What is a National Emergency and President Donald Trump advocates “Bringing out the military”

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was “bringing out the military” to cease people of Hispanic origin from crossing the southern border into the U.S. He wants to declare a state of national emergency and in my opinion, I do not agree with this. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the definition of national emergency is a “state of emergency resulting from a danger or threat of danger to a nation from foreign or domestic sources and usually declared to be in existence by a governmental authority.” He makes it seem like we are in immediate danger for allowing more people in this country that would not just like to better their own lives but as well as their families lives and I find this to be quite disturbing. This is disturbing due to the fact that he wants a ban for some countries but allows people from other countries to travel freely to and from the U.S. or give them a pass, so to speak.

Trump had earlier this week repeatedly said he had put the military on notice for such an action, but his comment Thursday seemed to have a backlash. Does he not know that his comments and phrases have public repercussions?  I mean, its fine to voice your own opinions but everyone should have to say in the matter of whether this would be the right thing to do for not just the American people but also for others from different countries.

A man holds a mask of Donald Trump during the Mexicans meet outside the United States Embassy to plan a welcoming and gather donations for the migrant caravan coming from Honduras on Oct. 23, 2018.

The president had stated a promise in a morning tweet that he made mentions of comments made by Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, on “Fox and Friends.” Judd, a recurrent guest on Fox News Channel, is the union representative for about 16,000 border patrol agents.

“Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council is right when he says on @foxandfriends that the Democrat inspired laws make it tough for us to stop people at the Border,” Trump tweeted.

Trump included, “MUST BE CHANDED, but I am bringing out the military for this National Emergency. They will be stopped!” he added, appearing to misspell “changed.” I feel like if you are going to state something that you feel strongly about such as illegal border crossing, please Trump make sure to proofread real quick or have someone in your office do it for you. I mean, Condoleezza Rice did the same for Bush when he was in office.

 A small group of Honduran migrants trying to cross the U.S. border walk along train tracks in Trancas Viejas, Veracruz state, on Oct. 24, 2018

Trump has tweeted often in recent days about illegal immigration and the migrant caravan traveling north through Mexico. In which, I think that there is nothing wrong with this, because whose elder relatives from another country was not shuttled here, either by boat, plane or bus to travel together to reach this already great country?

He had said on Wednesday night at a rally in Wisconsin that the U.S. would have a “very secure border” and that the “military are ready” to help in securing it. I have no idea if he will actually put the things he commented on into action but if he does we as a people of the United States definitely let him get that far and should not completely blame him.

To add on to his claim, on Monday, Trump had tweeted, without evidence, that, “Criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in” in the caravan and that he had “alerted Border Patrol and Military that” it was a national emergency.

Trump later admitted he had “no proof,” to support the claim:(

 

Sources:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/25/donald-trump-migrant-caravan-military-troops-mexico-border/1762704002/

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/18/trump-close-mexico-border-912278

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-send-active-duty-troops-border-logistical-support/story?id=58741906

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-says-he-s-bringing-out-military-secure-u-s-n924271

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-18/trump-vows-military-will-close-mexican-border-to-stop-migrants

You HAVE The Power

The audience for this blog post is social media users as well as students in this course. The goal of this post is to inform readers about the platforms that social media has been used to form.

Social media is a powerful tool for anyone and everyone to use. In my last blog, I discussed the importance of DACA and how social media has impacted DREAMERS as well as how they communicate and educate one another (as well as others) about DACA. Social media can be used to not only CREATE a movement but to also FURTHER a cause. For example, the #MeToo movement started with one woman, Tarana Burke. “Ms. Burke created Just Be Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps victims of sexual harassment and assault. She sought out the resources that she had not found readily available to her 10 years before and committed herself to being there for people who had been abused. And she gave her movement a name: Me Too” (1). And the rest is history. Although it did take Tarana’s Me Too movement to gain a lot of speed, it has helped millions of women not only share their stories comfortably but, unfortunately, find common ground with others as well. Black Lives Matter has also used countless hashtags to get their point across whether it be simply, #BlackLivesMatter or #HandsUpDontShoot or even just tweeting out the names of innocent people of color being killed in horrific ways by our police force to make sure that their names are remembered. The most recent hashtag that is being used is #NeverAgain and #EnoughIsEnough which started after the Parkland shooting to call for gun control. These are just a few social movements that I personally can think of that have made impacts maybe not the way that they intended but raised awareness and educated some people as well which is what Castells mentioned in his Networks of Outrage Prelude to Revolution. “Mobile phones and social networks on the Internet played a major role in spreading images and messages that mobilized people in providing a platform for debate, in calling for action, in coordinating and organizing the protests, and in relaying information and debate to the population at large” (p. 46).

Overall, if it’s important to you, speak out, or at least just listen and acknowledge others’ strides to speak out and make a change. It never hurts to listen.

[1] Me Too

DEFEND DACA

The audience for this blog post is my fellow students in this course as well as anyone in the general public who does not know what DACA is or what it does for those covered. The goal is this post is to educate and inform my audience about DACA as well as how important this piece of legislature is to these dreamers.

My heart goes out to all of those that have been and possibly will be impacted by this current administration. As both a U.S. citizen and a white female, I have not felt as severe of impacts as others have but that doesn’t mean that I don’t see what is going on. I understand that I have privilege as a white individual so I have tried my best to fight and stand with those who may not feel heard or understood.

One cause that I care deeply about and have already written a previous blog post about is DACA and Dreamers. In case some of you didn’t get a chance to read that post, DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and it was put into legislation in 2012. There are over 700,000 Dreamers in the U.S. ranging from ages from 16 to 35 (and all ages in between). DACA is a really important piece of legislature because it allowed for kids who were brought to the U.S. illegally before the age of 16, to be able to obtain a social security card (i.e. be able to apply for loans, get jobs, and much more), work permits, and a drivers license. Although some people may lead to you believe that it is easy to get all of this “free” stuff (as some would say), there is a long list of criteria that an individual has to match in order to become a DACA recipient. For example, they cannot have any driving tickets or bad run ins with the law.

There are many aspects to DACA that many people don’t understand. In order to keep “up to date” with it, an individual has to re-apply for it every two years so it only lasts for two years and if you miss that date, it can take a while to get back on DACA. Another serious aspect to this piece of legislation is that these individuals are also putting their family members at risk because many of these individuals do still live with their parents, who are predominately illegal, and the Dreamers have to put their home address on the forms of DACA so the government does know where they live and who their parents are as well. It’s a scary situation to be in but also part of a blessing in a way.

Although DACA does not provide a pathway to citizenship for these individuals, it allows them to do a lot more than what they had been able to do before it came about. Dreamers are able to go to college or do whatever they want to fulfill their dreams. I am still hoping that this act does not go away and is here for a while or possibly gets revised to allow for greater expansion to the act but it wouldn’t be fair to take this away from so many inspirational individuals.

Some who may be reading this post at this moment may not have truly heard about DACA before and realistically, everyone has to start somewhere when educating themselves on a certain matter or piece of legislation. As this blog post might be your way of educating yourself, others have done so over other forms of social media as well. Many DACA recipients have spread news about what is going on with DACA currently through social media and other platforms to inform themselves and others like them as well. Just as our textbook stated “your smartphone is all you need” (p. 305) and it is “an easy way to create valuable content that helps get the word out right away” (p. 306).

The DACA Population Numbers

Immigrants Detained by Local Law Enforcement

The public issue I would like to address is the detaining of illegal immigrants by local law enforcement. The immigration problem is more of a situation rather than an issue, the way most US citizens view our immigrants is disgusting. People have a strong feeling that these immigrants are stealing our jobs, and are promoting our crime rates. I see it to be very hypocritical that US citizens see our immigrants this way because most of our great-grandparents, grandparents, even parents aren’t originally from here. It appears that the US is okay with immigrants, but god forbid they are a couple of shades darker in their skin tone. This whole country was based on immigrants, so I am lost for words as to why the immigrants that we have coming now aren’t being socially accepted.

Yes, some of these immigrants might be up to no good, but so are everyday US citizens, there are going to be bad seeds on every surface of this planet, Immigrant does NOT equal criminal. These people work hard just like us, in some cases harder, and shouldn’t be transferred to federal immigration authorities due to minor crimes. Administer a punishment, but do not deport. These people have families, kids, and responsibilities that they need to take care of, one minor mistake shouldn’t dictate if they get to see their family ever again. If anything, this would be creating more damage than it being a productive tactic.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I feel that the people that are in favor of local law enforcement to be able to detain immigrants and transfer them to federal immigration authorities don’t quite have a good grasp as to how severe that consequence is, OR that they aren’t mindful as to how less fortunate people’s situations are on a day to day basis. I provided some results from isidewith.com to show you how the public views this issue. It grosses me out how many people are for this (more than half).
US Results:

MN Results:

Link for more detailed results: https://www.isidewith.com/poll/305682356

 

Buycott Chobani

While I was reading the Pezullo document about buycotts and boycotts, I started to wonder what products I had been supporting for the good. So I went to my fridge and looked around–it didn’t take long since my fridge looks like it belongs in a college dorm or a bachelor pad–and I pulled out the most common thing in my fridge: Chobani Greek Yogurt.

I dusted off my old friend the Buycott App (admittedly I haven’t used it for a while) and scanned the barcode. Low and behold, Chobani is on my buycott list as a company that I should support!

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A post shared by Kat (@plotsandparchment)

While I have generally trusted the buycott app for guidance, I have been burned a few times by misrepresented facts and stories. So I took to the Googlescape and did my research to see what was up with Chobani.

Buycott told me that I should support Chobani because they had somehow defended civil rights. So I wanted to verify that and get the whole story. And here it is:

Chobani’s founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, has taken heat and some bad press for supposedly making statements about wanting to, “Drown the United States in Muslims,” or for attempting to “import labor” or exploit refugees as cheap labor. What I found in researching the issue us that the once immigrant leader of Chobani seems to sincerely be trying to help refugees find work and make a home and a life here.

The U.S. has been up and down on refugee admissions over the years and the topic has long been a contentious debate amongst Americans. People worry about the security of letting refugees in, they worry about the cost and the supposed drain on the economy.

Chobani and other companies like them set out to give refugees gainful employment and make them a valuable addition to our economy. Giving them hope and opportunity. 

It seems to me that this sort of opportunity might dissuade would-be terrorists. If a refugee comes here and finds hope for a future, why would they attack? On the other hand, when they face hatred and mistrust, aren’t able to find work and support themselves … well, that seems like a breeding ground for anger and violence.

I just happened to be in Boise, Idaho, a few weeks ago, which is near the Chobani factory in Twin Falls, Idaho. While I was there I noted a concerning lack of diversity. So in a couple of instances, I asked, as politely as I could, “what’s up with that?” The citizens of Boise immediately, and proudly, defend their diversity by telling me they have accepted more refugees than New York City, or Los Angeles. I spent the whole time we were there wondering where the heck these refugees were. Now it seems I have found them, they are all in Twin Falls working for Chobani!

To be clear, I am sure they aren’t all in Twin Falls, and I know there are other factors of diversity in Boise, like the Basque community for example. But I just happened across this Chobani story so soon after my visit there that I found it timely and a bit amusing for the coincidence of it.

Do I look like an immigrant to you?

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A post shared by Sophia (@sophiamdst)

Being from an Asian background, I can definitely tell you that even I have gotten that “look” or your typical Asian stereotype questions asked to me. Even in my relationship, my fiancé is Caucasian (specifically Russian) and people assume that I am the immigrant when honestly, I am born and raised in the United States and he is the one who came from Russia. But that’s just the way it is and my fiancé and I don’t mind it at all. We understand that not everyone is culturally understanding of different diversities and we are rarely offended.

This isn’t the case for everyone though. Even in this world now, as a person of color, you are most likely judged and subjugated to a certain way of how people view you as in their personal experiences or views. I know I said that it doesn’t bother me, but one of the things that do bother me are articles like this, Metro Transit investigation of officer’s immigration query. It isn’t right to be asked about your immigration or citizen status just because of your accent, what you wear, or the color of your skin. No one should feel less of a person just because they are of a different race even if they were a citizen here or not. It’s sad that people these days don’t just support one another and must label and assume the worst in everyone. I have been asked many times if I am from here or not and about my citizenship status in the United States, I respectfully say “yes”. Even though I know that it doesn’t matter where I am from.  My friends whom are from various diversities experience this also and I just dislike the way immigrants, or not, are viewed as negative here when really, all should be welcome.

So, remember when you are asked by law enforcement or anyone who you feel uncomfortable talking to regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have the right to remain silent and that you have constitutional rights. In those moments, you may feel vulnerable but don’t forget to stay calm and that you have rights like everyone else. For more information, check out this website by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Thank you,
Sophia