Crossing borders

One topic that has sparked my interests lately more than I thought it ever would is the United States-Mexico border, in terms of illegal immigration as well as identity. I used to be very adamant about my view; it seems like a cut and dry topic. If you are born in Mexico (or Canada, Greece, any country for that matter), you are not a U.S. citizen and thus, do not deserve to enter the country we fund. End of story. That should be ethical, right? But it's not.

When I think about the issue, I see it as one of induced self-esteem of Americans for monetary and economic purposes. Even if it is better to not overpopulate our country, the U.S. feels a sense of power and torture over immigrants such as Mexicans. In the long run, it is not just a problem of our country's size and money, it's about our egos, selfishness and disrespect toward other cultures. There are huge race and generation fault lines present through our biases toward immigrants. Thus, I came to the conclusion that is is the norm in American culture to uphold a sense of empowerment against a group of individuals when really, the ethical thing to do would be to stop torturing them and look out for the best interests of a group.

For example, when a Mexican who was born in the U.S. is crossing the border, it is the norm to be incredibly tough while letting him over. Checking multiple forms of identification (I personally had to show two IDs when I crossed the border and I am a blonde, Greek-American girl), questioning and evil stares are typical. The employees, regardless of who they are at home or outside of their job, exert this unnecessary power that shows that they are better because they have all say as to who enters the country. But what else makes them any better than us? NOTHING.

While not quite as extreme examples, there are small things that happen on life's daily basis, as well as laws, that prove this unnecessary exertion of power. Last week, I spent an hour and a half waiting to pick up my MU basketball tickets outside Mizzou Arena. About 500 students waited outside in the cold, and in these experiences last year, people were getting frostbitten. But the arena employees won't just open the door and let you sit in the heated building while you wait for your tickets. Or let you in to use the bathroom. That door does not open a minute too early; it's firsthand torture. Would it be unethical to unlock the door and let people inside for their health's sake as they wait? Apparently so.

There's a different type of torture by the law like when I am right outside of a popular Columbia bar "canning" for Relay, but can't walk into the bar because of one number that adds to my identity--my age. While this is a different type of example and I do believe the drinking age should be 21, it's the premise of the fact that one 'bouncer' is holding me back from stepping foot on that territory when in reality, who is he to be in that position? Another individual empowering others of equal, lesser or even greater value than himself.

Ilyse, Jackie and I outside of Harpo's collecting money for Relay.

We fundraised over $500 that night!

As a strict person, I'm saying that America needs to tone down its relationships with its rules and evaluate whether the rules are upheld for ethical or empowering reasons. If I were the Mizzou Arena employee who watched someone outside go to the hospital for frostbite, would I feel good about myself? The bartender that watched someone go away in an ambulance outside because they weren't allowed in a bar to use the bathroom? Watched the immigrant that was shot because he or she wasn't allowed across the border when in reality, met all standards? Think about it.