Another perspective

 As we have been going through the discussions in class this week I was able to see so much more of how the world affects my family but also other’s families and the view it has given them despite the reality of their circumstances. As we were discussing the various ecological influences on a family we ended up gaining a much better understanding of both the general ecological influences on them as well as a prime example of how much they can change and shape family as we viewed and discussed how it affects many of the families that immigrate from Mexico and how it makes that what they are and the role they play in society today.

While some people have a very negative view of illegal immigrants and others have a very positive one I try to be neutral only so that I may view their circumstances from a rational point of view and not be overly swayed by bias one way or another. For starters most of those who come over to the United States do so because the image of the American dream is still very prevalent even in society today despite being much harder to achieve than when that ideology first came about. Many of those coming over are at least at first families seeking for a better future for their children given how much influence even just a basic American education can change things for them in Mexico since even just being fluent in English often doubles or triples their value as a worker in Mexico. From there it is far more difficult and dangerous than I thought and most in the United States think it is to cross the border. To even have a chance at making it they must spend thousands to take them where they go even then they must run and hide for days in a desert with only what they can carry. In addition, oftentimes they are forced into additional dangerous circumstances such being forced to transport drugs as well as some of those seeking to cross being abducted and disappearing and never being found.

From there it doesn't get any easier. Most of those who can find work start below minimum wage. In addition they are often taken advantage of economically because of their circumstances such as being overcharged for rent among the things people do due to them being illegal and because of that on average it takes 3 years for them to be able to get their families to the United States. That fracture of being separated for years under high stress is what changes the structure of their family but is also why it is so important to them being their core oftentimes. From there as the family adapts to the changes that occur as they settle into this new culture and language many problems stem from trying to find the familiar in a foreign world while at the same time learning from it. Despite all this many still try to cross the border which speaks of just how well off we are as a country but also how much the view of the American dream has spread beyond our borders and permeated the way many of the world view us. 

From this viewing of how things often really are for those some think of as people stealing our nations jobs. I ask, are the jobs they are taking ones that you would want to do yourself? They are landscapers mowing lawns and trimming bushes and the garbage men picking up your trash or the hand picking fruit from an orchard. If you think you want all those manual labor jobs then more power to you but I feel they are an opportunity to them and a convenience for us not to speak of all the opportunities many of us have at other careers beyond only these. May we seek to understand another before we judge another.