Posts Tagged ‘Immigration’

Book Review: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

Posted in Academic Pursuits on 02/07/2011 12:37 am by Ronnica

Return to Sender is actually my second Julia Alvarez title, as I had read A Time for Butterflies a few months ago for book club. I wasn’t too happy with A Time with Butterflies as I don’t like it when authors make something historical fictional…I want to know what is factual and what was imagined! I’m glad I didn’t allow that to keep me from listening to this book!

Return to Sender is the story of two preteens in Vermont, Tyler and Mari, who are thrown together in less-than-ideal circumstances. Tyler’s father has had an accident, and is no longer able to do to the hard physical labor that being a dairy farmer requires. The rest of the family isn’t able to keep up with the work, so the only options they have is to hire help or lose the farm.

Mari’s father and 2 uncles are the help that is hired.  They need any job they can get and are happy to help, given their background in farming in Mexico. Unforunately, Mari’s mother has been separated from their family, missing for 8 months since she visited her mother in Mexico. Mari and her family have no idea where she is or how to contact her, and are understandably worried as they know that she should have been back by now.

Return to Sender tells the story from the point of view of Tyler, with Mari’s letters and journal entries thrown in. I love how it shows a bit of what it’d be like to be on both sides of the issue of illegal immigration.

This is a great book to read with your middle schooler as a conversation starter on this topic, regardless of where you stand on the issue. It’s great strength–beyond being simply well-written–is that it puts human faces and emotions to a political discussion which so often become a screaming match.

Disclosure: I did receive a free audiobook of this title for review for AudioFile magazine, but no compensation for this review. I liked it so much that I wanted to offer a review of it on my blog as well!

Random Thoughts on the Republican Debate

Posted in Politics on 01/05/2008 10:49 pm by Ronnica

I’m sorry if I’m talking politics too much for your taste. It’s just that I don’t have anyone around here to talk to about this (Dana and I can get into some great political discussions, but she’s too far away).

Tonight’s debate is the first one I’ve seen, since it was the first I was able to see. I feel fairly knowledgeable about the candidate’s positions, but it was good to hear them and see their body language as they assert their opinions.
The following are just a few of the observations I jotted down during the debate (I started watching about 7:45, so I missed anything/everything before that). They are merely thoughts that came through my head, and of course are biased like all opinions are. So:
Why couldn’t they have shown names on screen of the debaters as they were speaking? If you popped in midway, you might not know who they all were. I didn’t recognize Ron Paul at first, until I heard the rhetoric coming out of his mouth.
Ron Paul on health care…wow. I believe the question was about health care, not about inflation and the war. His angry tone was a big turn off.
I don’t agree with Rudy Guiliani that reading/writing/speaking English should be required for citizenship (though I do believe that is the way it is now). English is NOT an official language, and until there is a law passed to say it is, I will continue to cringe when people say everyone must speak it. Sure, it would be beneficial, but it’s their choice.
Mitt Romney really has a great voice (but maybe not as great as Huckabee’s). I just wish that the things coming out were equally beautiful.
Who picked the background? It was awful, and definitely wasn’t flattering to the candidates. At least Huckabee had some blue behind him, because the red was worse.
Romney sure seemed to hog the spotlight. I guess he had the right, since most of the others’ barbs were pointed at him.
Romney, what exactly is your immigration plan? I only heard you fight the others, so I know what your plan is NOT. So what IS it?
Rudy Giuliani confused me. First he said that Ronald Reagan did amnesty, then he went to describe that amnesty using the exact same features of his own plan, which he doesn’t consider amnesty. Did he just confuse me, or is he the one confused?
I now understand why Fred Thompson is perceived as lazy. He used a lot of “uh’s” and “umm’s” (can’t fault the guy, I do too) and leaned back in his chair A LOT. He did have a lovely purple tie, though.
I need to research the national ID thing some more. What’s so wrong with it (as Paul suggests)? Right now, I’d support it if it was implemented correctly.
I liked the question about what the candidate would say if they were against Obama. I especially liked Huckabee’s answer stressing the similarities and not the differences!
What did John McCain mean by agreeing that Romney was the candidate of change? Oh my, I feel stupid, I just realized what he meant as I typed that. Haha, that’s funny. Too bad nobody in the audience laughed.
Romney doesn’t want the debate to be personal? What does he consider all his attack ads on the others?
Romney, why did you turn your chair away from him when McCain was criticizing you? That appeared cowardly and juvenile.
Huckabee, you won my heart again by saying that most issues should be left to the states!
Paul, I did like your joke about you and Obama having youthfulness in common. Too bad you hadn’t acted like a old man set in his ways earlier.
Thompson, you clearly aren’t bothered by the oil company profits. The question barely registered a response at first.
Audience, I really felt sorry for you that you had to clap the entire time the Republicans and the Democrats were greeting one another. Why couldn’t we have heard what they were saying? That would have been cool.
So, what did you think? Do you think I made a fair assessment? Who do you think won? I would have to say either Huckabee or McCain.

For Illegal Immigration?

Posted in Politics on 05/18/2007 09:44 am by Ronnica

On my near-hour commutes to and from the office, I like to listen to talk radio. I don’t feel compelled to agree with the talk show hosts (usually locals Brad and Britt in the morning and Sean Hannity in the evenings), but enjoy hearing opinions that may or may not mesh with my own. The latest hot topic has been immigration. This is a topic that I struggle to come to an actual opinion on, because there are two competing desires within me.

The problem I have with the majority of anti-immigration advocates is that there are often strong nationalist, xenophobic, and ethnocentric underpinnings to this stance. Yes, there are legitimate concerns with national security and law enforcement that come in to play, but all too often I hear people complaining about the increasing cultural diversity as if America has always been static and English is the only language that should be spoken in a civilized country.

As a Christian, I worship a God that is calling all peoples to Himself. America is not the new Israel, a nation chosen by God in some special way. Yes, God has blessed America, and I am incredibly thankful to have been born here. However, my citizenship is ultimately in heaven and that is where my true allegiance lies. This influences how I view American foreign policy.

I’m excited to live in a place where the nations are coming to us. The American church has the blessing of being able to reach out to individuals who come from places where they would never have heard the Gospel. I never want to be a part of a local church that does not welcome “outsiders” whether openly or by simply by ignoring them.

I generally agree with the ideas I’ve heard about the latest immigration bill, but I’m not willing to support it outright without knowing the details. While I don’t like the fact that there is a huge number of immigrants who have entered our country by breaking the laws, I’m not going to push them out. They are no more or less important than anyone else.

The issue of immigration is where my love of rule-following and my love of all people come at odds with each other, but I’m okay with that. I know which one will come out on top.