Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston (also creator of the polygraph, which I didn't know), and first appeared in DC comics is 1941. Wonder Woman, aka Princess Diana, aka Diana Prince, is from Paradise Island, Home of the Mythic Amazons. Wonder Woman arrived on the shores of the United States to escort home crashed air force pilot Steve Trever, but stayed under an assumed named which she purchased illegally.
Both of these characters are what the government in the US and Canada would describe as "illegal immigrants" or possibly "terrorists," but these characters are held up as the model of patriotism, even their costumes sport the colours one would associate with Patriotism, red and blue for superman, and red white and blue, with stars for Wonder Woman.
So why than has the real world experiences of immigrants been the opposite? In Arizona a law passed in 2010 can now be enforced, the ruling was handed down in September 2012, the law gives the police the right to question people on their immigration status and to provide documentation as proof. Opponents of the ruling suggest racial profiling is a major part of enforcement of the law, while proponents say that racial profiling will not be an issue. I find it highly suspect that people will not be racially profiled, as Arizona sits on the boarder with Mexico I would suspect anyone of a racialized group to be the major targets of this law, I doubt many, if any, European immigrants, legal or otherwise, have anything to fear from this law.
Canada, as well as the US, has thriving migrant worker programs designed to give corporations cheap labour from temporary workers, in Canada the SAWP (seasonal agricultural worker program) brought in a reported 24122 workers in 2011. This is just one of several programs that bring in foreign workers, these workers suffer many injustices and disadvantages under these systems and programs, many are outlined here, but include such things as underpayment, both involving receive pay below that of minimum wage and not being compensated for any overtime hours worked, and lack of access to adequate health care or able to apply for permanent residence.
For those lucky enough, or skilled enough to meet requirements for admission into Canada as skilled workers face another challenge when looking for work, many opportunities for employment do not recognize foreign held credentials or want Canadian experience. It seems the system is either set up for exploitation or for failure. Immigration reform is necessary or we may see many more people following in the footsteps of Superman or Wonder Woman, if they come at all.
Both of these characters are what the government in the US and Canada would describe as "illegal immigrants" or possibly "terrorists," but these characters are held up as the model of patriotism, even their costumes sport the colours one would associate with Patriotism, red and blue for superman, and red white and blue, with stars for Wonder Woman.So why than has the real world experiences of immigrants been the opposite? In Arizona a law passed in 2010 can now be enforced, the ruling was handed down in September 2012, the law gives the police the right to question people on their immigration status and to provide documentation as proof. Opponents of the ruling suggest racial profiling is a major part of enforcement of the law, while proponents say that racial profiling will not be an issue. I find it highly suspect that people will not be racially profiled, as Arizona sits on the boarder with Mexico I would suspect anyone of a racialized group to be the major targets of this law, I doubt many, if any, European immigrants, legal or otherwise, have anything to fear from this law.Canada, as well as the US, has thriving migrant worker programs designed to give corporations cheap labour from temporary workers, in Canada the SAWP (seasonal agricultural worker program) brought in a reported 24122 workers in 2011. This is just one of several programs that bring in foreign workers, these workers suffer many injustices and disadvantages under these systems and programs, many are outlined here, but include such things as underpayment, both involving receive pay below that of minimum wage and not being compensated for any overtime hours worked, and lack of access to adequate health care or able to apply for permanent residence.
For those lucky enough, or skilled enough to meet requirements for admission into Canada as skilled workers face another challenge when looking for work, many opportunities for employment do not recognize foreign held credentials or want Canadian experience. It seems the system is either set up for exploitation or for failure. Immigration reform is necessary or we may see many more people following in the footsteps of Superman or Wonder Woman, if they come at all.
My Dad is from England and moved over to Canada in 1974. He's been a Canadian citizen since then. A couple years ago he went through trouble with enforcement about his citizenship. In 2003, my father's sister was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumors and was given three weeks to live, so my Dad packed a back pack that day and booked the first flight flying from Halifax to Heathrow. He stayed in England for a week and his flight home stopped off in Newfoundland. My Dad was pulled off of his flight and held in custody for 24 hours, suspected as a terrorist and/or illegal immigrant. My Dad had to contact both of his ex-wives in Canada to fax the airport documentation that proves he's been a Canadian citizen since the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteMy father had been flying with his British passport because he has dual citizenship and his Canadian passport had expired before his emergency trip home. If it wasn't for my mother and his ex-wife being home at the time, my Dad would've been flown back to England and held in police custody.
My father was lucky that he didn't have to deal with being an illegal immigrant who was hired in Canada for cheap labour. As you point out Europeans may not have to fear being racially profiled. However, since 9/11, airport security are much more protective and will take anybody of any race suspect of terrorism.