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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Immigration Detention

Immigrants. The name is always given such a bad rep. Its used as a curse, as if its some sort of horrible taboo. Its used as an insult, as a crude joke to someone who isnt from here but what is here? Who really belongs here? Who does "here" belong to? I always hear the media refer to immigrants as aliens. I ask about it and people say that its because aliens arent from here, just like immigrants. That doesnt make any sense to me, maybe it does logically but morally its just stupid. Aliens are green monsters from strange planets OR aliens just arent real. Depends on who you ask. Immigrants are real. Theyre human beings just like everybody else "from here" I dont even see the need for them to categorize them with a name. They were born somewhere else and decided to come here. Big deal. People are born in the Bronx and go to Manhattan. Its just ridiculous. Now its taken to an even worse level. Theyre are some "immigrants" that get caught up into something stupid, not even a misdemeanor but just something that gets them noticed by the system and they get brought to a detention center, specifically for immigrants and keep in mind, many to most are legal permanent citizens but theyre brought to these centers like theyre some kind of fugitives breaking into some wonderful place. America is crap and I know Id probably get a whole bunch of bull for saying that but Im being honest. I dont care if you wanna call me unAmerican but they way America is currently being ran, its someplace that you find it difficult being proud of. America is supposed to be so full of opportunity, freedom and resources because of the whole constitution thing but its use is so limited because the people that are running the country have no sense and then other people are letting these mindless fools run this place right into the ground and go happily along with it. Nobody wants to stand up for anything. They see something foolish happen, complain about it but do NOTHING about it. These poor people in these centers are treated like murderers. They get little to none medical attention, theyre cut off from their families, theyre humiliated, intimidated, pushed around, sexually assaulted and all for nothing. Some are actually sent there mentally ill, known that they need help but instead are labeled disobidient and put into solitary confinement where they end up going crazy and turn depressed and eventually suicidal. I played this game, which really isnt a game at all called Homeland Guantanamo and they show the "untold story of immigration detainees in the U.S." I started playing the game thinking its was gonna be some little stupid gimmick put there by the government to show how wonderful of a job theyre doing but its nothing close to that. I dont even want to give in detail how the game is because its something you really have to experience for yourself. It tells the story of Boubacar Bah, 52-year-old tailor from Guinea who had overstayed his tourist visa, sustained a fall while in detention and fractured his skull. As a consequence he began to behave erratically, but he was thought to simply be "acting out" and was shackled to the floor. Moaning and vomiting, he was placed in solitary confinement, and although some staff members reported him foaming by the mouth and unresponsive nothing was done for 13 hours. At long last he was sent to the hospital and operated for multiple brain hemorrhages. Not surprisingly, it was too late and Bah died after spending four months in a coma. This is a story that was fortunately made public but there are so many similars ones that havent gotten a chance to be told. Its really one of those "let the dead speak" cases. When you finish playing the game they bring you to a memorial wall where the other 87 documented deaths of detainees are placed and there they let you put a comment of hope or something but as I looked there was some of the most IGNANT comments ever. Stuff like, "Its their fault for coming over here", "They should all die slowly, I hope those aliens burn in hell." Things along those lines and it amazed me to see that they would actually play the game, see whats happening and still be so damn closeminded and...I dont even know a good word for it, as wide as I though my vocabulary was there really isnt a good name for those kind off people, well at least not a good name I could call them without being cut eyes at by my teachers. Seriously though, we could be doing a whole lot better. If people were just more educated on stuff and werent so ignorant to the fact of what was going on we'd be better off. Thats really the problem. People are so dumb they go along with anything. Its a shame but this is something that can be changed. Open your eyes and look at whats happening in the world. I know we all like to make our little jokes about how we're the creator of our on little worlds but when you have to come back and face reality you realize that we're all in this together (oh no, highschool musical quote. So not intended) but yeah, all in this together and we gotta stop being so selffish and closeminded. I challenge everybody that reads this post to play the game and write a post on it. It might not seem like anything but just by you saying something about it, youre doing something about it. "The Secret" The way you think and the things you say change the universe. Its just the way the cosmos works. On Tuesday, January 20th we will have officially elected our first black president. One of the biggest changes. No reason for us to stop there. People have been saying that 2009 is the start of the end but it doesnt have to be. Things are finally just beginning.

-About America being crap, that was my angry comment. It seems like theres so much more bad in this counrty especially more than there is good but I do know fully well America really has some great qualities and we should all take time to explore them and build up on them to create an even better place)

(Homeland Guantanamo link:http://www.homelandgitmo.com/. I dare you.)
(Oh and I mentioned "The Secret" Also something you should look into. http://www.thesecret.tv/)

2 comments:

lahana said...

I'm so glad you took the effort to play the entire game and post such a thoughtful response. I totally agree with you about the comments placed on the memorial wall-- it was almost more shocking then the game itself! It's a fabulous idea to get your readers to play the game and post caring and intelligent thoughts up there. I know I'm going to do it.

Immigration is a tough issue. On the one hand, people should be able to live and work where they please. On the other, a country that lets anyone come and go would face many issues: should they get health care, unemployment, and be able to vote? Of course you want to say "yes", but try and imagine the problems this could lead to...

As far as America being "crap". I think I have a tendency to point out issues on Techbrarian that need to be changed-- and need voices like yours to make it happen. There are a lot of things being done right in our country and more to come...Just look at our school for example: while there are parts of it that need to be improved, it's pretty impressive that we offer students an internet cafe, music lessons, a beautiful library, gym equipment, and a high-end science lab coming in 2010, right?

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mini correction: misdemeanors

goldiemary said...

Countries are defined by imaginary made up lines. Really, does that make sense. Does it make sense to stigmatized and disrespect (and sometimes worse) people over a make believe line. As our recent economic downturn has proven, people come here for jobs. When there are no jobs, they are not so eager to come here. The problem is not the honest people who come here. The problem is the making of the companies and employers that take advantage of these workers. Anyway that's what I think.