Sign up for a free recipe e-book →

Clarissa's Blog

I’m for Naturalization

Published by

Clarissa

on

And just one more tiny little question on DACA. I’m seeing an enormous number of “I support DACA!” slogans on Twitter, Facebook and everywhere else. It’s an explosion, there are so many of them. I’m sure everybody who posted them is good, well-meaning person who genuinely doesn’t want anybody to suffer or get deported.

But here is what I need to understand. Why are there no posters saying, “I don’t support DACA, I support naturalization”, or “Keep DACA and make it a first step towards citizenship!”, or “DACA today, citizenship tomorrow!”, or “Dreamers should be citizens!” I put it up on my FB and got no support except from 3 people I know in person and know I can always count on. 

Tweets and FB posts don’t directly participate in the political process. You don’t have to be cautious and modest in your expectations. Dream big, say what you actually want. And that’s precisely what everybody is doing on every issue. Every issue, including this one. 

I think the most important thing right now is to take a tiny little break from “Trump is bad and I’m virtuous” and take an honest look at what’s happening.

8 responses to “I’m for Naturalization”

  1. Shakti Avatar
    Shakti

    But here is what I need to understand. Why are there no posters saying, “I don’t support DACA, I support naturalization”, or “Keep DACA and make it a first step towards citizenship!”, or “DACA today, citizenship tomorrow!”, or “Dreamers should be citizens!” I put it up on my FB and got no support except from 3 people I know in person and know I can always count on.

    Because most people think DACA is a step towards naturalization or permanent residency.

    Like

    Reply
    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Somehow, when it’s time to post photos of pizza, nobody says “I support bringing this slice a step closer to your mouth.” It’s always “go for it! Have more than one!”

      Like

      Reply
      1. Shakti Avatar
        Shakti

        Ha! Although if you asked me two days ago what DACA did, I would’ve said it lead to permanent residency somehow. If someone like me thought that, imagine what more uninformed people think this program does.
        Throw in resentment and you have people claiming Obamacare is responsible for illegal immigrants getting emergency treatment in the ER (it’s not, “blame” Reagan for EMTALA) or that expelling children will somehow result in dual citizenship.

        Or you know, people aren’t advanced Overton Window enthusiasts. :/

        Like

        Reply
  2. cliff arroyo Avatar
    cliff arroyo

    Applying Mirowski to this situation (maybe a little too theoretical for something you feel strongly about but it still might be instructive).

    DACA is a mid-term neoliberal solution (like cap and trade and obamacare*) that is not meant to ‘work’ but is just meant to buy time until entrepreneurs can create a market solution.

    My guess is that this will ultimately involve requiring dreamers to ‘buy in’ to citizenship or others to ‘sponsor’ their citizenship, for sure citizenship will be (even more) marketized by the time it is resolved.

    Like

    Reply
    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      I think it’s worse than that. They’ll be kept hanging and their ranks will swell to form a symbolic cushion for everybody else. DACA is the equivalent of “Build that wall” for lefties. It’s driven by the same fear of fluidity but DACA masquerades as virtuous and humane because that’s the leftie hallmark. I’ll exploit the hell out of you but only because I care so much.

      For as long as there is a permanent underclass, one can feel better about one’s own situation. This underclass will be manufactured at any cost.

      Like

      Reply
      1. Clarissa Avatar
        Clarissa

        As for citizenship for pay, let’s be honest, we are already halfway there. For N and me, the direct cash outlay has been over $10,000 already. And that’s not counting what my school and his job paid for the whole thing. And if we start with the initial student visas for both of us that our schools paid for, it goes up from there. Then there were the airplane tickets I had to buy because DHS made me leave and come back as part of the legal process. And then we can add the two years N wasn’t allowed to work and had to pay for that and for medical expenses out of pocket. So it’s a pricey asset as it is. Which is OK, I get it but it’s definitely not free.

        Like

        Reply
        1. cliff arroyo Avatar
          cliff arroyo

          “As for citizenship for pay, let’s be honest, we are already halfway there”

          Crazy theory time: DACA is a medium term solution not meant to help those caught in a particular situation but ultimately to introduce the idea of de facto paid citizenship for everybody….

          Like

          Reply
  3. Fie upon this quiet Avatar
    Fie upon this quiet

    I think most people’s support of DACA is like mine — woefully naive. That’s why I read your blog: to get a better understanding of such things. I do support naturalization. I thought that DACA was a way to get that, but it appears I was wrong.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

A conservative literary critic and college professor

Recent posts