Martinez is a Mexican-American who writes about the current national debate into immigration using the las posadas of Mexican tradition as a metaphor for those North Americans who “turn away” from their sense of humanity. As President Bush advocated the “guest worker” legislation over the Christmas period Martinez cleverly chose a parable that has deep meanings for both North Americans and Mexicans – the narrative of Mary and Joseph seeking refuge and being turned away on the night of Christ’s birth. The choice of parable is apt given the season and that both nations embrace Christianity as part of its social philosophy. A core principle of Christianity is compassion and being there for others.
Similarly to the experiences of Mary and Joseph so long ago, illegal immigrants in the USA are stereotyped as potential “thieves” and socially excluded from the mainstream community. Like many immigrants from Mexico, Mary and Joseph’s story has many present day parallels; not being welcomed by the wider community because of their poverty status (immigrants tend to live in rural areas or on the fringe of townships; Mary and Joseph were not able to find lodging in the town of Bethlehem); sub-standard housing (many immigrants are transient farmers living in make-shift shelters, vans or decrepit housing; Mary and Joseph were relocated to a stable); and poor sanitation and over-crowding (the norm for immigrants is to have extended family groups living together and western houses are not built for families beyond the norm of four to five; Mary and Joseph shared their accommodation with a myriad of barnyard animals).
Martinez also points to the irony of North Americans, most immigrants themselves (i.e., at least those not of Native American heritage) have such hostility toward immigrants. It is self-evident from historical records that North Americans have had a “contradictory relationship” with immigrants which have been ongoing since the colonial days. The USA may promote itself to be the “land of immigrants” with the Statue of Liberty as a shining reminder of what the rhetoric of residency means.
However, citizens continue, in general, to view social others from other nations seeking to immigrate as “them”. There is a dichotomy of social thought that promotes “liberty” (freedom, human rights, community relationships, family safety and personal achievement) on the one hand, and ethnic stereotyping, marginalization, social exclusion, social exploitation in the form of sweatshops and menial work, and media portrayals that are simplistic and aggressive. In the words of Martinez, “We are immigrants who despise immigrants”. It appears to Martinez that the concept of “erasing borders” (opening a door to a stranger) is one that most North Americans want to distance themselves from; which is demonstrated in an attitude that is inhospitable toward illegal immigrants.
Martinez use of the parable urges North Americans opposing equal opportunities and resources for illegal immigrants to consider their moral stance on “hospitality” and their conceptualization of reciprocity. Instead of interpreting the influx of immigrants as being “”thieves” intent on taking from us and giving nothing in return” (p. 1) to find one’s sense of humanity and aid those on their journey toward “a better life” (p. 2).
Ultimately, Martinez questions the logic of decisions such as that of voters in Arizona in November of 2007 who chose to deny public benefits to illegal immigrants when they passed Proposition 200. Basically, Martinez suggests that the North American public drop their paranoiac stance toward immigrants and see their presence as part of a “journey” which involves all people encountered through travels. The hand that is helped today may be the hand that is held out to one in time of need tomorrow.
I think Martinez is quite clever to identify the socio-cultural link to North American psyche by highlighting the analogy of Mary and Joseph’s experiences that night in Bethlehem with the current political debate on immigration which was occurring over the Christmas period. That’s serendipity. He delivers deep insight into the meaning of what it is to be human. Moreover, Martinez asks each North American to consider their moral duty in providing welfare and protection (hospitality) to those in need. The use of parables has been used since times of early civilizations to provide humans with guidelines as to how to live their lives.
We are social beings and as such reciprocity is essential to our existence. Humans survive because we help one another. Survival of the fittest is about social group strength, not individualistic goals grounded in competition. Instead, those of us in positions of power and advantage could look to the true purpose behind illegal immigrant migration into the USA; by what criteria do immigrants define “a better life”?
Personally, I find it highly unlikely that families living in poverty would, en masse, consider immigration from their home to another nation simply to steal and take what they can. Mexican illegal immigrants tend to be farmers and travel along the East Coast and Central territories. Farmers tend to be hard workers, particularly when there is a large family that must be fed and housed and kept in hiding from immigration officials.
People who are living a substance lifestyle are unlikely to take risks that expose them to the authorities and jeopardize the family’s ability to look after one another. More research into the perceptions and attitudes of immigrants would educate the general public as to immigrants’ dreams, aspirations, expectations and concepts of what they have to give and why they wish to make the USA their home. Instead, it appears that North America finds it easier to adopt a “blame the victim” mentality. Using immigrants as the scapegoat for poor employment rates and declining social values constrains the ability for those in power to harness new perspectives on meaning making, and subsequent onward movement of society as a whole.