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What up People(open letter)Dear who ever wishes to read the words of one student who learned so much in a short period of time in one very unique class setting
I got to be honest, the reason I decided to take this class is because I am studying Secondary Education especially in the realm of Social Studies. I also have decided to add a second major, this one in Sociology. This class was a perfect fit for both. Plus I am really interested in current and whatever possible new immigration policies the US might put in place in the near future. Immigration is a big deal in the State I am from (California) and is a very big deal here in Arizona. Especially now with all the Immigration protests that have been taking place in the resent weeks.
I friend of mine took this class and told me it would be really educational and a really fun class to be in. Plus an old ASU west Professor told me about this class last spring. So when I first signed up for this class, I was really excited about learning more about immigration into the United States and in other countries from many aspects. But I didn’t expect all of the information that I received while participating in this multi cultural environment. This class gave me the opportunity to go to Mexico and to interview someone who immigrated to the United States relatively recently. If I didn't take this class I would of never been given this opportunity to learn so much in such a short period of time. It's funny how similar people our, even if they are form Brazil or even somewhere like Spain because all of us so called Americans are from some where else other then here. We just some times forget that fact. In past classes (Democracy and Social anthropology) I learned a little bit about the minute men project on the Borders of Arizona and some other states but I really didn’t understand the whole picture of what is really happening on the United States / Mexico border until I witnessed some of its effects in person on our class trip to Nogales Sonora Mexico. I mean working in a foreign owned factory normally called maquiladoras, or maquilas for short. These foreign owned factories have attracted millions of Mexicans who are unable to find good work elsewhere to the border region. Picture yourself working a 40 plus workweek and making only twenty-seven dollars a week. Then have almost forty percent of that twenty-seven dollars go to transportation to and from work. You wouldn’t even be able to afford your rent much less electricity or food. This is what thousands of Mexicans go through every single day.
I think my friend John Burnett said best when he took this same class last spring; “We take for granted living in this great country. We are blessed with an abundance of resources, a government based on rule of law, and unlimited opportunities. Whether we succeed or fail in life is usually determined by our education, timing, luck, and hard work. Most of the people in the world are not as blessed. Life is a struggle for most of the world. If I were a Mexican and faced with the poverty that I witnessed in Nogales, I wouldn’t think twice about migrating to the U.S. Legally or illegally! The struggle for survival and providing your family is universal.” Finally I would like anyone who lives in any border state to take some time and really learn what is going on with our immigration policies in this country and see what they might be able to do to change them for the better. No matter what your opinion is towards immigration, knowledge is the key factor for change. Just remember immigrants not by people who were born on this land founded this country. The only reason any of us is here is because someone in your family tree migrated here at some point. It doesn’t matter if it was one hundred, three hundred years ago or even two years ago, we all are immigrants in some way.
I wish this wasn't true, However we all know it is. Money is what makes the world go around. With that said -
- Here's some cash -
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