Joseph Samet MDP
I have been watching the news coverage over the last two weeks, as the debate around federal immigration law has unfolded; and I can't shake this odd sense of déjà vu. Think, think, think, where have I seen this before?
The History Channel? No, that's not it. Something I read in civics class? No, that's not it either. But where then? Then it hit me, The Simpsons!
Yes that's right, the Republican Party's current anti-immigration stance is oddly reminiscent of an episode of a Simpson's aptly titled “Much Apu About Nothing.”
The Simpson's Episode was originally written to parody the real life 1994 bill known as “proposition 187 “ Benjamin J. Robinson remarks, "Proposition 187 was one of the most divisive issues on the 1994 California ballot. Essentially, it sought to deny government services -- such as education, and medical aid -- to people who had entered this country illegally. Backers of the new law said that it would stop the drain of public money by people who weren't even supposed to be in the country in the first place. Opponents argued that this proposition unfairly punished people who were quietly trying to make a better life in America , and would not be of much benefit to the public treasury, either. Since most immigrants -- legal and otherwise – in California were of Hispanic or Latino descent, some Prop. 187 opponents saw the law as racially motivated."
(1)
The episode itself was hysterical. The parody regarding proposition 187 was hidden under layers of absurdity in typical Simpsons' style. The basic plot was as follows: A bear wandered down from the mountains and scared the community. The citizens went to City Hall demanding answers. The mayor promised results, and a 24-hour bear patrol commenced, complete with Stealth fighters and armored vehicles. All was well in Springfield until the citizens got their next paycheck and noticed there was a substantial “bear tax.” The citizens formed an angry mob and headed back to the mayor's office demanding justice. What followed has always been one of my favorite moments in all of television.
The mob is back, yelling "Down with taxes! Down with taxes!"
Quimby: Are those morons getting dumber or just louder?
Assistant: [ checks his clipboard ] Dumber, sir.
Quimby: "They want the bear patrol but they won't pay taxes for it." Quimby thinks of a novel solution. He announces that taxes are high because of illegal immigrants and that they should be disposed of.
Moe Szyslak: Immigrants! I knew it was them! Even when it was the bears, I knew it was them.(2)
Back to present day 2006. We are fighting a war in Iraq that has cost billions of dollars to keep the imaginary bears or “terrorists” out of the American heartland. It's an unpopular war which we will be paying for generations to come. Not to mention the fact that the “bear” might not have ever been in Iraq at all? The deficit is climbing every day. Some economists feel the real burden will be felt most by our children's children. The Republicans are keenly aware that the upcoming midterm elections are not going to go well for them so there is only one thing left to do ………..
Our very own version of Mayor Quimby, President Bush, has the perfect solution to keep the Republicans from getting slaughtered in November…. (drumroll)… “illegal immigrants.”
I don't know what will happen. In The Simpsons episode, all of the "foreign characters" were rounded up and almost deported. As often happens on TV, rational thinking prevailed in the end and the illegal immigrants were allowed to stay. I don't know if that will happen in real life but at least we now know where the Republican strategy or “strategery” comes from.
(1), (2) Foot note http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F20.html
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