tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47325096161774857192024-03-06T00:41:48.728-08:00Duke Engage Tucson 2010Encuentros de la FronteraSam Savitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180849081939089109noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-58451474109710518962010-10-02T10:57:00.000-07:002010-10-02T11:03:20.934-07:00A Slideshow of Our Stay in Tucson<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzTGUnQEvXQ7f8MhxTG-3kinPMPmtV3XTryVk5CMpB17u5f1OIhMpLLqFP3O3sndLsbPvuYz5Seug9P0xoWog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15296782541962818911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-73158863162005110302010-08-02T11:22:00.000-07:002010-08-02T11:27:32.389-07:00Did I Learn?I have spent the last eight weeks in Tucson, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico. At the beginning of these eight weeks, I challenged myself with this goal: <br /> <br />“So, why am I here? I am here to learn. To learn in order to better understand. To learn in order to be able to make informed decisions regarding immigration. To learn in order to be better able to serve. But especially, to learn in order to be qualified to educate for change.”—blog post <span style="font-style:italic;">To Learn</span> June 6, 2010<br /><br />I did learn. <br /><br />I learned during the first two weeks we spent on the border participating in an educational delegation, the first week of which we spent in Tucson, Arizona where we met with activists in the community, served breakfast at a local church, met with a Border Patrol agent and a public defender, and watched a Streamline trial. The second week of the delegation, we spent in Nogales, Mexico where we visited a maquiladora; held a camp for neighborhood children; visited Altar, Mexico, a common migrant stop before entering the US; and lived in homestays. <br /><br />I learned during the next six weeks we spent in Tucson, Arizona working at our nonprofit placements. I worked at a Southside Day Labor Center in South Tucson. The Center is a place where people can come and negotiate employment. Every morning at 6:30, laborers participate in a raffle which determines the order in which they will get work. First raffle ticket, first job. They then spend the rest of the morning waiting for bosses to come by and pick them up. <br /><br />During our six weeks at the Center, the two other volunteers and I did what we could to best fill these waiting hours. We first talked to the laborers and tried to determine how we could best serve them. We did one-on-one English tutoring, watched the World Cup, held computer classes, talked with the laborers, gave a health presentation, helped make Center IDs, helped with leadership and community development activities, made an orientation video for new laborers, put together an orientation packet for new volunteers, and gave a presentation to the congregation of the church that houses the Day Labor Center in the hopes of recruiting volunteers to fill our shoes once we left Tucson. <br /><br />And I learned during out last two days of delegation at the end of our stay in Arizona. We spent these two days planning how we would take what we had learned in Arizona home, attending the SB1070 hearings in Phoenix, and visiting the Florence Project, a nonprofit organization that provides legal services to men, women, and children being held in detention for “immigration removal proceedings.” <br /> <br />I learned more in these past eight weeks than I ever thought I would. But I also know that there is still more to learn, that a lifetime on the border wouldn’t be enough. In my blog posts, I have recorded what I could of these last eight weeks. When I return to Duke, I hope to take what I have learned and to work with my peers to pass this knowledge on to others. I also know that it remains my responsibility to keep on learning.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-70839552589729561242010-08-01T12:23:00.000-07:002010-08-01T12:48:57.341-07:00El Final?When I tell people about my project in Arizona, the first questions I'll probably be met with will have to do with SB 1070. "Oh, you were on the ground when all the protests were going on?" or "You're happy about that injunction, right?" or even "Wait, Duke put together a DukeEngage program for 1070 so quickly?"<br /><br />That's where the interest will stem from. And that's completely understandable.<br /><br />But as I look back on my two months on the Arizona-Sonora border, I'll know that that's not all there was to it. SB 1070 rallied America's attention, yes, polarized groups on the immigration and documentation issue. It got people talking. In a twisted way, I and many people are grateful for that at least. This is an issue that needs discussion, but it shouldn't stop at the scrutiny of one poorly-written bill. It should even extend beyond Tom Horne's ban of ethnic studies and the proposals to deny people, born in Arizona, U.S. citizenship. The issue is huge, complicated, and 1070 is already in effect in some ways, as Arizonans could tell you.<br /><br />The 1070 fight hit home pretty hard at my own internship, which I was sad to leave behind. Working at the Southside Day Labor Center was a struggle, but a healthy one. Most days, I had no idea was success looked like, was hard put to see hope when day after day the men went without work and money for their children. But I hope we made an impact in some ways, with our English tutoring, our computer classes, the advertising, health workshop, and every other way we tried to fill in the cracks of the laborers' needs.<br /><br />Sustainability, though, was our primary goal as we worked through the summer. We tried to engage the church congregation–which seemed disconnected from the day labor program—hoping members could carry the torch when we left. That, we thought, would be the true test of solidarity. <br /><br />It was the fateful date, July 29, which showed us the fruits of our labors. We weren't there to witness it, but the church pastor and the Tucson Sentinel (http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/072910_anti1070allnighter) alike reported what we'd unknowingly hoped for. Instead of watching the activities on the news or waiting for much-needed work, the Southside laborers, along with 60 church members marched to downtown Tucson to protest 1070 last Thursday. <br /><br />Now I look forward to how I, how we, can bring all the experiences back to Duke. As I consider it, think of revamping a campus group, bringing speakers, teaching a course, I keep the image of the protesting laborers in my mind--as well as the pastor's quote: "Todos somos jornaleros" (We are all laborers).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-44875924781204359782010-07-30T12:48:00.000-07:002010-07-30T12:53:14.455-07:00Part 4: Images of the Wall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPl67iga44zzIh7-FJJK5memaKo3_01Dg8N7qs7M5DTiLTGoktHaKF7QWe4YyF8zPrr9IB17stnezdid9g-lTYuBX_zu-oO960PI0xzkJnjdk-dgeUPs3rf_lbYKms4ulZT4fyZD8j7avI/s1600/The+Wall+Nogales1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPl67iga44zzIh7-FJJK5memaKo3_01Dg8N7qs7M5DTiLTGoktHaKF7QWe4YyF8zPrr9IB17stnezdid9g-lTYuBX_zu-oO960PI0xzkJnjdk-dgeUPs3rf_lbYKms4ulZT4fyZD8j7avI/s400/The+Wall+Nogales1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499788842337182882" /></a><br /><br />The collage above depicts several views of the border wall dividing Nogales, Mexico from Nogales, Arizona. All pictures are from the Mexico side as the US will not allow art on the US side of the wall.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-89221714857425410122010-07-30T12:29:00.000-07:002010-07-30T12:34:00.770-07:00Part 3: Law and the Border WallIn 2005, the Real ID Act was passed by Congress. Section 102 of this act gave the US Department of Homeland Security the authority to “to waive all local, state and federal laws that the secretary deems an impediment to building walls and roads along U.S. borders.” The result is that thirty-six laws have been waived since 2005 in the construction of the border wall. They are listed below: <br /><br />• National Environmental Policy Act<br />• Endangered Species Act <br />• Clean Water Act <br />• National Historic Preservation Act <br />• Migratory Bird Treaty Act <br />• Clean Air Act <br />• Archaeological Resources Protection Act <br />• Safe Drinking Water Act <br />• Noise Control Act <br />• Solid Waste Disposal Act <br />• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act <br />• Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act <br />• Antiquities Act <br />• Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act <br />• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act <br />• Farmland Protection Policy Act <br />• Coastal Zone Management Act <br />• Wilderness Act <br />• Federal Land Policy and Management Act <br />• National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act <br />• Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 <br />• Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act <br />• Administrative Procedure Act <br />• Otay Mountain Wilderness Act of 1999 <br />• California Desert Protection Act <br />• National Park Service Organic Act <br />• National Park Service General Authorities Act <br />• National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 <br />• Arizona Desert Wilderness Act <br />• Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 <br />• Eagle Protection Act <br />• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act <br />• American Indian Religious Freedom Act <br />• Religious Freedom Restoration Act <br />• National Forest Management Act of 1976 <br />• Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act of 1960<br /><br />The Real ID Act has set a dangerous precedent. What other laws will be waived in the future? Will we know they are being waived?<br /><br />Sources: The Sierra Club, http://www.sierraclub.org/borderlands/realID.aspxSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-33242791238408602042010-07-30T11:41:00.000-07:002010-07-30T12:21:06.104-07:00"No one deserves to die in the desert for lack of a glass of water"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntj1PQjUn83hzmyjcsoxM-ys-eqzHOprTBND8jLoQoOhcp-eOmzedHqZsG4chBQ-CmfCftZ7vMZ_SFhT_nxUg_-G8Qds7fuQx4QXKciPrHpD-Gsk4scSa6MI0bne63Pj201GFnm4P0Xd-/s1600/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntj1PQjUn83hzmyjcsoxM-ys-eqzHOprTBND8jLoQoOhcp-eOmzedHqZsG4chBQ-CmfCftZ7vMZ_SFhT_nxUg_-G8Qds7fuQx4QXKciPrHpD-Gsk4scSa6MI0bne63Pj201GFnm4P0Xd-/s400/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499775408536731794" /></a> (Gallon jug left along migrant routes in the Arizona desert, photo taken by Sarah)<br /><br />It is virtually impossible for a migrant to carry enough water to make it through the desert from Mexico to Tucson without becoming severely dehydrated. Humanitarian groups such as No More Deaths and Samaritans put out gallons of water such as the one above along well known migrant trails in the hopes of reducing the number of deaths that occur in the desert due to dehydration and other heat related illnesses. <br /><br />In July alone, 57 bodies have been brought in to the Pima County morgue. The majority had died within the previous week. The morgue is so overrun with bodies that some have to be stored in cooler trucks outside. Many of these bodies have been rendered unidentifiable by exposure. Others lack any identifying documents or characteristics. The New York Times released a recent article on this topic: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/us/29border.html?scp=1&sq=immigration%20deaths&st=cse. <br /><br />Though the number of people crossing the desert has decreased this summer due to increased border enforcement, high summer temperatures, and a poor US economy, the number of deaths has increased. This is because the border wall and increased border militarization is forcing migrants in to more hostile and dangerous territory where they are forced to walk for days through the desert in order to enter the US. Those who cannot make it--whether they are injured or otherwise physically unable to walk--are left behind. The result is that more people are dying because they are unprepared for the harsh conditions of the desert. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciJ-8v7RkjpsSw-Ax6p8EaDNXwxOrZEXuPscFJUiivg2oAwoPXZ7fLIgDU37Kekw7XjtRYFchFbEWpXGpFv6mfRBPaI7Qegj-tDdsQJkX3gB12Zo4M6q2cyWVcXMMR5H18OfizBckFqQ6/s1600/Tucson+Summer+2010+060.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciJ-8v7RkjpsSw-Ax6p8EaDNXwxOrZEXuPscFJUiivg2oAwoPXZ7fLIgDU37Kekw7XjtRYFchFbEWpXGpFv6mfRBPaI7Qegj-tDdsQJkX3gB12Zo4M6q2cyWVcXMMR5H18OfizBckFqQ6/s400/Tucson+Summer+2010+060.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499779430847707378" /></a> (Humane Borders truck with water barrels, photo taken by Sarah)<br /><br />Humane Borders, another humanitarian group that maintains water stations throughout the Arizona desert (see image above), has compiled a map indicating the location of migrant deaths throughout the desert. The map can be found here: http://www.humaneborders.org/news/documents/cumulativemap20002007.pdf. As can be seen on the map, a majority of the deaths occurring in the desert happen in a specific valley called the Baboquivari Valley on the Tohono O'odham Nation. This high death rate may be due to the fact that Nation leaders will not allow humanitarian groups to leave water along this valley. <br /><br />When you look at the death statistics, whether or not migrants <span style="font-style:italic;">should </span>be entering the United States becomes irrelevant. What matters is that people are dying and that they are often dying because they need a drink of water. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RVHDoWMYRcegQ6It_Ku4mbTAvGdS1Tewnk7Q680w-nDnvmSXJlSNt1V63kF6CYsnvWKdIMSFp5L0MnfQqGdhbr0eawLvb7JCUw5oisEfTAdQYvtftPt6TD41577gXUfy9G6kiWquM4dZ/s1600/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RVHDoWMYRcegQ6It_Ku4mbTAvGdS1Tewnk7Q680w-nDnvmSXJlSNt1V63kF6CYsnvWKdIMSFp5L0MnfQqGdhbr0eawLvb7JCUw5oisEfTAdQYvtftPt6TD41577gXUfy9G6kiWquM4dZ/s400/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499780326207158466" /></a> (Socks left by migrant along trail in Arizona desert, photo taken by Sarah)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-29554745999577335552010-07-30T10:56:00.000-07:002010-07-30T11:38:42.920-07:00Part 2: The Environmental Impact of the Border Wall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WHqr6_1MirAXY050v38Sn5A36Ks3hYrLnXFpynJ-UiGbWc0Xd5Tgug6IRk0_54RRga20LpinF88sx8Hy_YeBn4khXczIC57hYrWZMZ9NogW79dgHzQr4eWqG0enrjq1O6SkNe3uVkUoc/s1600/Tucson-Nogales+Summer+2010+037.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WHqr6_1MirAXY050v38Sn5A36Ks3hYrLnXFpynJ-UiGbWc0Xd5Tgug6IRk0_54RRga20LpinF88sx8Hy_YeBn4khXczIC57hYrWZMZ9NogW79dgHzQr4eWqG0enrjq1O6SkNe3uVkUoc/s400/Tucson-Nogales+Summer+2010+037.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499766576417808514" /></a><br />(Picture of Border Wall from Nogales, Mexico side)<br /><br />They are trashing the desert. They are polluting the environment. They are damaging vegetation. They are disturbing wildlife. These arguments are used by some to argue for a closed border. The migration through the deserts of Arizona is damaging the environment and therefore needs to stop. The migrants and their journeys are to blame for the environmental destruction scarring the Arizona desert. <br /><br />According to the Sierra Club, though, it is not the migrants who are causing real and long lasting damage to the many and priceless ecosystems of the border region. It is the border wall that is doing so. The trash can always be picked up. The trails can be repaired. The vegetation can grow back. But animals that go extinct will not come back. Cities that are buried under meters of water won’t ever be the same. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7GlDdJx0_sEpHrNWjY0nqZ4sMPQdzmZtOieRxR_boQO-OrrnjRAUHAVQb_66PntZVVeLEKaiZm5BhC7nfHGHdnSfpuFdyl4HDxCq3fuzD4ueeZTuoXSz_mHDO-ZR-_CX3mivWeb9_RZl/s1600/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7GlDdJx0_sEpHrNWjY0nqZ4sMPQdzmZtOieRxR_boQO-OrrnjRAUHAVQb_66PntZVVeLEKaiZm5BhC7nfHGHdnSfpuFdyl4HDxCq3fuzD4ueeZTuoXSz_mHDO-ZR-_CX3mivWeb9_RZl/s400/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499770090275585394" /></a> (Arizona Desert Landscape)<br /><br />Research conducted by professors at the University of Arizona and the University of California, Berkeley with the help of the Defenders of Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have found that natural movement of the pygmy owl and the bighorn sheep is affected by the border wall. The result is that natural migration of animals is stymied and gene flow is impeded, thus decreasing the diversity of the border region and changing natural wildlife patterns. Images and videos of javelinas and deer stopped at the wall show that owls and sheep are not the only animals affected by the wall. The wall is changing the natural environment of ecologically sensitive and unique areas, such as the Cabeza Prieta Wilderness Refuge, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the Barry M. Goldwater Range, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Sonoran Desert, among others.<br /><br />Migrants will enter the US regardless of the size of the walls built. As I said in my earlier post, the wall slows migrants down by only 5 minutes. Instead of keeping migrants out, the border wall is instead pushing migrants in to more ecologically sensitive areas, such as mountain ranges and National Wildlife areas. The Border Patrol in turn builds roads to pursue these migrants, roads that cause even greater damage to the environment. Without the border wall, the damage caused by migrants would be limited to trash collection and trail use, both easily repaired.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOUMp3hX4loL8hSW6nfEcoBjOOqg45tknr_7uvXhp7rn3RMXWX4bFRetWkPJ9Nl63YRqxSW9vkT5k0S9brnroPpx6g5rFhT5FWTRIny3PvD1AFpRRAQ6YoqQ_JXbAfpPpfNOLn7qdZdC9/s1600/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOUMp3hX4loL8hSW6nfEcoBjOOqg45tknr_7uvXhp7rn3RMXWX4bFRetWkPJ9Nl63YRqxSW9vkT5k0S9brnroPpx6g5rFhT5FWTRIny3PvD1AFpRRAQ6YoqQ_JXbAfpPpfNOLn7qdZdC9/s400/Tucson+No+More+Deaths+Camp+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499769062937778930" /></a><br />(Trash left by migrants along trails in the Arizona desert)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-77346271127847809832010-07-28T10:26:00.001-07:002010-07-28T10:26:43.712-07:00Judge Bolton Injoins Key Provisions of 1070http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7128509.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-41228955824249307702010-07-24T10:22:00.000-07:002010-07-24T10:23:11.285-07:00the world I imagine nowWhen Margi asked us to imagine a “better” world for one of our last delegation activities, many things came to my mind; and I soon realized those things now I imagine to be in a better world are fairly different from what I would have imagined a few months ago. The experience of two month here definitely affected my point of view in many substantial ways.<br /><br />I now imagine a better world to be where people are treated according to their talents not there nationalities. DREAM Act students who have grown up in the US for the most part of their lives and have some kinds of valuable abilities, not only limited to SAT scores, should have the same chance to be educated as any other “American” students. They deserve way more than what they get right now.<br /><br />I now imagine a better world to be where people in Latin American countries, or any other countries in the world, live in economically, socially, and politically better societies. Before coming here, I knew almost nothing about economic, social, and political push and pull factors all organically working to force people migrate without documents. I assume the US government would have known that better than I; but they are still working on treating the symptoms rather than the causes. I want the government and other people who have the substantial power to change the situation to work on solving the root problems such as economic disparities.<br /><br />I now imagine a better world to be where immigration process is more accessible and difficult and expensive “naturalization” process is not required when one only wants to work in another country for a relatively short period of time of his life. If one wants to live his entire life in the US, for example, going through the naturalization process makes sense. However, when one only wants to work for a couple of years to earn some money and go back to his family after that, I personally do not see the point of going through it. This may be a biased opinion, since I myself want to work in the US in the future and feel burdened about the possibility of going through green card process if I want to get a really good and influential job which is not very accessible to aliens without green card.<br /><br />I now imagine a better world to be where people listen to the other sides’ opinions without looking down on it. I have met many people here who were deeply enthusiastic about their works. Sometimes, however, I saw some people who seemed too emotional or blindly and extremely devoted to their positions, which made them unable to listen to the other side. I believe lack of communication only worsens the conflict. As I wrote in the last blog posting, I want people to try to listen what the people on the opposite side say without any prejudice; because if you don’t do it, the other side will not do it either. Mutual respect between two opposite sides seems to be needed in the current situation.<br /><br />This is my last posting in Tucson. However, I don’t want this to be the real last one – things I have been experienced here which have changed me in many ways will keep me thinking and writing more and more even after I leave here.Anna Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566704754398312872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-13929936109100674222010-07-24T07:55:00.000-07:002010-07-24T09:31:31.193-07:00Final ThoughtsMy Duke Engage experience was very enriching. I learned a lot from the delegation provided by Borderlinks and also from interning at Humane Borders.<br /><br />I learned so much in the first two weeks about immigration - walking in the Migrant Trail, sitting in Operation Streamline, talking to Public Defender Laura Conover, Isabel Garcia, and Mike Wilson, going to the Tohono O'odham presentation, attending racism workshop, picking and stacking onions at a local farm, and interviewing people in different parts of Tucson about SB1070.<br /><br />I also leanrned a great deal from working in Humane Borders. I've helped the Humane Border to transition from the old building to the new building by organizing the office. I've organized the educational library in Humane Borders. I've worked with data entries and especially compiled a vandalism record of the water stations that was be filed to the police. I've helped out promoting a benefit show, flyering in streets of Tucson and also making the educational display of the show. I've also worked with updating the newsletter database and sent out the newsletter to the community. I've been out on water runs in Ironwood and Arivaca North to put out water in the desert. I've helped out with making brochures for Humane Borders. Lastly I've also helped make a packet that would help student organizations to become a Humane Borders chapter. Besides from helping out, I also had the opportunity to learn by watching the documentaries about the border issues from the educational library.<br /><br />This have been an amazing experience, filled with education about the border. I am sure this experience will help me to understand the immigration issue much better when it comes up any time in the future.Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087638471824534922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-21253116956578408862010-07-23T09:57:00.000-07:002010-07-23T09:58:04.726-07:00What I Accomplished This SummerAs I mentioned in a previous post, my work with the Southside Day Labor Center has been fraught with challenges. However, I still am able to reflect on my experience and say that I have accomplished a lot for the community I served and I grew as a person.<br /><br /> While our classes were not always as well organized or attended as we hoped, I still think they were useful for the men. Our English tutoring improved the men’s English skills so that they are now slightly better at communicating with their patrones. Also, we taught the men how to create and use an email account and how to use craigslist and google search during our computer classes. Finally, we conducted a workshop on heat stroke, which is especially important since the men are working in extreme heat and sun exposure.<br /><br /> Other projects we completed include the making of an instructional video to show new members of the center the new rules. We also researched wage abuse and how the men could take action against patrones that do not pay them for their work. This is a constant problems for them and is particular tragic given that there is little work for the men to come by and that many are earning money to support their families either here in the U.S. or in their native country.<br /><br /> On a personal level, we established strong relationships with the men. I really thought of them as friends and I think they thought of me in the same way. We shared good conversations and had laughs. We also watched much of the World Cup together. Several of them have my phone contact information and I hope to keep in touch with them. I think I got a lot more out of this experience because I was able to be friends with the workers, some of whom are migrants from Mexico or other Central American countries. I had a personal connection with these individuals rather than just witnessing them from objective perspective that we were getting from some of the other experiences. Being close to these individuals was the most moving aspect of this trip. I also think they had a lot more fun with us around; we made things more exciting for them.<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Sam Savitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180849081939089109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-52107760961635269672010-07-20T22:33:00.000-07:002010-07-21T13:43:21.528-07:00Slideshow of Our Stay in Tucson<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxOQxYZi4-GkwH0sxy9yURcWt-tRAwQ6oyyEoU3A20c1gCzNQdPIXvwjosQ6or5arlVuHDeDBq2tqZV_fAl' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15296782541962818911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-80637611848196263042010-07-20T22:28:00.000-07:002010-07-20T22:33:40.611-07:00Migrant Deaths In July Could Set A New RecordThe Arizona Sun Times reported last week that the migrant deaths recorded this month in Pima County alone could set a record. The county has experienced 38 migrant deaths this summer, which puts the county on track to break the record for July 2005 of 68 deaths in a month. Body counts for 2010 are up by almost 100 recovered bodies in a given time period from 2009, though evidence shows that migration across the Mexico border is slowing. Check out the full article here:<br /><br />http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/article_a9828263-acfd-553c-b247-da12c5ae8d9a.htmlMs. Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15933841471662708790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-70955798827724250962010-07-18T13:09:00.001-07:002010-07-18T13:09:38.008-07:00Hearing Their Narrative (Ignorance, Part II)They call it "blind" ignorance sometimes.<br /><br />For a while this summer, my ignorance blinded me, made me forgetful of the fact that immigration laws should not be about fear and hiding in the shadows, but about having the courage to ensure that those who harm others are brought to justice, no matter the consequences.<br /><br />A few weeks ago, a man "with papers" attacked one without. The result was physical and psychological harm, not to mention fear. I tried to give what advice I could, consulting people with more knowledge than I, and came to the conclusion that testifying was out of the question. Better to stay hidden.<br /><br />"He [the attacker] will be released, though," I was told urgently. My mind wasn't changed. <br /><br />They say ignorance is blind, but I've got news for you: it can be deaf, too.<br /><br />In a recent, fluffy speech on immigration and SB 1070, President Obama reasoned that, "Among other things, [1070] puts pressure on police officers to enforce rules that are "unenforceable" while making communities less safe -- in part, by making people more reluctant to report crimes.<br /><br />If only he knew. If only he'd lend us an ear.<br /><br />Ultimately, my and the lawyers' advice were not followed, and I'm glad of it. It was discovered that the police–though sometimes easily painted as the persecutors and those empowered by 1070–wanted justice to be done, too.<br /><br />After all, what kind of society would we have if a few pieces of paper could keep a good, hardworking person in fear for himself and his family, and at the same time keep a violent one on the streets?<br /><br />That's the kind of society that already lives and breathes in Arizona and many other parts of country. If only Obama could see that. I'm fortunate to have learned that in my time here.<br /><br />In many ways, papers give you a voice in this country and you're totally disempowered without them. If you're mistreated, denied wages, denied water and basic human rights, very few bother to listen.<br /><br />That's a shame for countless reasons, but one is that what nearly all the people I've worked with at the Day Labor Center--no matter their status--have to say is so crucial to the immigration debate, not to mention damn interesting. Their voices are the ones so often missing. The result of our own policies, by the way. In the way that the deaths of the less fortunate migrants are on our hands, and the abuses that continue to go unheeded fall to us to resolve, though resolve them we won't.<br /><br />All because we don't want to hear, or just don't know what to listen for.<br /><br />Before coming to Arizona, I never thought I could have felt so strongly about amnesty. But if there is no pathway to citizenship for those 11 million+ living in silence, their opinions and voices go on muted. The wrongs, <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> crimes that certainly trump an offense that is nothing more or less than trespassing, will continue.<br /><br />And the narrative, though it's being spoken, whispered in every corner of our country, goes unheard.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-32906846482827467872010-07-16T11:17:00.000-07:002010-07-16T11:19:17.293-07:00Respecting DignityI came to Tucson with only a bit of knowledge of the legal aspects of immigration. Addition to that, the two days our group had a pre-Tucson training helped me to realize that there were many sides to this issue, including guest farm worker rights and DREAM Act.<br /><br />However, my time in Tucson taught me the realities of the immigration issue, face to face.<br /><br />Though I have already experienced some discrimination and prejudices earlier in my life, I’ve never seen the connection between white supremacy and privilege and immigration restrictions so clearly during our workshop in our delegation. I did not know anything about Operation Streamline, the fact that people are in shackles when they are being mass tried at 70 people in roughly an hour and thirty minutes. I didn’t know that the detention centers only fed immigrants peanut butter crackers for meals, gave water in buckets while their hands are still in shackles. I’ve heard that they don’t give women on their menstruation to have any sanitary means. And I’ve heard stories of families breaking apart during process of deportation. And of letting someone die on a hospital bed in shackles. These are the realities I came face to face.<br /><br />I wrote an article once for The Chronicle featuring Archbishop Makhulu. What really struck me was how much he valued a person’s dignity. “Everyone inherently has dignity,” he said. Throughout my time in Tucson, I came to think a lot about dignity. Putting water out in the desert, a simple act such as that, shows that I respect of human life and dignity. Although much of the water, especially nowadays, have been drained by vandalism. However, I do think all the effort, time, and resources are worth giving if it can save even one person’s life.<br /><br />Yes, many migrants have come here without documents. Yes, it may not be right for citizens to pay for certain fees to the government or healthcare while migrants may not be. However, we should never forget that they are human too, instead of labeling them as “illegals” or “undocumented immigrants.” Many of these migrants have come here because they have no other option but to come here and work to feed their family. To treat them with guns, shackles, and extreme unsanitary conditions are not only offensive to the dignity of these people, but is degrading the value of people who are doing these to them. What I got most out of this experience is that the important issue of immigration is not political, religious, or educational. It’s simply humanitarian. It is a humanitarian issue, as basic but important as giving someone water when they are dying of thirst.Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087638471824534922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-41871006056138939942010-07-16T10:41:00.000-07:002010-07-16T10:43:27.800-07:00what Arizona gave meDon’t get me wrong – I have learned a lot here especially from people who are pro-immigrant humanitarian workers and I consider myself as pro-immigrant as well. Still, in Arizona, the heart of immigration issues, I have also learned a lot from anti-immigrant people as I listen and read their arguments. I actually do not understand their arguments; most of the time, it seems their arguments lack a proper logic and rather make me more pro-immigrant. Yet I always try to listen and read them as seriously as possible, because I know that maybe my – or our as pro-immigrant – arguments would seem ridiculous to them just as theirs seem to me. One of the biggest lessons I have gained here is the fact that everybody – pro-immigrant, anti-immigrant, or immigrants themselves – has different stories, and one should not dismiss others’ stories; I listen what anti-immigrant people say because I want them to listen what we say.<br /><br />Also, I have learned why people cross the border regardless of the unfair label of ‘illegal’ they would get. Before coming here, I thought it was not immigrants themselves but only their children who had no choice but to cross with their parents – that was why I supported the DREAM Act. Now, I understand the lack of options in Mexico or other Latin American countries.<br /><br />And that made me even more interested in the legal or political facet of immigration issue than I had been before. If there are strong push and pull factors that force people to cross, creating border walls or increasing the deportation rate will not help to solve the root problem at all. It is those push and pull factors that should be treated, and I think those treatments have to be made from the legal or political approaches – to ameliorate economies of Latin American countries, to make immigration process accessible, or to establish appropriate programs such as the guest worker program.<br /><br />With those deepened understandings of multifaceted immigration issues, I now look forward to even more enlightening experiences during the 10 days left ahead of me and after that as well.Anna Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566704754398312872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-76293927960024461632010-07-15T23:00:00.001-07:002010-07-30T12:38:31.992-07:00Before ArizonaI didn’t know most of this before I came to Arizona. <br /><br />It is not easy for a migrant to enter the US. They must pass through an incredibly dangerous and hostile environment to get in to the country. This year, to date, 130 people have died crossing the desert in Arizona alone. 5000 have died since 1994. 209 died last year. These numbers reflect only found bodies. These found bodies in turn are believed to comprise only 25 percent of the total number of migrant deaths that occur in the desert each year. Many who die are not found. Therefore, the adjusted number of deaths could mean that 520 people have died in the desert this year and 20,000 people have died since 1994. Most Americans don’t know these numbers. I didn’t. This story is not discussed in the media.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNqcqEeu0mGcul3cCIk43fZDYB41pIFG-GD-BbOE8OO8YTy2E5YozbVG1P2vkCSEGZ95yenGX_ywiU9KFR7bheK6iD31EiniqIEqpkc23aZIb86-YYWUqxabIUhMb8E6d5UUYdXIgY1ps/s1600/Tucson+Summer+2010+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNqcqEeu0mGcul3cCIk43fZDYB41pIFG-GD-BbOE8OO8YTy2E5YozbVG1P2vkCSEGZ95yenGX_ywiU9KFR7bheK6iD31EiniqIEqpkc23aZIb86-YYWUqxabIUhMb8E6d5UUYdXIgY1ps/s400/Tucson+Summer+2010+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499785437249277234" /></a> (Migrant belongings left behind in desert)<br /><br />On a perfect journey through the desert, a migrant would suffer at the very least from dehydration. There is no thing as a perfect journey. All migrants face the risk of being caught by Border Patrol. Many suffer from heat sickness; exploitation at the hands of their coyotes; risk of attack by drug traffickers, human traffickers, or bandits; rape; life-threatening blisters that cover their whole feet; hunger; thirst; fear. All pay inordinate fees to their coyotes, the “mafia,” and other exploiters along the route. And this is all just in the walk through the desert to get in to the US. Most Americans don’t know this story. I didn’t. This journey is not deemed newsworthy. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5S9v07VQI_3mEIzhJu_1ozzzfb8gcjFhILWyKbOPWdLAuDvC3sMhnKPAC1b1U_FiA9AeXU9MLV0JFsjh0YGmMriE0VOujr5wgFrerSjKFh8jMt83jqK1mATtdrqEGr703LeXLx4EWGGV/s1600/Tucson+Summer+2010+057.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5S9v07VQI_3mEIzhJu_1ozzzfb8gcjFhILWyKbOPWdLAuDvC3sMhnKPAC1b1U_FiA9AeXU9MLV0JFsjh0YGmMriE0VOujr5wgFrerSjKFh8jMt83jqK1mATtdrqEGr703LeXLx4EWGGV/s400/Tucson+Summer+2010+057.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499785708801272930" /></a> (Wackenhut bus waiting in desert to deport migrants back to Mexico)<br /><br />If a migrant successfully enters the US, they have to start a new life from nothing. Among other hardships, they often end up working for less than minimum wage, and that is only if they are lucky enough to find work. They may be exploited by their bosses. Many cannot afford health insurance. They pay taxes and social security, yet they do not benefit from them. If they are abused by their fellows, by their bosses, by the cops, by the border patrol, they often do not seek legal recourse. They are afraid they will be caught by Border Patrol. The result is that crimes go unsolved and unpunished. Justice does not prevail. Fear does. Most Americans don’t know this life. I didn’t. This life does not make headlines. <br /><br />These numbers, this journey, and this life are real. <br /><br />Yet they are not the narrative we are presented. They are not the stories we read. I didn’t know them before I came to Arizona. I didn’t know this narrative. Now that I do, it is my duty to tell it.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487512668933855118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-69891577012786121312010-07-15T22:15:00.000-07:002010-07-15T22:18:21.742-07:00Two StoriesI am generally dissatisfied with the news media in this country, particularly television news. The networks seem to focus primarily on providing entertainment. It seems like every time I watch the news on television I see flashing objects and people screaming at each other. I rarely witness stories that go behind a superficial analysis of the subject.<br /><br />The case of migration is no different. There are very few stories in the media that go beyond the basics of the issue. I mostly see stories about SB 1070 or people arguing with each other over immigration. However, there is a lack of information on what the immigrants must do to cross Arizona and what their lives are like when they are here. This is not to say that 1070 is not important, but rather that focusing on it to such an extent leaves huge gaps in the migrant story. I also find it interesting that the biggest controversy over 1070 seems to be that it will lead to increased racial profiling. While I think this is a significant problem with the bill, I see many other issues with it. By just pointing out the aspect of racial profiling, people seem to be suggesting that it is okay to harass undocumented workers currently in the U.S., just as long as you can separate them from legal citizens. I would like to see more people upset over the way the bill pressures the police to make more deportations and increases the fear that migrants have of the police.<br /><br />The overall story of the migrant that this news depicts is not overly sympathetic. I have seen many reports about jobs being ‘taken’ by migrants, although I have seen comparatively fewer stories detailing the terrible working conditions that these people must endure. Few people think about what the farmers are going through to grow their crops. The migrants that work as farmers are typically paid very low wages for long hours of doing extremely difficult work under abusive bosses. I think a greater appreciation of the migrant’s situation once they come to the US would be part of a more balanced presentation. These people are not coming to the US and taking easy jobs. Rather, they are extremely hardworking and dedicated. Often they send every extra bit they make to their families.<br /><br />I also notice that the news media blows every act of violence along the border out of proportion. For instance, in the case of the Arizona rancher that was recently killed the media made it a breaking news story. Though, there seems to be no rationale for considering this event as much more significant than other murders that occur every day in the United States. Given that the media highlights such cases, people get the impression that many of the migrants are violent criminals or drug smugglers. This impression is reinforced by anti-immigrant politicians, who exaggerate the number of migrants involved in illicit activities. For instance, Jan Brewer recently claimed that the majority of the illegal trespassers that are coming into the state of Arizona are under the direction and control of organized drug cartels and they are bringing drugs in. There are also many claims that migrants are causing crime to increase greatly. However, the vast majority just want a better life for themselves. Nearly all the migrants I have spoken to have been kind and respectful. Crime has in fact been decreasing as the immigrant population goes up and contrary to what Ms. Brewer asserts, the majority of migrants are not drug smugglers.<br /><br />There is also a dearth of information on how the judicial process works for undocumented immigrants. Specifically, the media makes little effort to explain what deportation actually entails. Most people, including myself before this trip, have never even heard of Operation Streamline. They do not realize that some migrants may serve time in jail before being deported. During their time in jail the migrants are just provided packages of crackers rather than real meals. People are also ignorant of the fact that many migrants are separated from their family that they have been traveling with and are bused to cities in Mexico that are usually very far from where their hometown is located. To add to their difficulties, the migrants have little or no money on them when they are deported and no help is provided to them. I get the sense that the portrayal of the deportation process is one in which the migrants are escorted back to their home country in a respectful manner. However, I think this assessment to miss out on a lot of the details.<br /><br />My conclusion is that the media presents a very superficial analysis of the migrant story. It is not necessarily meant to serve an anti-migrant agenda, but the media is unconcerned with getting all the details (as is the case for most subjects). It is important that people seek out more information so that when they are considering immigration as a policy issue, they know the true story of what is going on. <br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Sam Savitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12180849081939089109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-49427422847882485062010-07-15T16:54:00.000-07:002010-07-15T16:55:09.882-07:00Walls Change the GameI have spent the past eleven summers surrounded by hundred year old pines, basking in 90% humidity, and chasing mosquitoes away from my ankles. So were the summers of my childhood spent in Camp Juliette Low, a camp for the woodsy sort in northwest Georgia. We would often attempt to make the hot Georgia nights a little more interesting by taking to the playing field for intense competitions of capture the flag. We would don a hodgepodge of camouflage clothing and war paint, in the end looking more like a misfit army than cohesive team. We’d gather in a pregame huddle and come up with intimidating chants asserting our superior flag-capturing and opponent-tagging abilities. <br /><br />We would consult our generals, usually counselors who were the ripe old age of 18, on the best strategies and war tactics to render the other team helpless and establish us victorious. We marched onto the field, crunched up noses, snarled expressions, the look of destruction in our eyes. We constructed a human barrier of counselors – the symbolic fence between our territory and theirs. We strategically hid the flag, positioned guards, established chasers. As you can see, it was a pretty sophisticated operation for a group of twenty 13 year old girls.<br /><br />The whistle blew and we would all be a little too scared to make the first move. Eventually the younger of the teams would make an advance, sending only the stealthiest infantry troops into enemy territory. But the older girls were quick and knew the drill (for we had once been that age), and would retaliate with a sophisticated defense strategy. You see, we would build a human chain. We would line girls up shoulder to shoulder along enemy boundaries, clasping hands and ensuring no one could steal the flag or stir up a jail break. But inevitably the game would come to a grinding halt. All tagging, jail breaking, and flag stealing would come to an end. <br /><br />The younger girls would flood the line attempting to find holes, inconsistency in our plan, the weak link. We would stand shoulder to shoulder glaring down at the younger girls, staring blankly and becoming increasingly bored. You see, these human chains, or invisible walls, defeated the purpose of our game. This was supposed to be warfare, retribution, fun. However, constructing a fence erased everything exhilarating from the nature of the game. You see, every member of the team was so fixated on forming the chain and such a strong defensive strategy had left us no infantry of our own to attack and capture the opponent’s flag. Thankfully the human chain kept the younger girls out of our half of the field, but they also kept us in. <br /><br />Las week I found myself comparing much of my summer in Arizona to these very same games I used to play in the Georgia woods. Granted, Arizona has far fewer trees, not as many mosquitoes, and about 0% humidity, but it does have walls. I’ve heard stories from liberals, conservatives (thank you, Granny), and moderates. I’ve heard them from adults, children, Christians and Jews. I’ve heard them from socialists and capitalists, environmentalists and industrialists. And the one thing I keep coming back to is that walls defeat the purpose of the game. We are keeping undocumented immigrants out, yes, but we are also keeping ourselves in. We are inhibiting the free flow of labor, of resources, of art, of culture, of music, and of life. We are inhibiting fun.Ms. Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15933841471662708790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-61656530763381589792010-07-14T14:02:00.000-07:002010-07-14T15:01:55.536-07:00Sanctuary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLg6KfLNAwxi6poTR6zh3gmIsR4LexY7s8lZ3leql2-aIXQfjtFsWhGIwyBiWl57cNTdjNGOAkltDFJNeO5qZi17xf6y-XZCfILRGwT9qWf5Yc2OjwqguysgrfqarXyrQWxC2gnWOrgc/s1600/830004.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 98px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLg6KfLNAwxi6poTR6zh3gmIsR4LexY7s8lZ3leql2-aIXQfjtFsWhGIwyBiWl57cNTdjNGOAkltDFJNeO5qZi17xf6y-XZCfILRGwT9qWf5Yc2OjwqguysgrfqarXyrQWxC2gnWOrgc/s320/830004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493881653445603106" /></a><br />When I was in college I learned about the “dirty wars” in Latin America during the 1980s. I learned that parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents were disappeared by authoritarian governments and never came home. Many ended up at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, shot in soccer stadiums and fire bombed by military helicopters. Justice for these victims has yet to come. The dirty secret is that the Reagan Administration largely funded these military operations in the early 1980s. Consequently the U.S. government routinely denied refugee status and visas to Salvadorans and Guatemalans attempting to flee death squads. If you are interested in learning more about the dirty war in El Salvador, check out <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.markdanner.com/books/show/3">Massacre at el Mozote</a>.</span> The book chronicles the mass killings of men, women and children in a remote indigenous village in the mountains of El Salvador. It also clearly documents that the weapons, training and military helicopters were funded by US tax payers.<br /><br />During this period there was a group of American citizens who realized what was happening in El Salvador and began offering “sanctuary” to people trying to flee the military regimes. The sanctuary movement began in Tucson, Arizona in 1980 when Southside Presbyterian Church and other congregations began providing food, shelter, material aid and legal aid to refugees. This was a direct violation of federal immigration law, yet over 500 congregations nationwide followed suit by 1984. <a href="http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=384">Prominent members of the movement stood trial for violating federal immigration law and faced criminal charges.</a> The Sanctuary Movement appealed to the Bible when explaining their rationale for breaking the law referencing Leviticus 19:34 which says: "The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself." Ultimately, the defendants in the Sanctuary Trials were either acquitted, received suspended sentences or received sentences of house arrest. In 1990 the House and Senate approved a bill that would give Temporary Protection Status to refugees, allowing for refugees to remain in the country legally. <br /><br />It took ten years for policy to catch up with the need to grant visas to refugees, in the meantime thousands died. How long will we need to wait for the deaths to stop in Arizona?<br /><br /><br />The Tucson Corridor on the US/Mexico border is home to at least <a href="http://www.derechoshumanosaz.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=34">153 migrant deaths</a> since October in 2009. Economic refugees attempt to cross some of the most harsh, inhospitable desert in the world in search of a job in the United States. There is no border in the world where such economic disparity exists. The draw is too intense and the need to survive is strong, every day hundreds of people attempt the journey. What we know is that people are losing their lives, every single day. The number above documents recovered remains. There is no telling how many bodies go uncounted, lost in the desert. Prior to 1994 there were no reported deaths in the Tucson Corridor, the deaths began with the building of the wall. Border policy has pushed people into the desert, away from traditional crossing places in urban areas. I recommend the documentary “<a href="http://www.crossingaz.com">Crossing Arizona”</a> /if you want more information on how border policy has pushed people into the desert resulting in over 2000 deaths since 2000. <br /><br />Next week the DukeEngage group is preparing to go visit the <a href="http://www.nomoredeaths.org/">No More Deaths</a> camp in Arivaca, Arizona. While we are there we will go on patrols and walk migrant trials where we will provide food, water and first aid to migrants that are lost in the desert. Many people disagree with providing humanitarian aid to migrants, believing that encourages illegal immigration. However, I think that I have a moral obligation to help those that are need just like members of the Sanctuary Movement did. I can't stand idly by and know that people are dying in my country's backyard. It's beyond politics and Mike Wilson, a humanitarian aid activist, said it best, "No one should die in the desert for a glass of water".Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05127695836254791560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-30088082833174380892010-07-14T12:41:00.000-07:002010-07-14T12:42:35.298-07:00ICE Director <i>against</i> SB1070 <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/13/20100713ICE-director-says-states-should-not-copy-arizona-law.html"> http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/13/20100713ICE-director-says-states-should-not-copy-arizona-law.html</a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15296782541962818911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-84173444507594643002010-07-13T22:19:00.001-07:002010-07-13T22:25:46.361-07:00Look Who's Immigrating LEGALLYCNN reports that the US Department of State issues about 4,500 passports to registered sex offenders annually. It seems as though we may have double standards in who we allow into other countries and who we allow in ours.<br /><br /><object id="ep" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="416" height="374"><param name="_cx" value="11006"><param name="_cy" value="9895"><param name="FlashVars" value=""><param name="Movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=crime/2010/07/13/tsr.boudreau.sex.offend.pass.cnn"><param name="Src" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=crime/2010/07/13/tsr.boudreau.sex.offend.pass.cnn"><param name="WMode" value="Transparent"><param name="Play" value="0"><param name="Loop" value="-1"><param name="Quality" value="High"><param name="SAlign" value="LT"><param name="Menu" value="-1"><param name="Base" value=""><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="Scale" value="NoScale"><param name="DeviceFont" value="0"><param name="EmbedMovie" value="0"><param name="BGColor" value="000000"><param name="SWRemote" value=""><param name="MovieData" value=""><param name="SeamlessTabbing" value="1"><param name="Profile" value="0"><param name="ProfileAddress" value=""><param name="ProfilePort" value="0"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=crime/2010/07/13/tsr.boudreau.sex.offend.pass.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object><br />http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/13/sex.offenders.passports/index.htmlMs. Riordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15933841471662708790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-70131904235105857582010-07-13T10:28:00.000-07:002010-07-17T19:42:09.100-07:00Do YOU want to be a farm worker?<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">There are constant complaints of how immigrants steal jobs from US citizens. But in reality, how many US citizens will willingly perform the same jobs under the same conditions as immigrants? How many US citizens will work in construction, cleaning, or farming for less than minimum wage? I’m sure there’s a small portion of citizens who would. Perhaps more would want the jobs if they were paid better. Even in the terrible state of our economy, how many unemployed US citizens would refuse to work these “inferior” jobs? In response to the outcry for immigration reform, The United Farm Workers Union is challenging US citizens to work the same jobs as immigrants. At <a href="http://www.blogger.com/TAKEOURJOBS.ORG">TAKEOURJOBS.ORG</a>, US citizens can sign up to work in the fields. <span style="color:black;">Since June 24, at least 4,000 people have responded to the Farm Worker Union’s application. While some responses are serious, others are hate mail. Only a few dozen of the applicants have actually followed through </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';">(<a href="http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/07/news/economy/farm_worker_jobs/">http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/07/news/economy/farm_worker_jobs/</a> ).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Before leaving North Carolina, we visited farm workers at a nearby farm. Although this farm was in better condition than most, I still don’t know anyone who would willingly live there. The twenty workers cooked their meals in a trailer with rows of old, dirty stoves and then ate at one of the two picnic tables inside. Until recently, farmers did not have to provide their farm workers with mattresses to sleep on. The bathrooms don’t provide nearly enough toilets or shower stalls. Often times, the stalls don’t have doors or curtains. Men and women immigrants work in the fields for longs hours in excruciating heat. Those who work in the tobacco fields aren’t always properly equipped to protect themselves from getting sick from the tobacco. When they do get sick, they have to occupy one of the few toilets without any privacy. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">Most Americans are ignorant as to where their food comes from. Farm working is a very difficult job. </span>We need to recognize the hard work that immigrants do for our country. Accordingly, <span style="Times New Roman"font-family:";">we should treat the human beings who provide us with food with respect and decent living conditions.</span> </p> <!--EndFragment-->Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15296782541962818911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-13295774559444392292010-07-11T22:43:00.000-07:002010-07-11T22:56:11.227-07:00"Reign of Terror"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGLv89eo73lijwlini2zwtJavOtAu0AzOFYhGctmVXIWL_oeCjkg1nXMe2fC0mI1SvpWlDDEVe1q5WN9_LGLR8gLTtmtl0PIFZU663W1kPZWPzuQx_pAhEDVa6ATzUds6u_yhxEKeHUC3/s400/pinkpq5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGLv89eo73lijwlini2zwtJavOtAu0AzOFYhGctmVXIWL_oeCjkg1nXMe2fC0mI1SvpWlDDEVe1q5WN9_LGLR8gLTtmtl0PIFZU663W1kPZWPzuQx_pAhEDVa6ATzUds6u_yhxEKeHUC3/s400/pinkpq5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/07/09/pkg.rowlands.arpaio.enemies.list.cnn?hpt=Sbin">CNN Piece on Sheriff Joe Arpaio</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732509616177485719.post-55730460279698664762010-07-09T20:50:00.000-07:002010-07-09T22:16:26.595-07:00Migration as a Shared History<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r2pTdAPBoPdZj0ZnrDgDDlPW-MzpH97vIRU7tff8sYojN38te-E71aYuTCF2_vxVnJB566h5aJEodVXpeqh_OeVc7_ul9JJC5zPKGFyXzee7Q6JvV5-KPfKalpSSD8cegCzQoreEZwM/s1600/GEDC0752.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r2pTdAPBoPdZj0ZnrDgDDlPW-MzpH97vIRU7tff8sYojN38te-E71aYuTCF2_vxVnJB566h5aJEodVXpeqh_OeVc7_ul9JJC5zPKGFyXzee7Q6JvV5-KPfKalpSSD8cegCzQoreEZwM/s320/GEDC0752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492123741692970994" /></a><br />Several weeks ago the DukeEngage group made our way from Tucson, Arizona to the Grand Canyon. We needed to see some trees (although the Saguaros are lovely) and were seeking cooler temperatures, however part of our trip was to learn about the history of the migration Native Peoples in the American Southwest. One of the things that my time on the border has taught me is that migration is part of our shared human story. The story of people who are compelled to leave their homes because of scant resources is one that has been told for millennia. We all have legends, stories and myths to explain how we came to be who we are and where we came from. Those of the Judeo-Christian tradition are taught that the Isrealites wandered in the desert before coming the promised Land of Canaan, a land of milk and honey. An example from the Americas is that of the the Hopi people, a Native American tribe in the Southwest. They say this about their migration history:<br /><blockquote>And now before Masaw turned his face from them and became invisible, he explained that every clan must make four directional migrations before they all arrived at their common, permanent home. They must go the ends of the land--west, south, east and north--to the farthest place where the land meets the sea in each direction." (Waters, Book of the Hopi)</blockquote><br /><br />The first place we stopped is pictured above, Montezuma's Castle. Explorers "discovered" the dwellings around 1860 and mistook these cliff dwellings as part of the Aztec Empire and named the dwellings after Montezuma II. What we learned about these cliff dwellings was that a pre-Colombian group of people called the Sinagua lived there until about 500 years before the Spanish Conquest. Archeologist believed that they left the dwellings, which are still largely intact, in search of better resources. The Hopi people even trace some of their own origins to this same area where the cliff dwellings are.<br /> <br />As I stood in front of the ruins, thinking about the people who lived there and raised families in the centuries prior, I realized that maybe their story wasn't that different than my own. In fact, the Hopi's migration story didn't sound too different than the story I learned as a child, when God told Noah and his sons, "As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it." (Genesis 9:7). Not only did the myth resonate with me, but the actual migration story seemed relatable. At some point in my own family's history, someone decided to leave their home, a familiar land, in search of different resources and opportunities. So when I think about the current state of migration in my country, it's not just political. For me, it is another chapter in our shared history of survival.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05127695836254791560noreply@blogger.com0