Covering a story for BorderBeat.net last Thursday I attended a Geraldo Rivera interview at the Fox Theater in downtown Tucson. Rivera spoke with Tucson Weekly reporter and UA journalism professor Jim Nintzel about immigration and racism.
The full details of their conversation will be in my article. What I wish to discuss here is how I felt Rivera's message was skewed by its delivery, because that is what strikes me the most as I reflect upon the interview.
With Rivera, I feel that his often brash style and unreasonable statements undermine an otherwise well-guided ideology.
To see what I mean by a brash style that can interfere with his message and obscure a point, one need look no further than his appearance on Bill O'Reilly's show in April, 2007.
While both men act in a manner that I find to be unprofessional of "experts" and journalists that are supposed to be having a substantive conversation, I find myself siding with O'Rielly (which is rare) in this instance.
Geraldo seems to get too caught up on what he thinks are O'Reilly's attempts to score a "cheap political point" that he fails to recognize O'Reilly's valid and underlying message: the drunk driver should have never been in town to commit the DUI in the first place. He should have been deported earlier from being convicted of several other crimes.
While he didn't scream at Nintzel last Thursday, Rivera did deliver his message in ways that seemed to undermine his point.
In the introduction to the interview, Rivera took what was supposed to be a few opening remarks and stretched it out to a 20 minute, politically charged narrative that ended with a plug for his new book.
Rivera spoke of his well intentioned ideas and astute observations on immigration issues. The topics ranged from the racism of Republican rhetoric to solutions for illegal entry into the U.S.
Unfortunately, his message was marred in egotistical language and somewhat outrageous demands. For example, Rivera insisted that President Bush use his pardon ability, as many outgoing presidents do on their final days in office, to free and deport every imprisoned illegal immigrant. Rivera thinks that this will be a good-will statement toward a new beginning in border and race relations.
Making such claims, while promoting his book and not allowing his interviewer to get much of a word in edgewise, I ended up leaving the interview with a vague feeling of dejavu. I felt like I had seen a watered down version of something from the latter part of Jessie Jackson's career, after he became a characature of his former self.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
What To Expect on Immigration
With the arrival of a new administration and more Democrats in Congress, there are sure to be changes in the way our country approaches immigration.
Certainly the newest president has larger problems to address, such as wars and a financial crisis. Immigration, however, shouldn't be nearly as costly to change and therefore could see new policies enacted sooner than many would think.
In this video, Barack Obama briefly describes his stance on immigration.
The three things that he outlines are additional security for our borders, cracking down on employers who hire illegals and allowing an easier pathway to citizenship.
While most of those sound like good ideas, especially as they are described rather vaguely, it is hard to imagine that they will all be carried out. Given the economic downtown, the first two options don't seem as likely as the third.
Additional forces to secure our border would cost money that the U.S. doesn't really have, and cracking down on employers may also have negative short-term effects. Allowing an easier route to citizenship, however, could bolster the economy and deliver on a campaign promise of the Obama administration.
Certainly the newest president has larger problems to address, such as wars and a financial crisis. Immigration, however, shouldn't be nearly as costly to change and therefore could see new policies enacted sooner than many would think.
In this video, Barack Obama briefly describes his stance on immigration.
The three things that he outlines are additional security for our borders, cracking down on employers who hire illegals and allowing an easier pathway to citizenship.
While most of those sound like good ideas, especially as they are described rather vaguely, it is hard to imagine that they will all be carried out. Given the economic downtown, the first two options don't seem as likely as the third.
Additional forces to secure our border would cost money that the U.S. doesn't really have, and cracking down on employers may also have negative short-term effects. Allowing an easier route to citizenship, however, could bolster the economy and deliver on a campaign promise of the Obama administration.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Unseen Border Patrol cooperation
Covering a story about St. Andrew's Children's Clinic, a free-care children's hospital in Nogales, Arizona, I was surprised to learn about the cooperation they share with the U.S. Border Patrol.
On the first Thursday of every month, volunteer doctors from across the country come to St. Andrew's Church to treat young Mexican children for a number of ailments. The church is turned into a multifaceted doctor's office of sorts, and for the entire day physicians see patients, taking breaks only for breakfast and lunch.
Originally, St. Andrew's Clinic was on the Mexico side of Nogales. Keeping to this tradition and intent, all of the patients that are seen today come from across the border.
With tight immigration regulations, one might think that it would be an extremely difficult process to get these children into the country, even if just for the day, but this is not the case. As it turns out, those who work for St. Andrew's Clinic have a strategic partnership with the Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security that allows them to send some of their patients as far north as Seattle for special treatments that extend well beyond the typical day-long visa that is granted to most.
St. Andrew's Clinic Executive Director Ted Estrada explained how the process works to me.
The cooperation comes from a mutual understanding of goodwill, as well as a carefully planned humanitarian permit process.
"For every patient that comes across, they are allowed one parent to accompany them. The two are covered by the same permit (or humanitarian visa)," Estrada said.
According to Estrada, off-duty Border Patrol agents come in at 5 a.m. before work to sort out the paperwork and match them up to the patients.
In the event that one of the children should need extended care, an extension on the humanitarian visa is requested.
"We have never had a problem getting them (the Border Patrol) to work with us," Estrada said. "They have never denied a request for more time, but they do have limits on how many permits are allowed."
"It is our responsibility to make sure the children return and we have always done that, so they don't give us any problems," Estrada said.
It is both surprising and refreshing, but most of all heartwarming to see this level cooperation in the face of a controversial topic. When situational politics are overcome by emotional, ethical and moral callings, the bonds that we form are amazing.
On the first Thursday of every month, volunteer doctors from across the country come to St. Andrew's Church to treat young Mexican children for a number of ailments. The church is turned into a multifaceted doctor's office of sorts, and for the entire day physicians see patients, taking breaks only for breakfast and lunch.
Originally, St. Andrew's Clinic was on the Mexico side of Nogales. Keeping to this tradition and intent, all of the patients that are seen today come from across the border.
With tight immigration regulations, one might think that it would be an extremely difficult process to get these children into the country, even if just for the day, but this is not the case. As it turns out, those who work for St. Andrew's Clinic have a strategic partnership with the Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security that allows them to send some of their patients as far north as Seattle for special treatments that extend well beyond the typical day-long visa that is granted to most.
St. Andrew's Clinic Executive Director Ted Estrada explained how the process works to me.
The cooperation comes from a mutual understanding of goodwill, as well as a carefully planned humanitarian permit process.
"For every patient that comes across, they are allowed one parent to accompany them. The two are covered by the same permit (or humanitarian visa)," Estrada said.
According to Estrada, off-duty Border Patrol agents come in at 5 a.m. before work to sort out the paperwork and match them up to the patients.
In the event that one of the children should need extended care, an extension on the humanitarian visa is requested.
"We have never had a problem getting them (the Border Patrol) to work with us," Estrada said. "They have never denied a request for more time, but they do have limits on how many permits are allowed."
"It is our responsibility to make sure the children return and we have always done that, so they don't give us any problems," Estrada said.
It is both surprising and refreshing, but most of all heartwarming to see this level cooperation in the face of a controversial topic. When situational politics are overcome by emotional, ethical and moral callings, the bonds that we form are amazing.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Latino Vote: How to capture it and its importance
For a story of mine to appear in BorderBeat.net later this week I have been looking at issues involving the Latino vote.
As Hispanics continue to make up an ever-growing percent of America's population, their political influence continues to grow as well.
Here on UA's campus, various groups have been making concerted efforts to capture this vote.
"We have a special group within our organization that primarily speaks Spanish, hands out information in Spanish and is often of Hispanic decent," says Nick Machiaroli, ASUA Senator and volunteer at UA Votes 2008.
To put some numbers on the importance of the Latino vote, a New York Times Editorial Blog explores the issue and identifies that 30 percent Californian's voting in the Democratic primary came from those of Hispanic decent.
Similarly, a PBS article points out that Florida is at least 25 percent Latino and provided Bush an edge that may have helped him win Florida in 2004.
With projections that one in every four Americans will be of Hisapnic decent by the year 2050, this demographic certainly cannot be ignored.
In the past, Republicans have been able to capture their vote by avoiding touchy issues such as immigration and focusing on bread-and-butter issues such as healthcare and religion. The same PBS article looks at the Republican method of wooing the Latino vote.
(http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/402/video.html)
While they haven't performed as well in the past, Democrats look poised to carry the Latino vote in this election. With immigration and economic policies that sympathize with the struggles of immigrant families and a general distaste for Republicans among them, Democrats are making a convincing case.
So much so, in fact, that traditional Republican strong hold states such as Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada have all become swing-states in this election.
Whichever way their vote goes, if it does end up going strongly in one direction, it is clear that they will play a significant role in the path to winning the presidency.
As Hispanics continue to make up an ever-growing percent of America's population, their political influence continues to grow as well.
Here on UA's campus, various groups have been making concerted efforts to capture this vote.
"We have a special group within our organization that primarily speaks Spanish, hands out information in Spanish and is often of Hispanic decent," says Nick Machiaroli, ASUA Senator and volunteer at UA Votes 2008.
To put some numbers on the importance of the Latino vote, a New York Times Editorial Blog explores the issue and identifies that 30 percent Californian's voting in the Democratic primary came from those of Hispanic decent.
Similarly, a PBS article points out that Florida is at least 25 percent Latino and provided Bush an edge that may have helped him win Florida in 2004.
With projections that one in every four Americans will be of Hisapnic decent by the year 2050, this demographic certainly cannot be ignored.
In the past, Republicans have been able to capture their vote by avoiding touchy issues such as immigration and focusing on bread-and-butter issues such as healthcare and religion. The same PBS article looks at the Republican method of wooing the Latino vote.
(http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/402/video.html)
While they haven't performed as well in the past, Democrats look poised to carry the Latino vote in this election. With immigration and economic policies that sympathize with the struggles of immigrant families and a general distaste for Republicans among them, Democrats are making a convincing case.
So much so, in fact, that traditional Republican strong hold states such as Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada have all become swing-states in this election.
Whichever way their vote goes, if it does end up going strongly in one direction, it is clear that they will play a significant role in the path to winning the presidency.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
