their need, or because of certain historical events, or because "borders are fallacies" has undermined the sympathy that many of us might otherwise feel for their cause and the support that we might otherwise give them for their cause.
ReplyDeleteIt is not a RIGHT, it is a PRIVILEGE to come here and make a better life for oneself and one's family. And the sooner yesterday's demonstrators acknowledge this, the sooner we may all be able to come together to respectfully, fairly, and effectively deal with this issue. In the absence of this acknowledgment, I can only hope that yesterday's demonstrations do more harm to the cause than good.
I understand your frustration, Steve. I just thought that Nacho had an interesting take on how the way we language the issue influences how we think about it.
ReplyDeletePeace,
Bill
I agree that it was interesting, Bill. Thank you for calling our attention to it.
ReplyDeleteNamaste,
Steve
Bill, Thanks for the post, Nacho has a good way of putting things. I think slowly this new world of your is drawing me in...pretty soon I'll spending hours looking at the computer and not doing cardio. Smile. Erica
ReplyDeleteHey folks! Thanks for the kind words. Others have not been so kind. : )
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I understand the frustration expressed by Steve. I also deplore the language of "rights" that has been showing up at these rallies. In fact, the first time I saw those posters, I said to myself, "that's just not going to fly. It is bad political strategy, and a bad argument too." But there is a way to conceive of that language of rights a bit differently. I think that what those folks are truly pointing to when they demand "rights" is human rights, and perhaps to a certain extent, an understanding of international labor rights. Unfortunately, the language of rights in this country usually means something else, and the distinction is not made in the rallies, and of course, non-citizens don't obtain rights by just showing up.
Another way to conceive of this is to think it through a different lens: the U.S. has undermined the economies of these other nations (NAFTA and more), and/or supported regimes that creaated a flurry of exiles and political refugees. U.S. agribusiness has enticed these workers and continues to rely on them for cheap labor, hence driving the migration of so many of these workers, and exacerbating the problem by circumventing the laws of this nation. Faced with the draconian measures of the proposed Sensebrenner bill, and the way the issue has been framed, these workers and other supporters have in turn deployed a strong counter-discourse, one that has partly tapped into the American tradition of inalienable "rights." While I don't think that is the best move, it is an expected one from this perspective - one that tells those that for long have benefited from these migration flows and cheap labor that there is a lack of balance to the equation that goes beyond "illegal entry."
Again, I don't agree with that strategy, but believe we should read it as more than just an unjust demand on our system for "unearned" privileges. This kind of discourse really has been in response to the provocation of the draconian measures floated. This community in fact is very humble, hard working, and not demanding of things they don't earn. Perhaps the "rights" language is coming from others here that seek to "represent" undocumented, unauthorized immigrants.
Thanks again. I will be posting again about immigration soon.
Thanks for the blog also!
Nacho
Ooops, let me be clear, by "others here that seek to represent undocumented..." I don't mean in this post or blog! Just perhaps other Latinos, or others, who might be the ones mobilizing that language of "rights."
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
N
It is simple and silly, but it always drops my jaw. From outerspace, countries have no boundries.
ReplyDeleteI think there are rights that have nothing to do with the silliness of marking territory. So on the 'rights' issue, I side with Victor Hugo.
But on the issue of Nacho's post, I think it is the usual rigged arguing we get from him. If he doesn't like "illegal alien," he is obligated to offer an alternative.
He also needs to explain the evil conspiracy he finds in the use of the phrase.
Nacho's post is as obvious an example of the Mean Green Meme in action I can imagine, if it wasn't for others of Nacho's posts.
An insane world of irony and contradiction and hypocracy is beginning to develop. Nacho sees sinister intent in "illegal aliens," something I feel he should find real evidence for. NOW, in another post, he insists on calling Bush's temporary use of the National Guard the "militarization" of the boarder -- obviously using a connotation himself to twist and mislead. Himself doing what he finds so offensive.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I find in your sidebar, William, you have "A 'Militarization' of the Southern Border? from WoodMoor Village Zendo" listed under "My items labeled 'integral--buddhist.'"
What next? Two plus two equals five?