I recently came across the 9500 Liberty Project, which is an 'interactive documentary' dealing with the polarized issue of immigration. The documentary is being filmed in Prince William County in Northern Virginia, where for those of you who are not aware, a new resolution allows local police to ask the immigration status of anyone they arrest if they suspect they are in the country illegally. Immigration status can even be checked during a routine traffic stop, if there is 'probable cause' to suspect them being undocumented.
As stated in their blog:
The aim of this documentary is to inform the public, and investigate alternatives to the intense polarization that is hindering progress on the immigration issue.
The 9500 Liberty Project has been mentioned on ABC 7, Fox 5, and MSNBC as well as in newspapers such as the Washington Post. All the videos documented so far can be viewed here.I think everyone interested in the immigration debate will learn something from checking out their blog and videos on YouTube.
In one of the videos a man accuses a group of mainly Hispanics of 'not speaking English' even though they all do. This same man is discussed later by Annabel Park, one of the filmmakers, who explains that she does not see this man as a racist, that he just feels displaced in his neighborhood, and that people with the same views as him are having an identity crisis. Though I think she is giving him more credit than he deserves, I do understand her point. The dialogue between American Citizens and Immigrants must be opened; each side has their legitimate concerns and there has to be a way to preserve both the American culture and Immigrant's culture.
Eric Blyer, another one of the filmmakers, in one of the videos says, "We can't just let the most angry, the most motivated citizens decide the direction our government takes." I agree. Perhaps if more Senators in this country had not listened to those anti-immigration groups, who are small, though very vocal, such as FAIR and NumberUSA, and had not allowed them to dictate the way they vote (since they do not represent the majority of Americans views), perhaps the DREAM Act would have passed.
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The older I get the less faith I have in the government. Some of our elected official put more stick in what Rush Limbaugh say than what economists or even common sense says. All I can do shake my head and hope people have more sense than to reelect them.
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