America: A nation addicted to immigration

America: A nation addicted to immigration

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As far as topics of conversation go, immigration in America has had a dramatic few weeks; first, President Obama granted leniency to young illegal immigrants living in the United States.; next, the Supreme Court struck down much of Arizona’s immigration legislation.

All of this has led some to feel that as a nation, we’re more than a little obsessed with the issue. “There are many people with addictions,” performer Ricardo Gamboa argued at The Paper Machete. “They will tell you that eerily resonant with internet definitions, this country seems addicted to crack. Immigrant crack. But be careful, because, you know, as they say, eventually, ‘crack kills.‘” Read an excerpt below or listen above:

This decade has seen Black become the new President. Likewise, it has seen immigrants become the new crack. Yes. Immigrants are crack. Si, es cierto. And, America is a fiend for crack—Immigrant crack. Unlike the little white rocks hustled in the hood, that have torn apart communities of color; immigrant crack can be identified as the millions of brown bodies, almost always under 5 feet 9 inches, of Latino—well, really Mexican—immigrants with which the word “immigrant” has become synonymous and that sustain this country. With immigrants’ omnipresence, it is totes obvi —short for totally obvious — America is addicted to crack. Immigrant crack.  

Indeed, immigrants are everywhere: Immigrants in newspapers and on television, immigrants in backyards and in kitchens, immigrants in protests and on Major League baseball teams, immigrants hitting piñatas, getting deported, picking grapes, and driving low-riders. Immigrants selling strange fruit from carts, making tacos and sushi rolls. Immigrants working at Wal-mart and buying immigrant things at Salvation Army. It’s no surprise that Barack made headlines when he announced that he’ll kind of be legalizing crack. Immigrant crack.

The Paper Machete is a weekly live magazine at the Horseshoe in North Center. It’s always at 3 p.m., it’s always on Saturday, and it’s always free. Get all your The Paper Machete Radio Magazine needs filled here, or download the podcast from iTunes here.