Immigrant Protest: Protesting For All Of Those Who Are Labeled Or Seen As Immigrants
Being an immigrant can have a negative affect but being called “illegal” immigrant is worse because it dehumanizes and marginalizes people who come from other countries. Immigration has always been a problem in the United States because some people from our society see “outsiders” as “danger” to our safety. Yet, others do believe that immigrants should be welcomed because they are trying to find a better life that in their country could not offer them. In order for an Immigrant Protest to be successful we need unity, consistency, take every protest seriously, and not be afraid to use our freedom of speech.
Response to Arizona SB 1070
In “Immigrant Protest” by Imogen Tyler and K. Marciniak,mentioned that in April of 2010 Arizona’s governor Jan Brewer signed a law known as Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, which was also known as Arizona SB 1070. This Act required immigrants to carry their documents at all times which also affected those who were documented who had to go through identity checks.
The Arizona SB 1070 angered immigrant activist, business leaders, and governments of liberal cities and they announce to boycott Arizona. Also, Tyler and Marciniak mentioned that a Chicano filmmaker Robert Rodriguez released an online trailer called Machete in 2010. This film was response to Arizona’s Act. This movie is seen as a protest, using fictional film showing migrants getting revenge on police or “white” people, who treat them with violence and suspicion. These conditions do exist for immigrants who enter the United States, they do experience violence, hatred, and suspicion by those “white” supremacist who consider them dangerous and no good for our country.
America has never welcomed immigrants, refugees, or any other minority group. Immigrants have been seen as people who bring disease, there has not been an achieved nationhood, especially the violent conquest over Native American land, exploitation of African Americans, and also wanting Mexican territories. There have been other law enforcement toward immigrants and that should make people and immigrants who are against these law to unite and protest together. I do believe that if there is a large group their voices will be heard, letting other who see immigrants as insignificant know that immigrants, refugees, or any other minority are not alone.
Types of Ways in Which People Can Protest
Tyler and Marciniak mention that visibility is important and that there are ways in which people can protest. We have art, films, and new media, such as mobile video phones, the Internet, and social media to bring awareness about protesting. Being able to use social media and to upload videos on the Internet helps because now a days people are stuck to their phones and that is an easier way to get their attention.
Art
Art is a way in which protest can be shown. Have you ever heard a picture is worth a thousand words? Well Frank Romero an artist who focused on the Chicano community used his paintings as a way to protest during the Chicano Movement. Through his paintings he showed police brutality toward the Chicano community. During the early 1990s police arrested street vendors based on their color of skin. As we can see with Frank’s painting of “The Arrest of the Paleteros” the police did not care if there were children and they still pointed their guns at the vendors, the women and the children as if they were going to get attacked by them. Frank Romero’s protest art shows and brings awareness to society about the injustice that Chicanos, also known as Mexican-Americans, were suffering at that time. Even today we have seen police brutality toward Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and other minorities. I really enjoy how Frank Romero used his art as a way for protest.
Unity, Using Media, and Having Visibility
Tyler and Marciniak mentioned that these strategies attempt to counter dehumanizing by “humanizing” refugees and irregular migrants as subjects who matter, “like us.” When President Trump announced last month a travel ban for seven muslim countries, people from the United States united and protested against the travel ban. It is not just the undocumented immigrants who suffer injustice but also other minority groups. It is important to identify migrants as “human beings” because that is what they are humans who are trying to come to a place where they believe will help them or their children prosper.
Citizens from all over the country who united to protest used social media, their phones, and Youtube to upload videos to get the attention of others and let them know that what the President did was Un-American. Those citizens who gathered to protest used their freedom of speech, took this protest seriously, and those refugees know that they were not alone. It is amazing what people can do and if one stays firm to what they believe is the right thing protestors will be successful. Everyone in this protest against the travel ban had a clear goal and that was to let the refugees in. There was a protestor named Will Turner in the video who said, “Banning refugees , banning immigrants, banning religions like Islam or any other religion or giving preference to any other religion over another is un-American.” This protest was for the refugees but also for those who have been discriminated. The protesters from different places of the country were protesting for all of those people who have been labeled as immigrants.
Do Not Be Afraid To Speak Up
There are American or even those who are undocumented who do not join any protest. There is a reason we live in a democratic institution, we can not let those in power limit or freedom of speech. We as a country should not be afraid of the unknown, because with out taking that risk we will never know if the results could have been successful. We have the resources (the media) to get recognized and to get our voices heard no matter if you are undocumented or documented. For an Immigrant Protest we need unity, courage, and clear goal to help protest for all of those who have been or are seen as immigrants. So, do not be afraid to use your voice.
