Crossing the border

[JJ]

In the Twin Cities it's pretty obvious to see that the Latino population has grown enormous since the late 90's. But is the risk of crossing the border worth it? Horrific things can happen when trying to cross border...I'll get back to this...

[2cent]

just to add something to this, 2 weeks ago the government passed a law in Arizona thats says anyone in the state may shoot trespassers coming from the border. and if their dorr is locked and someone comes into their home they can also be killed legally. :?: :!: :?: :!: :?:

and with the ban on assault weapons expired, i see some problems in the future.

[bkatz]

right before i read your proposal i ran across the name anne winkler. i don't know her but it looks like she is teaching a class on this at the U of M in May. I thought she might have some info. I'll paste some info below

CHIC 3900 Topics in Chicano Studies
Bookstore | Section Status
(max crs 6; 2 repeats allowed; A-F only, unless otherwise noted)

88855 -001 LEC , 1010 A.M. - 0215 P.M. , M,Tu,W,Th (05/23/2005 - 06/10/2005) , ScottH 4 , TCEASTBANK , Winkler,Anne , 3 credits , Crossing the Border Depictions in mainstream and alternative media; 1920 to present Since World War I, people have crossed into the United States from Mexico the Caribbean and Central America for many reasons. For the last 85 years, crossing the border, whether across the Rio grande or across the Florida straits- meant leaving the "third world" or "global south" and entering the land of the world's largest super power. In this class we will discuss the conditions motivating border crossings from different parts of the Caribbean region at different historical periods, and compare them to popular perceptions of this experience. We will look at how crossing the border has been portrayed in films, mainstream and alternative newspapers, autobiographies and other popular media and alternative sources.
Seats Open 23 of 25 seats open

e-mail winkl002@umn.edu

[JJ]

I bring this up because its something my extended family members still go through. I recently had 9 members cross the border. 4 of them were children under the age of 12. The road they cross is like so many others and the dangers are crucial. I wonder what, even as my family, what is it that they come from that makes it worth the risk....My great grandfather was the first to migrate to the US he was contracted to work. He worked for the train station constructing the tracks. My grandmother was born here in the US(Billings, Montana) and raised in Minneapolis MN. In her teens she went to Mexico to visit family and fell in love with my grandpa. She lived there until her adulthood when she then separated and came back to MN. My mother automatically was able to get her citizenship as for my father well not that automatically. He soon enough got it marrying my mom. But even after he had citizenship he to has his story of being deported. However, I still ask my parents why they decided to come. What is so cool 8) that they wanted to come. (don't get me wrong I understand the gov't freedoms I/we have Many times I wish I lived in Mexico life seems a lot easier, well I can't say that either but do you get what I am trying to say...it's just more natural...I get many answers from my parents but I guess I may never truly understand ..But beside the point, sorry about all that my thoughts roll around faster than I can type :roll:
...not sure if people understand the risks but before this journey begins people have to save money because many need the help of a coyote...the obvious is that they do not have money thus, is why they want to cross or a least one of the major reasons along with unjustice treatments from the gov't. Paying for a coyote doesn't mean you make it across.What is a coyote? Persons who for a fee, assist individuals wishing to enter the US without legal authorization to do so. The people that help them cross, their guides in other words.The term coyote is used because the migrants are considered chickens), the pay range is 1000 -2000 each person. Among , the risk of not actually crossing because either they get caught by US border patrol, get robbed, they get separated from coyote, get lost, is they may die and sometimes their bodies are never found. I want to continue this but in the mean time check these out...


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...Id=3870941
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...Id=3872614[/b]

[JJ]

Death on the border


http://regulus.azstarnet.com/borderdeath...&year=2003


http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/28001

[JJ]

When it hits home, nothing else matters. The whole things just doesn't seem human all together. Literally going into the night to get to "freedom". And others literally out trying to stop you, prevent you from it. And the worst , another human treating another human as if they were not. It hit home today, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a aunt, may she rest in peace...


ironic how this seneiro was in the making long ago even documented here on the Liberator...

[brianold]

Brian has still been asking about this story idea. He's down in Arizona teaching. Are u still interested in writing it?

[brianold]

cnn ran a special on this just this past weekend. anderson cooper was down in texas. did you see it?