A Killing in a Town Where Latinos Sense Hate

Marcelo Lucero is a 37 year-old immigrant from a poor village in Ecuador who has lived in the United States for 16 years was fatally stabbed to death by Jeffrey Conroy, a 17 year-old white supremacist. This article displayed a true sense of racism and hatred towards immigrants and the minority. The article states that Conroy and his six friends were out drinking one night when they declared that they were going to attack an innocent ‘Mexican’. Tragically for Mr. Lucero, he was the first Mexican they stumbled upon. The boys circled around Mr. Lucero and started to throw punches and kicks at him. Obviously Mr. Lucero was helpless in his defence as he was largely outnumbered by these teens. The beating did not kill Marcelo rather it was a fatal stab wound to his chest by Jeff which tragically ended his life because of his Hispanic appearance. This was obviously a hate crime which makes matters even worse. It brings me to ask two questions. What possesses a 17 year-old to do such a brutal crime and where did he learn to hate immigrants so much? There are quite a few answers to this question, but here are the main answers. One, he learned these poor values from either his family or friends or two, he learned them from this society and past issues regarding race. This article shows that racial values are still not being properly learned by today’s youth. I found this article both depressing and absolutely disgusting by the acts of this horrifying crime. While this is not the first time that this kind of incident has happened, I believe that this attack on Mr. Lucero provides not only a reflection of widespread anti-Latino sentiments but also a widespread of racial intolerance and hatred towards the minority. This article not only shows the continuing problems of racism and anti-immigrant views, but it also shows how little progress has been made in this heated conflict.


Article by: Kirk Semple
New York Times
November 14, 2008
Section A24

Mayor Mark D. Boughton of Danbury Connecticut at Wabash College

Mayer Mark D. Boughton of Danbury, Connecticut came to Wabash College on November 17th to talk about immigration. He mentioned that Danbury has 49 different languages that are spoken throughout the city. Surprisingly Danbury has the largest concentration of Shiite Muslims and Brazilians in the United States. This is because of the job opportunities Danbury offers.
He also said that 60% of immigrants over stay their visas because they do not want to go back to their home countries because America has so many opportunities. The majority of these immigrants are working low wage jobs so they are unable to own houses by themselves. One of the major problems in the city is over crowding of houses. Sometimes there will be six to eight people living in a 2 person house. Schools are pressured because so many of the students speak very broken English. Medical institutes are also under great pressure because most of the immigrants do not have insurance to pay their medical expenses. They do not go to a family doctor regularly so they use hospitals ER unit to treat their injuries or illnesses; which increases other patients bills because they have to pay for the immigrants who do not pay.
Danbury does not have the man power to round up all of the illegal immigrants that are living in the city. The only way they can find them is when they are pulled over by the police, everyone is scanned into a federal database and if they come up as illegal then they are detained. But for the most part they are released the next day because they post bail.
Another big problem Danbury has is volleyball games played by Ecuadorians. These Ecuadorians gather at people’s houses and there will be 200-300 people in a house that is designed for 4 people and there will be gambling, alcohol and drug use going on. When the party is broken up, the police sit the owners down and discuss the economic values of the living unit and tell them that parties like this deplete the value of the house.
Mayor Boughton said that Obama’s first year plan of immigration laws will not work because there is not enough money to go into the programs he has planned. Boughton has devised a plan to implement immigrants into the United States. He mentioned that immigrants should not be brought in just to work and then sent back to their home country because for the most part they will not want to go back. America should give them amnesty and a reason to stay. He proposed that immigrants who want to stay and become American citizens will have to do 1000 hours of community service over 6 years. This will give them a permanent green card for them to work on getting their citizenship.
I personally believe this plan will work because for the most part immigrants who come to America do not get good jobs and do not have the money to pay the thousands of dollars to pay for citizenship. The community service they will be doing will give them a chance to put their mark in American history.

System of Neglect

The United States detention centers are under a lot of controversy. Since post-Sept 11 the number of detainees in these centers has tripled due to the fear of terrorism. There has been 83 detainees have died in these centers in the past five years. Ironically, 30 of these deaths are due to the fact of medical staff not taking action to help the detainee immediately. That is just one cause to this every growing problem. The other reasons on why these people are dying, are neglectful guards, ill-trained technicians, sloppy record-keeping, missing medical files, overcrowding, and staff shortages. The people that are being put into these centers are not criminals;however, some of them are coming to the United States to seek asylum because they are feeling threaten at home. One big point that jumped out is, some of the medical staff in these centers that most of the victims are faking it when they say they are feeling sick. About one and four immigrants in these centers has a chronic health condition. Now, how can ICE say that these immigrants are faking their pain when these many are diagnosed with a chronic disease? It just puzzles me that the immigrants (people who come to the here for a better life) are being treat as bad as they were at home. Immigrants are still human beings and deserve the right to have the proper treatment as the law provides to them. But no, these centers are taking advantage of these people by killing them off. After reading, I was frustrated because now I know why some immigrants really don’t like this place when it comes to being deported or thrown in jail. They are basically been treated like animals. On the nurses was quoted saying “Dogs get better treatment in the dog pounds.” This is the determining factor that states how corrupted this system is. If you could treat an animal in the US better than a human being something has to be done.

Washington Post

By: Dana Priest and Amy Goldstein

May 11, 2008

Immigration in Danbury

This week I’m am discussing a presentation give Unidos Por Sangrios. It was about the problems that Mayor Boughton of Danbury, CT faces on a daily basis. To start off I will give a brief demographical look at the city of Danbury. There are a total of forty-nine languages spoken in this city of about eighty-five thousand. They also have the largest concentration of Shiite Muslims and Brazilians. This kind of cultural diversity causes some problems. The majority of immigration problems stem from over crowding and cultural differences. One thing that the city is able to do is to check for basic problems such as illegal apartments in garages and attics, cars parked in yards, and undocumented building projects. Also one problem that they had is people playing volleyball in the neighborhoods into the later hours of the night. This caused problems because there were a lot of illegal activities at these games. To help combat these, the Mayor would send police to disband the group when it got too late, and all of those participating in illegal activities were arrested and background checked to make sure that they are actually citizens. I agree with this plan of not seeking out illegals but rather allowing them to be the ones that make the mistake and then get them. This program is somewhere in between a sanctuary city and having officials go out racially profiling people to make sure that they are legal.

“Tibetan Exiles Meet to Ponder a New Strategy”

“Whatever he does, we do,” said Tashi, a driver who keeps a portrait of the Dalai Lama on his dashboard even though such images are banned in China. He also added that, “we don’t want to make trouble.” The Article, “Tibetan Exiles Meet to Ponder a New Strategy” that was published on Sunday, November 9, 2008 shows us, the reader, that this man’s statement is an accurate one. The article discusses how the calm here could soon crumble, depending on the outcome of a six-day meeting of Tibetan exiles that began Monday in India. The conclave is the first of its kind since 1991. The Dalai Lama has called for hundreds of Tibetans to gather in the Himalayan town of Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, to help decide on a new strategy for Tibet. In a statement released Monday, the government in exile sought to play down speculation that a significant shift in its approach to the issue of Tibetan independence might be near. The speculation has been fueled in part by comments from the Dalai Lama, who said this month that his drive to secure autonomy for Tibet through negotiations with the Chinese government had failed. That admission strengthened the hand of younger Tibetans who have long agitated for a more radical approach and who have demanded independence.

My opinion of the article, “Tibetan Exiles Meet to Ponder a New Strategy” is that it is empowering that despite over 40 years of Chinese occupation of Tibet, the Tibetan people refuse to be conquered and subjugated by China. The present Chinese policy, a combination of demographic manipulation and discrimination, aims to finally suppress the Tibetan issue by changing the very character and the identity of Tibet and its people. Though governments and human rights organizations have expressed concern about the transfer and settlement of Chinese people into Tibet, the issue is difficult to address effectively due to a shortage of reliable figures and the misleading use of statistics by Chinese authorities.

Article written by: Edward Wong
The New York Times
Monday, November 17, 2008
Article on page A13 of the New York edition

Immigration Talk with Mayor Mark D. Boughton

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to have the chance to listen to a politician really speak about is actions in his community.  His name is Mark D. Boughton and he is the proud mayor of Danbury, Connecticut.  As I was eating a nice pizza lunch, compliments of Wabash, I was enriched in the theories on how illegal immigration is being handled in his city.  In Danbury, as Mayor Boughton described, there is a problem with illegal immigrants and over-crowding in this quiet little city.  Of the 85,000 people that live within city limits roughly 1/6 are illegal immigrants.  There have been an influx of South American Immigrants moving into this city.  There are also 49 different first languages spoken in the high school alone.  The nickname of this city is "The Gateway to New England," but recently it has been the Gateway to the United States for many of these immigrants. With the massive amount of immigrants comes a massive amount of different traditions.  For example, in Danbury there is a very large population of Ecuadorian people.  The national sport of these Ecuadorians is volleyball.  So they have volleyball matches in their yards.  This may seem harmless, but the matches attract large crowds of a few hundred people and this brings trouble.  At these matches, Mayor Boughton explained, one can find: illegal gambling, drugs, underage drinking etc..  Mainly things get out of hand.  The over crowding of the city is a big problem and parties like this are examples why.  So to stop the illegal immigration into the city the mayor has come up with a plan.  He has joined his police force with the I.C.E. force to remove any illegal immigrants that come about.  He doesn't want to search for them because he knows this is a type of racial profiling, and he doesn't want this at all.  I agree with his plans to search everyone that lives in the community through traffic stops and such, and not go door to door.  I just hope that it will solve and problems the city may have without disrespecting anyone.  I think that this is a fair way to do this and it is a sticky situation any way you look at it.  All I have to say is good luck Mayor Boughton, and thanks for lunch. 

Immigration Lecture at Wabash College

Mayor of Danbury, Connecticut, Mark D. Boughton, stated at an immigration lecture given at Wabash College that Danbury County holds the largest concentration of both Shiite Muslims and Brazilians in northern America. He went on to illustrate how he believes Danbury has the most diverse county compared to any other in the nation. He stated that 49 different languages were spoken amongst the 85,000 residents living in Danbury County. He also claimed that there was a large majority of Ecuadorians beginning to immigrate into the county. Throughout the latter part of the lecture Mayor Boughton illustrated aspects of immigration in Danbury by providing an anecdote. He claimed that 95% of the Brazilian and Ecuadorian immigrants living in Danbury were illegal immigrants. He believed that a majority of them became illegal immigrants over a duration of time because their working visa’s had expired. When Mayor Boughton was asked how he felt about this particular situation pertaining to working visa’s he described his solution. His solution was to allow illegal immigrants already residing in the US to be able to “earn” their rights to become legalized citizens. It was his belief that they should have the decision to work 1,600 hours of community service over a period of five years to be able to earn a social security number and thus benefits. At the same time, they should be given a social security system and acknowledged in order to pay taxes and receive benefits.
Mayor Boughton also provided an anecdote of which illustrated how the various different cultures in Danbury erected some culture shocks. The mayor described how many Ecuadorians loved to play volleyball and would have large gatherings in order to play amongst one another. He described how they would have the volleyball net set up in the front yard where they would all play and even bet on the games being played. Alcohol and overcrowding of the streets was also evident from these gatherings. The mayor rationalized the situation by describing how in the Ecuadorian culture this would be perfectly fine, but that here in the US it was against the law. Danbury County sought the matter as a minor misunderstanding of the American culture and through these Ecuadorians eyes. The mayor took a stand by having police take proper action when such events occurred. He also stressed that the police shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to racially profile these people as illegal immigrants, and demanded that they treat them all as if they were American citizen’s and allow them to be treated equally.
In my opinion, I believe that both Mayor Broughton’s epiphany and action taken towards immigration in the US is the way more politicians should witness and take upon themselves. I believe that Mayor Broughton believes that whether the immigrants in Danbury are illegal or legal, that they should all have opportunities regardless. It is evident in his action towards illegal immigrants that he doesn’t view them as harmful, but as people trying to make their living through virtue of the good economy and jobs the US has to offer. His idea towards what the illegal immigrants should due in order to “earn” their rights to become legal resident’s strikes me as a very interesting idea. In some respects I believe that this is a good idea considering it both helps the society and helps the immigrant at the same time. On the other hand, I kind of see it as a small facet behind which slavery was founded. Immigrants doing community service is obviously not as harsh as slavery, but the idea seems to behold some of the descriptive qualities slavery with holds. I believe that the Mayor is doing a very effective job in handling illegal immigration in Danbury. He is obviously always going to have criticism from both parties when it comes to immigration, but I believe that he should stay true to his beliefs and not allow opinions to persuade him.

A Somali Influx Unsettles Latino Meatpackers

I think this article is especially interesting because of the uniqueness of the racial tension involved with the group of people. The majority of racial tension in the United States tends to be between caucasians and another darker skinned race, who share different customs and religious beliefs which separates the two groups. In Grand Island, Nebraska, the workers at a meat packing plant including caucasian, Sudanese, and different Hispanic workers are becoming upset with the Somali population who have been lobbying for the plant to completely change it's work schedule to accommodate for their Muslim prayer schedule. This would shorten the work day and cause cuts for many of the workers whose non-muslim prayer schedules would be unaffected. ManyHispanics, and Sudanese, a primarily Christian African race, are upset at the Somali's assumptions that they can come in, compete for the few jobs available in the factory, and on top of it try to create change that would affect the pay of the other people workingthere. As well as receiving opposition in the workplace, many Somali women who wear traditional Muslim garb such as the hijabs have been received uneasily, especially by citizens wary of Muslims because of the Muslim association of the 9/11 terrorists. Mayor Hornady of Grand Island can be quoted as saying that the sight of the traditional garb was "startling" and "I’m sorry, but after 9/11, it gives some of us a turn." I understand the Somali's want to continue following the practice's of their religion, but despite their hardship in Africa, I think many of them need to realize that while the United States will tolerate their religion, and will do nothing to deter them from practicing it, American businesses do not have to make special accommodations for select groups. I think that the Hispanic and Sudanese workers whose work schedules and pay checks will be affected have every right to be upset. I don' t think that we should send a message that one group of immigrants is better than the other by making exceptions for them. By putting priority to the one group, it creates another type of racism towards minorities which makes it more difficult for them to survive in their current jobs and lifestyles. I think that the factories need to find a compromise that will not affect the latino, sudanese, and caucasian workers who would be affected by the cuts.
A Somali Influx Unsettles Latino Meatpackers 

Kirk Semple

New York Times October 16, 2008 edition

"Mayor Mark D. Boughton of Dansbury Connecticut"

Today’s guest speaker, Mayor Mark D. Boughton, is from Dansbury Connecticut. He shared with us some of his views on immigration. He was experienced in this area because a lot of immigrants live in his town and he is constantly dealing with the subject. The reason there are so many immigrants living in Dansbury is because there are a lot of opportunities for work. He also was fortunate enough to have an article in the New York Times about an issue involving volleyball which I found to be very interesting. Mayor Boughton said that they had a problem in the past with Ecuadorians holding volleyball tournaments in a residential neighborhood. They said that it was a fire hazard because fire trucks could not fit down the street because it was so crowded. He stated that he was not against them having these tournaments but they would have to do so earlier in the day, because most of these games were played at night. He said that some immigrants would complain and say that they could do what they wanted with their land. He told them that there were safety issues that were not being abided by and that they were federal legal issues. At some of these events that they had to go to people would be doing illegal things that may be accepted in their native countries but not hear in America, and those people would be arrested like anyone else. He stated that he has yet to see any hate crimes against the large number of immigrants and hopes to keep it that way. There was one experienced in Connecticut but it was rather far from the city of Dansbury. Another interesting issue was when police officers pull people over for traffic violations they are told to record the violator’s ethnicity no matter what race they are. They do this so individuals can’t say that they are profiling a certain race of people. Another problem that is often come across in Dansbury is people turning attics and garages into living space. These people then invite multiple families to come and live there and they all contribute to the rent. This does not work because these living environments are hazardous to their safety. Some argue that it is there land and that they can do whatever they would like with it, but that is not true in America. He tells immigrants, legal and illegal, to not be afraid to come to the police if they have issues. He stated that they will not deport them or anything along those lines unless they have had a record of criminal actions. In that case he has no choice. Some people believe that he is too harsh on the topic of immigration, while others believe he is too lenient. He has had multiple encounters of people writing information about the issue on immigration and how he is being too strict. He believes that illegal immigrants should be sent back and wait in line to come to America legally like everybody else. Although, he offered a solution that immigrants should have to work a certain number of community service hours to become a citizen and prove that they really want to live here. Over this time they would receive everything necessary to be a citizen. It was great to have Mayor Boughton at Wabash and we appreciate his knowledge and first hand encounters of immigration in Connecticut.

Immigration Interview

Interviewer: Joshua Crayne

Interviewee: Phanendra Babu Devineni

1.
Q. What county are you from?
A. India, Andre Pradesh
2.
Q. What languages do you speak?
A. Telegue and English
3.
Q. What religion do you practice?
A. Hindu
4.
Q. How did you get to the states?
A. His brother came to the United States for his MBA, and his brother paid for him to come to the States to study.
5.
Q. How old were you when you came to the United States?
A. He was 18.
6.
Q. Are you a legal citizen?
A. Yes, he has dual citizenship in the U.S. and in India.
7.
Q. Do you feel exiled because you are an immigrant living in the United States?
A. When he arrived in the U.S. he did feel exiled until he met his friends in college. He has not felt exiled until lately with the hate crimes that are happening in New York.
8.
Q. Do you still have family in India?
A. Yes, his whole family is over there except for a brother in Detroit, Michigan and a sister in Tennessee.
9.
Q. Do you try to instill the culture from India in your children?
A. Yes very much so, he has one son and two daughters. He said that when his son was young he was trying to find a young Indian girl that he could marry. But his brother told him that he couldn’t choose the woman his son Krishna would marry because this is America and things are different then back home.
10.
Q. What is your profession?
A. He is a manager for a scrap metal company in Dallas, Texas.

As I was talking with Phanendra Babu Devineni (He goes by Bob, he says it's more American), he left me with a story about a time when he felt exiled and hated by Americans. He said that in 2002 he was coming home from the air port to surprise his family. And two police officers pulled him over, when he asked them what he had done the officers said “you know why we pulled you over, now get out of your car.” They proceeded to search the car.

Car Bombs, Then Suicide Blast, Kill 28 on a Baghdad Street

Early Monday morning in Baghdad city, the deadliest attack since June took place. Two bombs were planted in parked cars on a very busy street in a Sunni and Shiite neighborhood. The two car bombs were set off five minutes apart, killing seven and wounding 68 others. While people in the streets gathered to see the destruction; a suicide bomber ran into the crowd and killed many more. One of the horrible stories in the article said that a young mother holding a baby was charred in a burning bus. Later Monday afternoon, a young suicide bomber blew herself up killing 4 and wounding more than 15. The day before these horrible attacks, 12 Iraqis were killed because they were part of the Awakening movement. The Awakening movement is a Sunni run organization to stop Islamic extremists. Monday evening negotiations between the American and Iraqi governments continued to form a better security agreement.
The American and Iraqi governments need to work more closely together to stop these Islamic extremists or more innocent people are going to be in danger or even worse, dead.

The New York Times
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
International: A6
Anwar J. Ali and Katherine Zoepf

Myanmar Sentences 14 Democracy Supporters

The article that I chose this week is about a group of fourteen democratic advocates from Myanmar who were sentenced to sixty-five years in prison on charges that have no real bearing to the grand scheme of things. Those charges that were filed included: possession of foreign currency without a permit and possession of certain electronic equipment that is outlawed. These charges anger me because they are just a way for the military run government that is established there to put a group of revolutionary activists in jail so that they can’t change public opinion and cause an uprising. This might just be the liberty and freedom that I have learned in living in America for my entire life, but it seems as though limiting these revolutionary minds from voicing there opinions. Although they do not have the same laws as us, I find it difficult to grasp the concept that these offenses merit a sixty-five year sentence.

African leaders Act to Defuse Conflict in Congo

Local Mai-Mai militias ambushed rebel soldiers with an array of assault rifles while the rest of the men fought at close range. These Mia-Mia militias, aligned with the Congolese government, saw themselves as the focal protectors of their land. This ambush lasted around five hours in which 500 people had to flee Ngungu. Peacekeepers eventually sparked truce, however, not before one person was killed and many others wounded. The New York Times states the Southern African Development Community declared an “immediate cease-fire and the opening of safe corridors for aid to get through.” Tomaz Salomao, the Southern African Development Community’s executive secretary stated at a midnight news conference, “We are aware we are facing a tragedy and time is not on our side.” He also made it clear that not only were military advisers sent immediately, but also peacekeeping troops if needed. It was issued after the meeting that the Mai-Mai militia’s goal was to help the Congolese Army. Colonel Dietrich was quoted in the New York Times stating “the Congolese Army considered this minor fighting.” United Nations officials were alarmed by this statement because they believed it illustrated the complexity of the conflict from all sides. Due to the fighting taking place, some 250,000 people were driven from their homes and urgently needed some assistance. Presidents from seven African nations had a meeting on Friday urging for open corridors for aid workers and an end to the constant fighting. A majority of the people whom were forced to flee their homes had now become sick and hungry. The aid workers are having trouble containing cholera outbreaks in camps around Goma. United Nations officials are stating that Mai-Mai militia fighters are getting even more aggressive and frustrated in comparison to the Congolese troops who have now calmed down.
I think that although many of the presidents from seven other African nations are trying to step in and help thwart the violence, I still don’t believe they are doing enough. This violence by the Mai-Mai militias is single handedly causing a wider spread of disease and famine in a place where it is already an undeniable problem. I believe that the Mai-Mai militias are going to continue to cause more and more damage to people’s lives and the nation if someone doesn’t put a stop to them. It is evident that they are growing restless and frustrated from the actions taken by the Southern African Development Community. I believe that they will not put an end to the countless acts of violence until they are removed entirely from Congo. The Congo doesn’t need to have any more erratic acts of violence then they already have from all the civil wars. I believe that in order for the Congo to develop as an efficient nation they must collaborate and find new ways to accomplish better feats. Thousands of people are being exiled from their homes due to pointless fighting that the government is in correspondence with. The Southern African Development Community should institute a plan to eradicate the Mai-Mai militia if Congolese citizens will have a hope of living in peace.

"African Leaders Agree to Send Military Advisers to Congo to Defuse Conflict"

The article touches on a severe conflict that has been going on in a village west of Goma, in Congo since August. Although, this conflict has been coming and going for the past ten years. There is a conflict in the Northern Burundi region in which rebel forces are attacking the Congolese Army and militias. The Rebel forces are led by General Laurant Nkunda and he is said to be threatening to the country. Recently officials in Southern Africa have stated that they would send military help to the people in this area and if the attacks persist, they would follow up by sending peacekeeping corps to balance the region if necessary. These serious confrontations have forcefully led 250,000 Congolese people to migrate from their homes and relocate in a refugee camp on the outskirts of the city Goma. The Mai-Mai militia who, and are linked to the Congolese government, have secretly attacked the rebels multiple times and about 500 people fled Ngungu. The militia is getting tired of the rebel attacks and is starting to become more aggressive. The President of South Africa believes that there is no solution to fixing the on-going problem. United Nations has intervened and implemented a truce between both opposing sides. African officials have been meeting to find a permanent solution to the problem and also make it possible for the people in this area to receive the proper aid that they desperately need. In the refugee camp there is a shortage of food and many people are becoming sick. A major problem is the outbreak of cholera, and aid workers are doing all that they possibly can to treat and nourish these struggling refugees. Altogether, these Congolese people have been exiled from their homes due to the ongoing violence and forced to migrate to refugee camps that are crowded and not suitable for proper living. Hopefully in the future these people will be sent back to their village where they can receive aid in peace and not be living in such a confined area.

Article By: Jeffrey Gettleman and Celia W. Dugger
Monday November 10, 2008
NY Times: A6

An Artist in Exile Tests India’s Democratic Ideals

Mr. Maqbool Fida Husain is one of India’s most famous painters. He is currently living in the United Arab Emirates, but he is afraid to go back to his homeland in India because of political and religious reasons. Mr. Husain is a Muslim who is fond of painting Hindu goddesses, sometimes even portraying them as nude. His obsession of painting such powerful figures in the Hindu religion naked has undoubting lead Hindu nationalists to take actions in their own hands. These nationalists have attacked art galleries and museums which exhibit his works. They have also offered a $1 million dollar reward for his head. It is no wonder why Mr. Husain would have fear of returning home to India. The article also states that he has been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai because of his ongoing fears of encountering a Hindu nationalist on the streets. To a certain degree I can see why these Hindu nationalist would be offended by some of these naked portraits of their worshippers, but I really did not see any justification in the offering of $1 million dollars for his head, this is clearly going too far. I believe this story is quite similar to the protests of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. These individuals really take these matters far too seriously. Sure it may be a bit offensive to them, but a good point is made in this article. Is Mr. Husain not entitled to his freedom of speech and expression? Is he not entitled to paint whatever his heart desires? Mr. Husain to his defence said he did not wish to offend anyone. He loves to paint these Hindu goddesses, even if some are naked because to him, nudity in art depicts purity and is in fact an honour. While this may be an insightful to many, I decided to do a little research about his paintings. Oddly enough I found something very interesting. He did a painting which showed Hitler naked in his portrait. It was strongly suggested that he despised Hitler, yet he portrayed him naked. Did he not say that nudity in art depicts purity and honour? Something seems to be contradicting itself here. I don’t think he is suggesting that Hitler was an honourable person, but something about his statement does not seem right. It brings to my conclusion that while the actions of the Hindu nationalist has been uncalled for, it does allow them to question his motives and methods of painting. If I was a Hindu, I would certainly question these paintings without a doubt because he has many of these goddesses portrayed naked and yet he has also decided to paint Hitler naked as well. I can now firmly see why these Hindu’s feel insulted by his paintings. It makes one question; what was Mr. Husain’s real intention in his paintings?



Article by: SOMINI SENGUPTA
New York Times
Published: November 9, 2008
Section A1

"These Neighbors Are Good Ones Without a New Fence"

Friendship Park is a little place of hope and engagement.  It is a place where people can reunite with family members, and this is about to be come a part of the past.  This small park just south of San Diego in a place called Imperial Beach, California.  On this beach only a small fence represents the border between Mexico and the United States.  Many people come to this park because they can interact with others on the opposite side of the fence.  Randal C. Archibold describes freedom park as a place where "Families and friends, some of them unable to cross the border because of legal or immigration trouble, exchange kisses, tamales and news through small gaps in the tattered chain-link fence. "  Friendship park brings happiness and joy to many peoples lives, at least for a short time, and it will no longer do so.  The Department of Homeland Security wishes to beef up the old fence by building a new wall in this area.  This has brought up a lot of controversy, and the federal and state governments are now negotiating a way to grant some access to this monument.  I believe that this park is a place that bring a little joy to the lives of people that have very little in their lives.  If this park is taken away from them and they cannot see their families, then it will make life very miserable for these people.  It would be hard to be in that situation anyways, and this seems to make it that much worse.  I think that they should just hire a few more men to patrol this section of fence.  Honestly, I know it would be less expensive.  I just think that it would be a terrible decision that would be regretted and protested for years to come.  

Article By: Randal C. Archibold

Wed. October 22, 2008

The New York Times

African Leaders Agree to Send Military Advisers to Congo to Defuse Conflict

Nearly 250,000 people have been driven from their homes in the Congo by fighting. The difficulty in the situation is that the fighting has included rebel forces, predatory government troops, local militias, and United Nations. It has been flaring up several times in the past few days, nearing causing full fledged war. On Friday, the presidents of seven African nations held a meeting to try and stop the parties involved. Africa has had such a violent history. From tribal wars in the Congo, to the Rwandan genocides. Africans have been killing Africans for centuries. What is there to be gained? What has been gained? I just don't understand how the world's focus is on oil, on politically inexperienced presidential/vice presidential candidates, and on the love relationships of celebrities. There is so much strife, so much chaos going on in so many peoples lives, 250,000 alone in the Congo. One country has a group of people the size of Fort Wayne, IN in exile, starving and sick, because rebel forces are fighting the Congolese army. Aid workers are having difficulty stopping a cholera outbreak because medicine and food aren't able to get through because of the fighting. It just seems counterproductive if the rebels are fighting for the good of the people, which tends to be the banner that rebel forces who fight the already established government fly. The fighting in Africa needs to be stopped.

African Leaders Agree to Send Military Advisers to Congo to Defuse Conflict

NY times

November 9, 2008 page A6

by Jeffrey Gettleman and Celia W. Dugger

Home for Halloween

Madame Manji told her girls, “When we touched this soil, we won the lottery of life.” She thinks that they won the lottery of life because they arrived to the United States on Halloween of 1972. They arrived to a free part of the refuges to a free part of the world. She is so grateful for their immigration officer that to let them come to the United States. They were going to go to Canada first but always dreamed about coming to America. When that day happened they couldn’t be more thankful. I believe this is a story that everyone should hear about. This is a positive article on immigration and we mostly hear about the negative ones. This tells us a story about a family dreaming on coming to the greatest country in the world. When they arrive here in the United States they really can’t believe it. This also tells us of a story about how badly a family wants to come over to the United States to make their children have a better life. There are so many opportunities for immigrants. Some people believe immigration is bad, but honestly that is what makes our world so diverse.

By IRSHAD MANJI
Published: November 3, 2008

“Spain Expels Son of bin Laden Who Sought Asylum”

“Their lives are in grave danger in any Arab country,” according to Ms. Bianca Sharma and an interior ministry spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as is customary. The Article, “Spain Expels Son of bin Laden Who Sought Asylum” that was published on Sunday, November 9, 2008 shows us, the reader, that this woman’s statement is an accurate one. The article discusses how son of Osama bin Laden who was seeking asylum in Spain has been deported after his final appeal failed, the Spanish authorities and one of his lawyers said Saturday. Omar Osama bin Laden, age twenty-seven, one of nineteen children of Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al Qaeda, applied for asylum last week after arriving at Barajas International Airport in Madrid on a flight from Cairo. Mr. bin Laden argued that his life was in danger, his lawyer in Spain, Bianca Sharma, said Saturday. However, the government denied Mr. bin Laden’s initial petition and his appeal, so he and his British wife, Jane Felix-Browne, flew back to Cairo on Saturday afternoon. Mr. bin Laden had been denied a visa to Britain and as a result of this Ms. Jane Felix-Browne, fifty-two, who also goes by the name Zaina al-Sabah, added that “Spain is our only chance of surviving, our only chance of living.” According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Spain receives about five thousand asylum petitions a year and accepts about eight percent of them.

My opinion of the article, “Spain Expels Son of bin Laden Who Sought Asylum” is that it sad that Omar Osama bin Laden has to pay for his father, Osama bin Laden, terrorist attacks against the western world. I know that it hard to defend Omar Osama bin Laden due to the fact that he doesn't criticize his father and has said that Osama bin Laden is just trying to defend the Islamic world. Omar Osama bin Laden also believes that his father is not a terrorist and in an interview with A.B.C. News he said, "My father is very kind man. And he very sorry when he do something like 11th September." Osama ordered the attacks "Because he believes if he put two buildings down, maybe some people little will die, but millions other will (be) save (d). He believes that. ... I believe he did it the wrong.” But Omar Osama bin Laden had nothing to do with his father, Osama bin Laden, terrorist attacks against the western world, so why is he being treated as if he did.

Article written by: Victoria Burnett

The New York Times

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Article on page A13 of the New York edition

The Lost Boys of Sudan

Movie: The Lost Boys of Sudan

Documentary by: Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk

In the documentary, The Lost Boys of Sudan, camera crews follow two young Sudanese boys named Santino and Peter. They both are selected to go to America to study and work to send money home to Sudan. They arrive in the United States and are given residency in Houston, Texas. Both Santino and Peter become the leaders of the group living together in their apartment, but Peter soon leaves for Kansas to be on his own, leaving Santino in charge of the others. Both continue to work hard. Peter graduates from high school with high academic honors, and Santino becomes an electrician through correspondence classes. The movie follows their different hardships in adapting to the new culture and gives insight to the views the Sudanese boys have on living in America. I thought that it was interesting how the goals of the "lost boys" changed throughout the movie. After being in the United States for a short period of time, they lost interest in continuing customs that would be considered normal in Sudan. The situation arose out of something as simple as a man holding another man's hand, something commonplace in Sudan. The displayed a blatant shift in mindset by saying, "We are in America. We will act like Americans." I also thought it was interesting to see how self-centered Peter became throughout the documentary. The reason he was sent to America was to be educated and to send money back home. He left Santino in charge of the rest of their group in order to better his own life. Instead of worrying about sending money back home, he worried about making the basketball team. In a conversation with his sister, he lied saying he was unable to send money to help, and that it was too difficult to call because he spent all his time studying, all while laying around watching television. Another aspect I found interesting is the slight degree of racism towards African-Americans from the Sudanese. Early in the film, an elder warns the boys not to act like the black people in America, who are the cause of a lot of trouble in the United States. In another instance, one of the boys berates blacks and says that they are all violent, bad people. I think that this is a direct result of American media, and the glorification of life like rap and hip hop stars. It portrays blacks as thugs, drug dealers, and criminals; It even gives Africans a sense that they will be discriminated against not only for being immigrants, but because blacks in general are discriminated against because of their lifestyles. It was also interesting to see the boys dissatisfaction with the system put in place for their education. Santino talked about how difficult it was to do well with education because the system he was involved with seemed to put more emphasis on working to boost the US economy than it did to educate immigrants. I think that if the United States is putting the effort to educate immigrants so that they can become productive members of their own society and help their home nation, rather than just be a brain drain. 

The Lost Boys of Sudan

The "Lost Boys of Sudan" is a documentary of a group of boys who went through troubles in Sudan and moved to America to seek greater opportunities. The documentary started with a boy telling the story of his past childhood. His village was pillaged by the Sudan government and militia groups. The parents of all the children in the village were killed. A group in Sudan took all the boys and put them in a refugee camp. Each year there is a group of boys that are taken out of the camp and sent to first world countries to have a chance to make a living and escape poverty. Over the span of the documentary, it shows the process of a small group of Sudanese boys who get the chance to come to America. The main characters are Peter and Santino. Before Peter and Santino come to America they tell everyone in the refugee camp that they are going to America to live the “high life”. But they do not know what types of obstacles they are in for. When the boys reach America they are helped by the U.S. government and different organizations like the YMCA. For four months they are given everything they need: an apartment, food, spending money, transportation and they are set up with interviews to find a job.
Peter obtains a job very quickly and shortly after so does Santino. But they have trouble interacting with people because of their lack of communication skills. Peter wants to enroll himself in school so he will be able to find a better job and make a decent living. The only trouble is he has to pay for half the rent; he doesn’t have time to go to school. Peter ends up leaving Texas where he was given an apartment and where his friends from Sudan are. He ends up finding a place to live in Kansas. He believes that he will find better opportunities in Kansas. He leaves Santino out to dry with paying the rent. Peter finds a high school to enroll himself into and graduates close to the top of his class.
I believe that if the United States government is going to allow refugees from other countries to come and live in America then they should set up better programs to properly train them in an occupation and put them in schooling. These boys were thrown into America with no idea how the culture worked and they only had a basic understanding of the English language. More money needs to be sent over to third world countries to better education and stop the genocides from happening.
Movie Title: "The Lost Boys"
Documentary By: Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk

"Lost Boys of Sudan"

The documentary "Lost Boys of Sudan" portrays the journey of two African men to the United States.  These young men are leaving their homeland of Sudan to venture out into what they had thought to be the land of opportunity.  Peter Dut and Santino Chuor are the two Sudanese men followed in this life altering adventure.  The two men have had so much happen to them in their young lives.  During the long Civil War of Sudan, the village of the Dinkas was attacked and all of the villagers had to flee for their lives.  During this violent attack thousands of children were left without parents.  It was a vicious and brutal attack and was a topic that was a hard to discuss for these two men.  They were forced to flee into the desert and had to support themselves from a very early age.  I could not imagine how difficult this would have been.  I feel like it would have prepared them for anything, and it definitely made a difference in how they lived in America. 

Peter and Santino are picked by a YMCA group to fly to America and live for a while.  To them they are given the chance to go to the land of opportunity and freedom, so of course they are ecstatic about their journey.  They arrive in Houston, Texas, and are taken to their new home.  It is a quaint one bedroom apartment, but for the lost boys it is a fresh start.  They begin to find jobs and take a few basic education/language courses.  They also have to learn how to adjust to all the new things that a person comes in contact with during a typical day. Little things that one may never think about, such as how to use an oven and how to use a garbage disposal.  It is a lot of new information for the two men, but the seem to do alright.  One thing they wish for is more education.  They want to be taught so they can share their knowledge with the village back in Sudan.  To seek this knowledge, Peter heads to Kansas.  He hears that the opportunities are greater there, and he does not regret his decision.  He gets the chance to become a high school student and makes the most of his opportunity.  Peter tries very hard in school and does very well.  He even attends tryouts for his high school basketball team.  Even though he is cut from the team it was a chance to do something that gave him joy back in Sudan.  Santino on the other hand is busy at work.  He works as much as he can, but wishes he could become a little more educated as well.  Near the end of the documentary, Santino is looking into taking classes on how to become a journey-man.  He wants to be the one who brings electricity back to his village.  

Both of these men are so giving.  They are given this opportunity and they just do things that they know will help out the village back in Sudan.  They put themselves through hardships just so that they can help out back home, and they complain that they aren't given the opportunity to do more.  This just shows their generosity and hard working attitude.  Santino and Peter are some what shocked in how different America is compared to what they were told.  They realize that it is tough to live here too.  It is a journey that these lost boys will never forget. 

Lost Boys of Sudan

There are over 15 million refugees around the world today. The Lost Boys of Sudan is a documentary film created by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk. The documentary follows two Sudanese refugees in a journey from Africa to the United States. Peter Dut and Santino Chuor fled to Kenya after they narrowly escaping the dangerous militia that was fighting against the government in a civil war. Their parents were unable to escape the rage of militia gunfire and were killed. At this refugee camp in Kenya, thousands of other orphaned children came in sight of protection and shelter. Remarkably, Peter Dut, Santino Chuor, and many other orphaned children at the refugee camp were chosen to come and live in America. For the very first times in their young lives these boys were safe from inevitable danger and hunger. They were now offered the opportunity to prosper in a nation that holds a vast array of economic opportunities and a chance to create a more comfortable life. This film illustrates how although these boys were taken from danger and provided with new opportunities, other struggles such as prejudice and alienation became new obstacles for them to confront. Lost Boys of Sudan has won many critically acclaimed awards from “Emmy Nominee National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences” to the winner of the “Independent Spirit Award.”
The most telling took from this film was how the boys felt towards the dangers and hunger they faced in Africa compared to the prejudice and alienation in America. When Peter was asked this question between the obstacles faced in Africa compared to America, he had to think long and hard for what he thought was the most appropriate response. After his lengthy deliberation, he explained to her that in America there are many more opportunities in comparison to Africa because he could make a better life for himself in order to help everyone back home. I thought it was very interesting that he had to deliberate for so long about the question. Before coming to America his answer to that question would have been an immediate decision in favor of America for the obvious economic reasons. This fascinates me because it is evident that the prejudice and alienation Peter faces in America holds a similar fear like the danger and hunger in Africa. This illustrates how Peter has for the first time in his life, experienced prejudice and alienation and responds very passionately against it. He tells her stories about how even the blacks in America treat him as an alien and that he feels like he is not wanted. Santino felt the same way in which he believed the blacks in America treated him with even less respect. I believe this film illustrates some of the problems many immigrants face when they come to America. Many immigrants are prejudiced and alienated against simply because they are not American citizens. In my opinion, the United States shouldn’t be dubbed the “melting pot” nation until immigrants are treated with more respect. It’s one thing to encompass many different immigrants, however, it’s another to respect and accept them.

The Lost Boys of Sudan

Gun shots are heard in the distance. Your heart is beating quicker and quicker and you palms are becoming increasingly wet. All you can do is pray to god that you manage to get away. There is a high possibility that your mother, father and even your siblings are dead. You are finally taken into a refugee camp where you see unfamiliar faces. Food is scarce and the living conditions aren’t much better. All you do is hope that you will escape this hardship in Sudan and move to America or any other first world country to live the good life. You have very little knowledge of America but you believe it must be better than the hardship experienced in Sudan. This portrays exactly what happens in the documentary Lost Boys of Sudan. The documentary follows two Sudanese refugees Peter and Santino. These two individuals imagine America as a place where everything is possible. To earn money, to get an education, live in a house, eat food and most importantly help their people of Sudan. Knowing what these two men have experienced, it baffles me how positive they still remain throughout the course of the documentary. When the Lost boys arrive in Houston, Texas, they are taken in by the YMCA organization. This organization does some good for the boys by providing them with a place to stay, basic English training, and a chance at a job. While it may seem like the organization has done a lot for the boys, I feel as though they did not do nearly enough for them. Let me explain why. Firstly, it was quite evident that the boys had a very basic level of English proficiency but it merely was not enough for them to interact with employees or children in school. Why did they not help them get registered for school and put them into English classes? Secondly, it was impossible for the boys to attend school because they had to pay their rent and bills. You have to take the consideration of buying food, transportation, and the time it takes to get to the job. It really is time consuming for people in a new environment. Thirdly, neither the organization nor the government of America did little to help the boy integrate into the American society. They did not teach them the basic things in American society. Take for example when the Sudan boys figure out that it is inappropriate for men to touch other men. They were shock to find out that Americans view it as homosexuality. These organizations need to do more to help them adjust into the American society.
Overall the only person to accomplish something in America was Peter who left Houston to live in Kansas. I personally feel that Peter betrayed Santino and the rest of the boys back in Houston. He simply just vanished and left without saying goodbye or even paying the half of the rent. Now I don’t blame him that much because he obviously saw an opportunity to live better in Kansas where he obviously gets an education and eventually becomes an honour roll student. The only thing I did not like about him was the way he left Houston without telling anybody. I sympathise towards Santino because he was the only one paying the bills in Houston. I could tell on his face that he wasn’t having such a great time in Houston. He was finding it extremely hard because he was supporting everybody in the house. The only thing he had money for was food. But, yet again this brings up the point that the organization and the government do very little to help refugees settle into America. I think Santino and the rest of the people who have no job skill, experience as much of a hardship as they did in Sudan, maybe not necessarily the violence aspect but the quality of life. Organizations and governments need to plan a strategy in order to help immigrants settle into life in America. It does no good for the refugees if they are barely scrapping by with their bills. They need to get them educated and integrated into society. Once this is completed can the government feel comfortable to let them lose into the American society and into the job world.

“Lost Boys of Sudan”

“I was one of the lost boys from Sudan, when just came to American I see a lot changes in my life, because I get the education free and work. I know life is hard but you cannot run of life”, said by Stephen Kong, a lost boy. The movie “Lost Boys of Sudan” that was released 2008 shows us, the audience that this quote is an accurate statement. The movie “Lost Boys of Sudan” is an Emmy-nominated feature-length documentary that tells an astonishing tale of two young men out of the thousands of young Dinka boys and girls who were orphaned and made refugees by Sudan's brutal 20-year civil war on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America. For Peter Nyarol Dut and Santino Majok Chuor, having their villages destroyed and families killed, and being forced to flee into an unforgiving desert, marks the beginning of another incredible journey. Their journey to America is one of good fortune but one also of cultural, spiritual and even physical vertigo. The distances traveled by the "lost boys" encompass a world of rapid movement and jarring contrasts, and reveal both great social divisions and remarkable human links in the 21st century global village. Arriving with dreams of bettering themselves and then funneling the profits to the folks back home, Santino and Peter are quickly hipped to the knowledge that 21st-century American life means every man for himself and that a free-market economy leaves the underclass little time for activities that aren't directly related to subsistence. Santino settles in Houston, working the night shift at a plastics facility, getting into trouble driving without a license and taking care of fellow refugees too infirm for labor; for him at least, old-country egalitarianism dies hard. Peter, a more driven soul, makes his way to Kansas, where he enrolls in high school as one presume, making the National Honor Roll while supporting himself with a night job and pursues his three major goals of a diploma, a spot on the basketball team and a girlfriend. Despite that exhausting schedule, a sister back in Africa still berates him on the phone for not doing enough for those left behind. For both boys, satisfying the needs of the countrymen they left behind increasingly takes a back seat to the nebulous yet all-consuming drives of their adopted culture, to succeed and to fit in.
My opinion of the movie “Lost Boys of Sudan” is that it is great that Sudanese immigrants are able to find a home in America and have a chance to pursue the American Dream. However, there is still not enough being done to stop the large Arab militia known as the Janjaweed, who has been the main group employed by the government to implement this policy of genocide in Sudan. They are armed by the government and sent into various African villages where they proceed to kill civilians of all ages, burn down houses, destroy crops and livestock, carry out mass executions, target vital infrastructure, and commit wide-scale rape. Reports coming out of the region speak regularly of such brutal acts as men being chained together and thrown into burning huts, women being raped in front of their loved ones, and children being kidnapped from their families. To date, over 400,000 people have died as a result of the Sudan genocide campaign and 2.5 million have been internally displaced.

Movie Title: "The Lost Boys"

Documentary By: Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk

"The Lost Boys of Sudan"

“The Lost Boys of Sudan” is a documentary that focuses on the Dinka people. There village was attacked multiple times and they took young girls from the village and used them. 20,000 Dinka people migrated to Kenya and arrived in 1992. While migrating they came across lions that were fierce and killed many people along the way. They were given the name “Lost Boys” because the United Nations found them with no parents and took them to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. For the most part the documentary focused on two main characters, Peter Nyarol and Santino Majok Chuor. Both of these men were going to the United States through a refugee program. The day of their departure was August 26, 2001. The documentary follows the two men and explains the struggles and experiences they faced being immigrants in America. They slowly found out that they were unable to do some of the things that were normal to them in their native country. Santino landed a night shift job at a plastic company in Houston Texas. He received three tickets for traffic violations and was suddenly realizing how hard life in America was. He failed to pass his driving test because when he pulled out of the parking lot he accidentally ran over the curb. Peter bought a car and moved to Kansas City where he planned to attend High School. He was eventually enrolled as a junior in High School and had a very busy schedule between schooling, eating, working, and doing homework. It was hard to determine what grade he should be enrolled in because in Sudan ages were guessed. Peter also enjoyed playing basketball and went out for the high school team. When doing so he learned many skills that he had never been taught and was not quite up to par with the other kids on the court. In the end he did not make the team but that did not bring him down. He talks to his counselor about taking the SAT and takes his education very seriously. Peter also attends bible study with his new friends. Santino was finding it hard to maintain an education while working so much. He went on a retreat to Washington D.C. where he met up with other Sudan people. They talk amongst themselves as to whether they will stay in America or go back home. Now being immigrants in America they see the complications that follow. In the end Peter graduates High School and the documentary offers up the facts that as of 2001 there are 15 million refugees in the world and America gave asylum to 70,000 immigrants including 4,000 “Lost Boys”.
In summary “Lost Boys” were forced to migrate to Kenya due to ongoing violence. Some of them were given the opportunity to study in America where they found out that life as an immigrant was not so easy. They had a very nice environment to live in, but struggled to have enough money to pay their debts and receive a good education.

-Information from “The Lost Boys of Sudan” documentary By: Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk

The Lost Boys of Sudan

The Lost Boys of Sudan, is a documentary that follows two young men, Peter and Santino, who are from Sudan on finding the best way to transition from Africa to America. They get off their plane in Houston, Texas. At first, they are so excited to come to America because of the stories they have heard. Stories such as how America is so great, how easy it is to get by, and how easy it is for an education. For Santino, he sees the hardship that America can bring on a person. The first hardship that hits Santino is how hard it is to get a driver’s licenses, but he drives anyway. The next hardship is rent. He is the only person in his apartment that pays the rent. One instance, Santino is talking with another friend from Sudan that came with him, and Santino says he doesn’t like American. He said people need to stop lying about how America really is and how hard it is to get by.

The other young man who came from Sudan is Peter. Peter and Santino were from the same village and where suppose to live together after they got enough money to get their own place. One day, Peter decided to go to Kansas because he heard there were better jobs than in Houston. When Peter arrives in Kansas he decides to sign up for high school. Since most kids in Africa aren’t born in hospitals their ages are basically guessed, so when Peter signed up for school the principal said that he was 17 and was going to be a senior. At first, it was hard for him to make friends because he was different and seemed to be at a predominantly white school. While Peter attends school he is excited to try out for the schools’ basketball team. He goes to camp for a week or two and then tryouts roll around. He tries out for the team but gets cut. He really didn’t have the basic fundamentals that the team was looking for. Keep in mind that Peter learned the game a basketball through pictures in a sports book. Now he is planning on taking the ACT to attend a four year college.

Both of these young men saw two different sides of American. Santino saw the side of America through hardships people face every day. On the other hand, Peter saw the side of America that people talk about all around the world. He saw the side of American through education and how you can move up in the world if you have an education. Also, Peter made many friends at the high school he attended and is now planning on going to college. Either way I believe that these two young men have a better life in America because if they were still in Africa they wouldn’t have an education and they would still be living in huts.