Immigration For and Against

ACLU

ACLU stands for the "American Civil Liberties Union", this website stand for the defense of all immigrants legal or illegal, making sure racial profiling is held back and citizens of the United States know what they are entitled to. The website mostly stresses of the overwhelming power the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) have and how some of the recent laws that have been passed infringe on the constitution. An example for this would be the immigration raids that have begun to search for illegal immigrants this has led to the breaking of the 4th Amendment the protection against unreasonable search and seizures, not to mention this has led to massive racial profiling in the policing of the states with connected borders to Mexico with 429,000 people held in detention in 2011 with little evidence of any illegal immigration. The organisation runs solely on donations with no government backing and was formed in the 1920s to protect the freedom of speech and help African-American and Women's rights. The website itself is divided into each social issue that effects the American people stating "So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy". Though Immigration is not their soul cause they are fighting it does feature on their front page and their resources seem to be vase. 
                                                 
https://www.aclu.org/










AIC
 AIC stands for "Americans for Immigration Control" founded in the 1980's it claims "AIC is an American non-partisan grassroots activist organisation with more than a quarter of a million members citizens of all races, creeds and colours". Though this is true the way in which it describes the people they are trying to prevent access to the United states in worrying as in many places you find the word Alien, though many people from Mexico come from Latino decent making them closer ti this North American the majority of the American population.

The main difference between the AIC and the ACLU  is the support from the State as the website boast of the amount of representatives that endorse this pressure group. The groups main fear is the population will become to much for the country to handle, so its way of combating this is to ban the rest of the world from coming in.

http://www.americanimmigrationcontrol.com/

Peoples Temple/ Jones Town Massacre

Jim Jones was a Pentecostal preacher during the middle of the 20th century in America, with the main belief that racism was something that should be defined by God not man and in doing so became one of the social leaders in abolishing racism. His preaching attracted many African-Americans from the 1950s to the 1970s, mainly because he had progressive views on racial equality. Jim Jones’s cult, "Peoples Temple", first relocated to Utah, because he believed this would give his people the best chance of surviving a nuclear war. But by the 1970s, he had denominations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Jim Jones actually had a certain amount of political power.

   Facing pressure from an article printed in 1977 exposing the organisation as a cult by revealing the tight restrictions, contact with the outside world and his harsh punishments towards anyone who broke or disagreed with his views, As seen with a custody battle for a child who Jim Jones had kidnapped from a couple who had left the cult of fear of it becoming dangerous. Jim Jones begun the emigration of the "Peoples Temple" to Guyana in South America. It was there where Jim attempted to set up his new Eden but by this time Jim Jones started to show signs of clear paranoia demonstrated by his claims that the C.I.A. were trying to destroy and harm the people of Jones Town, which eventually became Jones' creations of false fire fights and putting the village on a six day siege where Jones himself would inform the residents of Americas attempts to eradicate the population.                  

After mass letter writing campaigns from ex-members of the cult explaining their stories and the disappearing of citizens that attempted to leave, the U.S. sent congressman Leo Ryan to investigate. on the congressman's arrival the town seemed to be progressing well, it was only until one of the members handed Ryan a secret note asking for help to leave and admitting the town had been rehearsed for the congressman's visit. After hearing this news Ryan started to lead defectors back to America but it was on this trip they were shot and killed by the cults security squad. It was after this that Jones feared a repercussion from the U.S. government and invoked a mass suicide for everyone in the camp with the death toll reaching up to 900 innocent adults and children slaughtered.         

Chapter 14 - Indian Camp

1) The hardships that are portrayed in this chapter mostly consist of a natural source, for instance they complain about the relentless heat killing of most of the vegetation.

2) The girls view on the Native Americans seems to be very out of character for a protagonist based in a western novel, as the girls are very at peace with the Natives in this chapter, when they are asked if they would like to see the Indian camp there is nothing but excitement. The Natives are seen as something to learn and to explore from the girls prospective.

3)   The role of Gender is very consistent with the genre as Ma is left to make supper and to milk the cows, whilst Pa accompanies the girls to the Indian camp as a guide and protection. The girls themselves don't portray a feminist role in this chapter, when they arrive at the camp they are distracted by the beads they find on the floor and are more attentive to collecting them rather than exploring the camp itself.

4) The book "Little House on the Prairie" is designed to be a book for children with easily understood language but helps many readers to understand the difficulties the pioneers of the west suffered through.    

Analysis of Anna Yezierka short stories

The Lost Beautifulness 
To write about the morality of this story would be barely possible as it nothing but a tale of misfortune and injustice. The main crux of the story line is a poor immigrant of the name Hanneh who wishes to  be part of a system and society that seems to be fixed on excluding her and anyone of her class as stated by her Landlord "In America everybody looks out for himself" this said in a time when almost all men were fighting the same war, against the same enemy, in the same living conditions despite their class. Though Hanneh praises and idolizes Democracy and the supposed equality of it she is met with the bitterness of reality played by her husband and the Landlord If there are any moral lessons to be learnt from this short story it could be either, don't try to be something your not or no matter how small you are you lose.


Soap and Water 
Soap and water is the story in comparison to The Lost Beautilfulness is slightly more uplifting proving that hard work does pay off though it could be argued the protagonist must work harder for the same accomplishments than her peers due to the fact her dean attempts to withhold her diploma for the way she dresses. Again we do see the clear class divide and the very little empathy that is shown from those at the top of this hierarchy but the a moral lesson that can be taken from this passage would be perverseness, hard work and a bit of luck will pay off for some. To counter the cold heartiness of the upper class the protagonist is comforted by her encounters by an American women exactly like The Lost Beautilfulness just like in the short story before it is through these women that the hope of equality is kept alive.

The Searches 1956 - Rev/Cap and Being Sworn In Scene

The scene I have picked for this weeks blog post is when the first attack on a near by ranch has taken place and the rev/captain Samuel Johnston Clayton forces the men into joining a temporary squad of law enforcement. 

During this scene a couple of western themes are challenged the most prominent being that of protagonist as a two dimensional hero. Here Ethan played John Wayne is questioned on his past by the reverend, this is shown as soon as the two characters are being reintroduced with the reverend calling him the "prodigal brother" as the very definition of prodigal is someone who is wasteful or reckless. Instantly they both hark back to the days of the civil war where Samuel quips that Ethan was absent on the day of the surrender, this is not the first time that Ethan's past had been questioned in the film but it does help to reinforce the idea that he is not the all American hero we are used to in westerns. After Ethan steps in for his brother the two then lock horns over the oath as Ethan claims it "wouldn't be legal anyway" again the two men are engaged in a long silent staring contest which ironically is very common of the western genre, when asked if Ethan is wanted for a crime its met by another long silence until Ethan criticizes the reverend for his loyalty to the federal government. 

Also the theme of masculinity is brought into play but only subtly, this is demonstrated when Ethan takes Aaron's place claiming if there is an attack by Indians, Aaron should stay back implying that the women are incapable of defending the home. This theme defiantly conforms with the norms of the genre especially in this scene, with the men arriving into the cabin and being swarmed by the women make sure they are fed and rested. 

This scene does lend itself to the myth of the western genre through the given hatred towards native Americans, as they show an intense fear when Ethan proposes the attack could well have come from a local tribe.  

Another issue this film raises again only in a subtle way is that of Americas laws and close relation to Christianity in modern times (1956) as in the norms of the western genre the parts of clergymen and law enforce are normally separate but here are played by the same actor this may well be a reference to this very problem.  

To add to the complexity of Ethan's character there does seem to be an odd connection between him and Aaron's wife, this has led to theories that the two had an affair and that Debbie is in fact Ethan's daughter. If this what the writers had planned then it would very much go against the classic western hero such as "Shane"  a man that could do no wrong apposed to "The Searches" where we find a flawed protagonist that could be on his way to seek out redemption or vengeance.  

The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven was filmed and released in 1960 and is regarded to be one of the greatest and classic depiction of America's Old West even though it is a re make of the Japanese film the "Seven Samurai". The Plot is about a small Mexican village that has been desalted  by a horde of bandits in the area and how these people are forced into seeking help. The people of this village set out to America in search of a hero or hero's that can save them. What they end up with are the seven protagonists that the film is based upon each one excepting the job for their own reasons.

George Catlin - Sioux War Council

This painting was painted by George Catlin in 1848. It depicts the Sioux war council gathered debating a topic of some sort. This isn't showing the great American Landscape but is one of the first paintings and evidence of the native people of America.  George Catlin journeyed the American West five times during the 1830's and was the first artist to visually record any sign of Native Americans. These paintings were taken around the country to create an accurate and scientific account of these people, though shunned by the American people Catlin took his work abroad i.e. Europe where it received a much more welcoming reception by critics and the general public.

Hopi Tribe

The Hopi occupancy of Arizona is one of the longest occupation of land of any Native tribe in the U.S. dating back as far as 500 B.C. The Hopi located most of their villages on mesas for defensive purposes with the area surrounding land for religious purposes. With the majority of their land taken by the U.S. federal government through various ways, to this day they only retain 9% of their original land (1.6 million acres) before the large amounts of immigration from the east cost.

The website the modern Hopi tribe have appears to push the idea they were divinely chosen to rule those lands and have to soul right to cultivate them. " Since time immemorial the Hopi people have lived in Hopituskwa and have maintained our sacred covenant with Maasaw, the ancient caretaker of the earth, to live as peaceful and humble farmers respectful of the land and its resources."

There is vast information on the tribal government and its history dating back to 1936 with the names of all their representatives in case you would need to get in contact with any of them.

It even has a page for the "Hopi Code" this is the judicial section of the site showing you approved Hopi code of laws and Hopi civil procedure rules. 

Other than that the rest of the sight just seems to keep you up to date with the tribal news and the different departments of the tribe.  http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/ 

Catherine Sager Pringle Across The Plans in 1844

I have chosen to study the diary of Miss C. Pringle and her journey following her father, Mother and her six other siblings. Their travels begin  from Ohio to Missouri and from there to travel across the plains to arrive in central Oregon during the times of 1844. I will be focusing on the Waiillatpu massacre, 1847.

In this time the Pringle family are emigrating through the mountains where they stumble upon large amounts of Native Americans, through this contact we can study the devastation that disease brought through immigration towards the native people as some  had never been exposed to such illness there was no natural defense in the natives immune system resulting in high amounts of casualties and in some cases tribes to be pushed on the brink of extinction.   

                                                                        

She also notes the behaviors of Native Americans towards the Christian missionaries, claiming their minds were to savage to see the difference between Catholicism and the protestants. Especially after the missionaries blamed their lack of faith for the reason why the diseases were effecting them so, the Natives become "hostile".

After a while of back and forth with the catholic church the Natives become restless and began attacking travelers to protect their lands in one case it resulted in the a local doctors house where Miss Pringle and two of her brothers were staying to be almost over whelmed by a horde of Natives resulting in many casualties on both sides. From this you could see the paradoxical nature of how the practice of preaching religion was used during these times.  

The West and Fashion :p

For this weeks blog post I have chosen the subject of the fashion of the west and how it has become mainstream in modern life, through the website http://www.chickelms.com/.

Where in the times of the classic west clothing was worn only because it lasted the wear and tear of their harsh environment, it has now become more about fashion with designer boots and hats for all to buy. In the modern day the clothing worn by the pioneers of the west has become symbol for those who are hard working, rural and and proud to be of southern heritage. This shown in the website by the language it uses to describe the person you could become through the clothing, as it says you can go from "City-slicker" to "Wrangler, Cruel Girl, Rocky Mountain, Cinch, Petrol, Lawman, Stetson, Roper, Ruddock, Cowgirl Tuff, Scully, Ariat, Heart and Crowns". There does seem to be an overwhelming amount of sub-text throughout the site claiming you will become incredibly more masculine just by owning the traditional garments.