The New Pilgrims
While we are on the subject of being thankful, it's worth including thankfulness for being born a U.S. citizen, even though sometimes I may express discontent with our policies abroad. Certainly, those who are not born U.S. citizens must often complete a dangerous journey to reach American soil.
The Mexican consulate still archives the notorious official pamphlet, Guide for the Mexican Migrant, that acknowledges the dangers of unscrupulous coyotes, drowning, dehydration, and suffocation for those making the voyage. It's hard to believe that this little book caused so much consternation among U.S. lawmakers and pundits, given its scoutmaster-style prose and emphasis on law-abiding behavior, as non-Spanish-speakers can see in this translation of the text on an anti-immigration website.
1.5 million copies of the handbook were distributed in paper form. Now the Mexican government has a neutral "for more information" page that directs visitors to the proper consular authorities.
Labels: government websites
posted by Liz Losh at 8:54 AM
2 Comments:
I checked out the booklet and was also struck by the traditional, "scout" character of the graphics. Isn't this what Scouting was supposed to train people for -- real-life situations of deprivation and crisis?
In relation to the archaeology of scouting: I am struck by how familiar institutions (be it a social group like the scouts or holidays) often have strange and distinctive points of origins that get sloughed off by the sheer pressures of adaptation to new climate and transmission to new generations. Remembering these origins can be revelatory, calling our attention to certain traits or quirks in the contemporary avatar.
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