Remus Lupin

2020 Census Citizenship Question

Today the Supreme Court begins hearing arguments about reintroducing a question pertaining to individual citizenship on the 2020 Census—and it’s a smooth political move. It sounds okay, the administration is just trying to get better information about the residents of different areas, but its outcomes are more than that. Similar to this same administrations’ rhetoric about sending the recent immigrants legally applying for refugee and asylum status to ‘sanctuary cities’ this citizenship question could lead to an overall inaccurate population count that would lower those areas with higher immigrant population and with the census would lower their federal funding received and their political representation. Sound familiar? Both outcomes that would fall in favor with the administration that is pushing and put this change into action.

The obvious argument is, don’t answer (illegal) or lie (more illegal). While both of these options shouldn’t be preferred by the government and aren’t preferred by the immigrants themselves, it’s important to also understand the specific type of immigrant. Along with the rest of my family my Aunt has lived in the US for close to sixty years but retains her original citizenship and has not obtained US citizenship. Chances are, this Supreme Court case won’t impact her as her age, appearance, location and other demographic factors don’t match the politicized “immigrant image” but there are those who do fit into that image. There are those who are citizens and whose families have resided in the US for generations but are believed to be “illegals” the same as those who are here recently but legally and will become frightened about answering this question wrong. As immigrants continue to be in the headlines, here are 5 things about US immigrants and international relationships that people should consider.

Taxes

While certain requirements and programs block immigrants and other recent newcomers from services[i] current legal residents and undocumented immigrants both pay taxes even if they may never be entitled to benefits such as social security, Medicaid, or other tax credits. [ii],[iii] In fact, according to Forbes, an estimated 11.64 billion is paid by just undocumented immigrants every year in state and local taxes.[iv]

Hard Workers

NYC and other cities have been under some heat from the current administration for being ‘Sanctuary Cities’ and allowing undocumented immigrants to be there. This annoyance has led to ‘threats’ of dropping all refugee and asylum seekers into sanctuary cities, related to the upcoming Supreme Court case about the 2020 Census Citizenship question and is full of misinformation as it is believed all immigrants (as the current administration confuses just not liking immigrants with illegal actions by those trying to migrate) are just stealing jobs or not working. In addition to this being false with the earlier facts about taxation (and now possible without representation), immigrants are already a large, hard-working part of the US workforce with foreign-born workers making up 25% of the construction industry, 23.1% of the agricultural industry, 20.1% of arts and entertainment, 19.7% of the Professional, Scientific, Management, Administrative and waste-management and 19.4% of educational services, healthcare and social assistance.[v] 

For more understanding of the work ethic of all immigrants, please see this video by clicking the link or going to the end of this post:[vi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7q3ofdJRKc

Leaders and Influencers

As a great reminder, Time Magazine’s 100 came out earlier last week. With many political leaders, tech entrepreneurs, advocates and other females and immigrants both to the US and around the world were highly recognized with some US examples with Sandra Oh (who recently became a US citizen),[vii] Luchita Hurtado and Leana Wen as a pioneer, an artist and a leader.[viii]

Fellow Human-beings

With the treatment of incoming immigrants who are either coming to improve their lives, the lives of their children, or just trying to survive; the treatment in the US has a few looking back at their home countries reevaluating why they came. Fleeing poverty, famine, gang violence and more, some would say “fine”, “go back”, leave this place”; but is that really where we want the bar to be. As reflecting upon immigrant heritage, strength, work ethic, we should also focus on our own. Many values based on religion and the moral compass highlight how you should always look at what you can give and how you can help, similar as many sayings express the ideas that those who suffer most are always the first to give.

NAFTA and food

A big part of countries’ heritage and culture is connected to food, while NY is known as the melting pot, great food and a lot comes from its great diversity, the importing of food impacts all of the US and not just with avocados. While Apples and Oranges are the top fruits overall, that’s mostly from juice. The top actual fruit is Bananas that mostly come from Equador.[ix] 5% of US apples consumed are imported,[x] mostly during non-peak growing season while the rest of apples are grown in 32 different states and exported to Mexico, Canada and other countries.[xi] However, potatoes are also a big staple in the US and while a big production for agriculture, the US is only able to produce 40% of the demand with the balance coming from Mexico and Canada.x Overall, over 25% of US coffee, spices, fish, fresh fruits and juices, sugar, wine and vegetable oils are imported from outside the US[xii] and this is only some of what is imported.

The 2020 Census citizenship isn’t a harmful question in itself. But with the current administration's attack on immigrants, especially on those just trying to become legal residents and citizens, one cannot blame them for being too scared to be truthful. Again, do we want to be the dictators they are fleeing from, do we want them to remove themselves from the country because they are better than how they are being treated--is that our goal? To be just cruel enough to get “our” way-- in that case good to know, I’ll try to get represented elsewhere. 

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[i] The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The US Department of Health and Human Services Website: Administration for Children and Families. Published November 1st, 1996. Last Accessed: April 23rd, 2019.

[ii] Campbell, A. Trump says undocumented immigrants are an economic burden. They pay billions in taxes. Vox Website. https://www.vox.com/2018/4/13/17229018/undocumented-immigrants-pay-taxes. Published: October 25th, 2018. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[iii] Martin, M. Do immigrants pay Taxes? Metro New Website. https://www.metro.us/news/politics/do-immigrants-pay-taxes. Published: June 18th, 2018. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[iv] McCarthy, N. How Much Tax Do America's Undocumented Immigrants Actually Pay? [Infographic]. Forbes Website. https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/10/06/how-much-tax-do-americas-undocumented-immigrants-actually-pay-infographic/#3a9dd3421de0. Published: October 6th, 2016. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[v] State Immigration Data Profiles: United States. Migration Policy Institute Website. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/state-profiles/state/workforce/US#. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[vi] Few Americans take immigrants' jobs in Alabama. AP Archive Youtube Account. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7q3ofdJRKc. Posted: July 31st, 2015. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[vii] Sandra Oh. Monologue. Saturday Night Live Season 44 Episode 16. Aired: March 30th, 2019

[viii] Time 100: The Most Influential People 2019. Time Magazine Website. Accessible at: http://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[ix] The Most Interesting Fruit in the World (Ep. 375). Freakonomics Radio Archive. http://freakonomics.com/archive/. Posted: April 17th, 2019. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

[x] United States: Fresh Produce-Imports and Exports. Produce Marketing Association Website. https://www.pma.com/~/media/pma-files/research-and-development/usa.pdf?la=en. Last Accessed: April 23rd, 2019.

[xi] Commodity Apples. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Website. https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/apples/commodity-apples. Last Revised: December 2017. Last Accessed: April 22nd, 2019.

Inequality: Indifference x Insufficiency

Today 300,000 plus Chicago students didn’t go to school today, spending the day at home, hanging out with friends or joining their fellow classmates and over 25,000 educational workers in Chicago who are striking against working conditions and educational opportunities of the Chicago Public Schools. 

Along with adequate nursing staff, emotional and mental health support a main complaint from parents is that there aren’t libraries in schools and how that lack of community space deepens the fractures occurring. Linked to the lack of community space in the schools, there is also a lack of bilingual teachers creating another barrier for students who either rely on other students to help them with their work or give up. 

The strike has two sides to it: the teachers and the students. The teachers need more pay in order to lessen their financial and connected emotional stress and anxiety so they can focus more on their students and be the best teachers they can. But they are also fighting for their students. By demanding smaller class sizes, mental health resources so student can be assisted before they hit that breaking point, and pushing for school libraries they are fighting for their students now, in their next grade, their next school and the rest of their lives

Dementors

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them....get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you...you'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life.’

It is with our introduction to Dementors that we really feel inside JK Rowling, even for those who dealt with depression, the aspect of it being temporary and out of ones control made the connection difficult--but is becoming more accepted overtime. While some stories show us new worlds, and other stories draw connections from different worlds to our own, others open our eyes to living a better life and all the different ways stories and books and conversations, sometimes we read to find ourselves as we look for ourselves in others. This is one of the best examples, of how JK connected us and brought us forward within ourselves as those right next to us. Her ability to openly and honestly portray pain, loneliness and loss are some of the most crucial elements that people needed to feel connected with in order to survive.

"You do care" said Dumbledore "You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it"--and we did, we have survived

Todd Packer

Packer's Best Moment: Season Eight, Episode Sixteen: After Hours When Dwight gets kicked by Jim after he gets the buttons from Cathy per "college rules" in 'The King and The Hunchback' and he comments with his double meaning statement.

“and he lost at his own lame game”

Packer's Worst Moment: Season Nine, Episode Seventeen; The Farm When he laced the cupcakes that he brought as 'apology cupcakes' to the office and the staff either got stoned or diarrhea

Packer's Best Line: Season Two, Episode Two

So a guy goes home, tell his wife, "Honey, pack your bags, I just wont the lottery" She goes "Oh, my god, that's incredible, where are we going? He goes "I don't know where you're going, just be out of here by five."

Packer's Most Memorable Moment: Season Three, Episode Eleven: Back from Vacation When he gets Michael’s picture of Jan from their Sandals Jamaica trip “Wait. I just got it from somebody else. Wow, this is hot. Damn! How do I get you out of this picture? “

Unbreakable

I wanted to do this one earlier, but given the trilogy has it’s final release today, I postponed

I love this movie. Another film that I can rewatch just after finishing it’s very, very high on my list. I even bought it as a download from iTunes to my iPod Classic–that’s an extremely old sentence (JM). I think one of the things that made this story unique was that it wasn’t a teenager having a coming-of-age superhero, complex story, it was an adult. An adult with a kid, problems at home and an entire life he really had to figure out along with the great story we are figuring out with him, how and to what level of a superhero he should be. Usually, our superheroes are more established when we meet them, in this case, we really went on the discovery journey with them as we can clearly see when David stands in the crowd and tries to figure out exactly who and how he will be a hero. 

The clincher, of course, is at the end (which if you haven’t seen is already spoiled by the rest of the trilogies release) when we discover that Mr. Glass wasn’t just interested in finding someone who was a superhero, but felt it was so important—that he create the disasters to expose him. He created his superhero, and was this a line worth crossing—he believes so, when did he realize he was the villain? At least he agrees that he is one--definitely, some time has passed, but why then, had he become that obsessed, more needs to be divulged here. 

Jo Bennet

Best Moment: Season Six, Episode Nineteen: St. Patrick’s Day

When she promotes Darryl; especially as she puts it as part of her townhall knowing that someone’s position at the office doesn’t represent their potential.

Worst Moment: Season Six, Episode Twenty-Six: Whistleblower

When he storms into the office about the printers and the whistleblower because they’ve now lost half their clients for “no damn good reason” and have them sign a form--probably binding--saying they didn’t.

This is wrong, first, because it wasn’t a ‘new issue’ and they hadn’t been upfront, and second, it does against all the morals and principle protecting whistleblowers who are already vulnerable as employees v employers.

Best Line: Season Seven, Episode Twenty-Five: Search Party Part One

When Dwight tries to text her his resume since she won’t consider him for a manager position

“ These are costing me ten cents apiece, you jackass--I’m roaming!”

Most Memorable: Season Six, Episode Nineteen: St. Patrick’s Day

When she lets us know the best way to become the most powerful women in Tallahassee is by working hard....marrying rich....or both like she did.

Let's be honest, reading books and buying books are two completely different hobbies.

Charlie Weasley

Whatever it is, do it. If you love it, if you want it, just DO IT

Professor Quirrell

Professor Quirrell, Harry Potter’s Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (the first of many) that turned out to be trying to help Voldemort return to power. There is not much to say about this character; as he played dumb so well, he kind of was very easily forgettable. I don’t even remember much of what they learned from him. (Also thou, it’s upsetting that there is a specific Defense Against the Dark Arts class that children are required to take for 5 years--why aren’t there more prevention for this, why do kids have to be SO prepared).  While definitely not the best person to learn from, unexpectedly he can be a great lesson to all of how (1) book smart is not the same as street smart and (2) to be careful, cautious and not overconfident about who you are

But I will say that while it was unfortunate it was him, I always loved how excited Harry was to meet him. All of these wizards finally get to meet “The Boy Who Lived” and here Harry is just as excited to meet Professor Quirrell because to Harry THIS is someone important, someone, he can and will learn from about magic. I always loved that.  

But, there are a few things that bother me as going back in history, the main two are: 

1. Why didn’t Voldemort mention to Quirrell (he was there) that he could ask Snape for help to get the Sorcerer's Stone? Voldemort always trusted Snape! 

2. Why didn’t Snape share his concerns with Dumbledore? I know that Snape’s concerns with Lupin held more to the story, but I feel like he still would have mentioned it, especially considering how much he pursued Quirrell. Did he not bring it up, or was he ignored?

** Bonus moment: Obviously the later fact how Fred and George were hitting Voldemort with snowballs <3<3<3

The Prince of Egypt

I love a good “Fuck you” in a film, and for children—this one delivers.

This story of Moses was my first musical and had a soundtrack I was obsessed with and portrayed the important teachings of the story without the harshness and lack of forgiveness I expect from the Catholic Church. Along with the soundtrack, I remember the story to be about freedom, peace and the complications of doing the right thing

Living a couple blocks away from a church is the closest I am to religious, and I haven’t been in a religious building in years, but I remember the story to be about freedom, peace and the complications of doing the right thing and how opinions of what is right, can differ. Two brothers, one who didn’t know he was adopted, would still be expected have the same understanding in life but as seen more common in today’s world—family doesn’t always think or believe the same thing. Separating the aspect of power and God, a majority of the conflict is still an ability of Moses and Rameses to speak to each other and creating an understanding with each other. 

For me the “Fuck you” of the film, as with many stories of racism and elitist beginnings, is how Moses comes to his success out of opposition to the actions of those in power both with how his birth mother sent him down the river and he became part of the King’s family, and in why he flees and returns to Egypt—trying to live a righteous life and have all people be equal.

This story is also a great portrayal of a mother’s love both with the mother who has to give their child up and with the mother who adopts another’s child as their own, both sacrificed so much for their son. Along with the soundtrack, also a shout out to the art department, I too remember the beauty of this whale shot.