Feature photo by Isabel Gonzalez
Last Look on Gozamos’ Articles on Immigration
2010 was a tumultuous year for immigrants in the land of the free. 2010 saw immigrants–particularly from Latin America–quickly becoming the country’s new scapegoats for all things wrong in the U.S. Comprehensive immigration reform fell by the wayside; the Obama administration quietly made history by overseeing the greatest number of deportations over a two-year-period; Arizona, riding the wave of xenophobia, implemented several Juan Crow Laws. It banned ethnic studies and with the passage of SB1070, legalized racial profiling and became the “Show Me Your Papers” state. The courts struck down the most heinous parts of the bill, deeming them unconstitutional, yet at least 25 other states are currently considering similar legislation. The DREAM Act passed in the House of Representatives on December 8th only to die–for now–in the Senate ten days later. العاب بوكر Yes, it was a tough year. And with a recreant Democratic administration and re-energized Republicans taking control of the House in 2011, things will likely not get any better any time soon. The American Dream remains a dream deferred for the immigrants who help keep this country going.
Despite the disheartening drawbacks, 2010 also saw what is great about immigrants and Latinos. Grassroots movements flourished, and Latino youth led the way in reminding this country what liberty and justice truly mean. On New Year’s Day 2010, Gaby Pacheco and three other DREAM activists started a four-month walk from Miami to Washington, D.C., in a journey called the Trail of Dreams. بوكر In March, Chicago’s own Immigrant Youth Justice League captured the nation’s attention through a series of brave “coming out” rallies where members publicly declared themselves undocumented. In July, twenty-one student activists were arrested at sit-ins at key senators’ offices, including the Arizona office of former DREAM Act supporter Senator John McCain. They bravely risked deportation but were fortunately spared. Social media activism also grew as sites like DREAM Act 2010 mobilized over 80,000 fans to call and email state representatives and senators. From Los Angeles to Miami to Chicago to New York, youth organized rallies, sit-ins, protests, and hunger strikes in support of the DREAM Act–and in support of the human rights of the undocumented. It is this dedication to fight for justice that should be remembered most about 2010. Let it inspire us to start 2011 with one simple New Year’s resolution: do not give up.
Immigrants Are What’s Wrong with America
Gozamos contributor N. Reyna Amaya looks at how changing demographics, a collapsing economy and emerging political movements are convening at an auspicious time for those needing a Latino immigrant scapegoat. الكرابس
Immigration Points that Make Me Sick
An essay for the tired, poor children of the homeless and tempest-tossed by Gozamos contributor N. Reyna Amaya.
Sin Documentos: My Undocumented Husband
One Gozamos reader’s struggle with the broken immigration system.
Undocumented, Unafraid
This film by Liz Cazares and Taras Berezowsky features three young undocumented immigrants as they work to move this country toward immigration reform that is fair for all immigrants.
An Open Letter to America
Gozamos contributor N. Reyna Amaya asks, “What the hell is going on, America?”
well good thing that they had their “coming out” rallies here in America… because any other country would have just rounded them up on the street and they would have been serving prison sentences… Like Mexico… try being an American citizen down there illegally… see how that works for you, its a mandatory 2 year charge… Don’t start crying about how hard hispanics have it here, this is the most lax nation when it comes to immigration. If instead of running across the border, they learned the english language (no not racist, but if you can’t read or write your basically in a prison without any rights that you know of) and came across legally which anyone can do, just find an embassy and get your paperwork started. Instead we American citizens of every creed and color have to allow illegals in and be compassionate for their plight when other people have come from that same nation and came through the front door the right way. So what is the difference between those who come here and get their citizenship through their own dedication and those who come here illegally?
the difference is pride for being American. The difference is they are protected by the Constitution, and labor laws. Why wouldn’t you want that for them? Why wouldn’t you want them to know what it means to be American, and know enough english to be able to get by and have a decent life here? Instead you give them their papers and leave them without the ability to flourish here… You people disgust me, its sick how you champion for their “salvation” but leave them in a world without knowledge for the sake of being P.C. it seems your DREAMS are corrupt for political expediency, just saying…
its not about salvation for the hispanics to liberals in politics, just remember they are looking for votes and your misguidedness is giving it to them. If you want these people to have a decent life you should want them to be able to thrive here and be able to make a great living, not just be here and live off the system… the system can’t last forever under all this weight, its instable at best, so when it crashes then what? they will be living here in just as much grinding poverty as they were back home, oh yeah… and so will you… hope you enjoy reaping what you sew…
oh, christopher… you really never cease to amaze us with your infinitely stale variety, revelations style candor and no doubt extended brow bone. hope you make it to iron age this holiday season. happy holidays (i’m waging that war on christmas you more than likely believe to be happening).
Merry Christmas to you, and God bless Roberto…
I love how being American and wanting my country to continue to flourish and not end up as some socialistic nightmare, or worse communist country is me being caveman in the bronze age, which doesn’t entirely make sense but I will go with it… I don’t think you understand enough about how economics and how to have a stable republic, your wet dreams about social justice are based only in emotion… This country is all about liberating strife, you have the utmost opportunity to excel if you have the drive to pull yourself out of the mud. To me nothing else, and nowhere else seems to have that, and it seems socially just to me. No other country has been able to give as many freedoms, as many life choices, as America has. The America we have today has been stained and tattered and its still the most free nation. Socialism just puts everyone back in the mud, look at Europe, its falling apart because it can’t handle the strain. I can see you are emotional about this subject, emotional and naive. You don’t understand that the best thing not only for America, and for Mexican immigrants is to have them come over with some semblance of what it means to be American and what protections and rights you have under the constitution. I am not racist, I am not an under educated neanderthal either. I am an American, I am proud of that, I understand my heritage and that my family were immigrants… but I am an American first, when people stop being American first this Republic shall fall, and that will be a horrid day for the rest of the world who relies on our exceptionalism. I know you think that you have such a great open mind for being a homosexual Mexican american (< you use a small a when you write it don't you? I wouldn't want to offend… ) but to understand this country you need to really open your mind on what this country is all about and how it is actually meant to work, start by reading the Constitution and the Federalist papers, then move onto real books about our founders and what great minds they had, and then read up on Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Castro and see the differences in how Russia, China, and Cuba differ from the ideals of the United States of America. Then start to study the differences between Capitalism, Communism and Socialism, study differences, study lifestyles and punishments… By the time you are halfway through you will understand why this country is great and why we need to uphold our Constitutional Republic and not be a Democracy. Educate yourself before you try to come down on me, lets have a civil disscussion about this, if you can.
You cannot have a civil discussion when you start off on the attack and saying “you people disgust me” amongst other overemotional and disconnected thoughts. Your accusations against social activists show that you have no knowledge of their purpose, goals, and work. This and past posts of yours show that you are not interested nor know how to communicate civilly, so let’s agree to disagree, and I suggest that you read other websites that are more in line with your beliefs.
like, lol…
and still there is no comment about how I am incorrect about anything I have written…
Why is everyone hell bent on distroying this country? How about you just leave it alone and find a country that better suits your views? There are plenty of socialistic countries that I am sure would be great for you, I mean you have Greece, I hear it has wonderful views and ancient architecture, and maybe Italy which you can ride gondalas through the streets of Venice, surely that would be great… right? You could even join the protests there that are the same as what is being fought for here, but they have had it longer and is falling apart, but that doesn’t matter as long as everyone thinks they are being treated equally… they are all equally riding the freight train to outright anarchy… then the government will have no choice but to come down on top of it all and create something of a totalitarian system, but I’m sure they will have all the freedoms that you currently enjoy for now. Don’t worry you agree with the politics of that side, so you’ll be safe from all of the bad stuff right? I mean if you guys idolize Che, that means that you wouldn’t mind if they brought in say a Castro where people like myself will be put into re-education camps. Then more likely than not executed. Its the way history works, either learn from it or repeat it, we were given the keys for the greatest nation on earth, and you wanna steer it one way and I just wanna keep it on the road.
For the record, you are incorrect. I’m not going to waste time arguing with a troll whose begging for someone to pay attention to a weak, convoluted argument based on assumptions, hate, and fear.