Thread: Border Control with Songs?

news.pacificnews.org

Border Control with Songs?
Commentary, Domenico Maceri,
La Oferta, Aug 16, 2005

Last year the Mexican government published a comic book-style manual that aimed to discourage people from crossing the border illegally while providing survival tips to those determined to attempt the dangerous journey. Now the U.S. Border Patrol is trying a similar tactic as it attempts to keep Mexicans from crossing north illegally.

An advertising campaign in Spanish that includes songs and videos will be broadcast primarily in Zacatecas and Michoacan, two states that have historically had a high migration rates.

The ads that the U.S. Border Patrol plans to run include music videos that aim to plant a seed of doubt about making the journey. The lyrics focus is on the dangers: the story of one of the songs even includes “voices� of dead migrants and their vanished dreams.

The songs are written in the style of ranchera music, which has historically dealt with themes including the exploits of revolutionaries, cowboys, and outlaws.

Will this have an effect in reducing border crossings?

Probably not. The attraction of El Norte is much too strong.

The huge disparity in wages between Mexico and the United States is motivating factor in making the trip north. Since the average daily wage in Mexico is about 5 dollars a day, an amount one can easily make in an hour in the United States, it’s easy to understand why people cross the border.

The availability of minimum wage jobs in the United States serves as a strong incentive to come. Even if the dangers of making it across the border are real, most people attempting it will eventually succeed. In the last ten years or so the trip has become more difficult and the use of a smuggler costing about $2,000 has become a necessity. That has not stopped or reduced the number of crossings.

The only message that would work to reduce border crossings would be a reduction in the availability of jobs. Following the downturn of the U.S. economy after Sept. 11, 2001, word spread quickly and arrests at the border dropped considerably as people decided that they would rather be unemployed at home than unemployed in another country.

Clearly, the motivation for crossing the border is economic. If American companies did not hire undocumented workers, illegal immigration would disappear overnight.

Yet America’s hunger for cheap labor has become an addiction. There is clearly work Americans will not do at very low wages. If salaries in agriculture went up to fifteen or twenty dollars an hour and included benefits, American workers would probably materialize.

Undocumented workers, on the other hand, are in a very vulnerable position and their uncertain immigration status makes them very cooperative.

While some politicians discuss closing the border, companies continue to hire undocumented people and claim that it is not their responsibility to check their papers.

The U.S. Border Patrol’s TV and radio spots, aimed at reducing illegal border crossings, are a mere band-aid for a serious operation.

This is absolutely brilliant!!! Why didn't any of us think of this?

Forget the music videos, all we have to do is set up giant loudspeakers along the border which play polka music 24/7. For variety would intersperse the polka with some Lawrence Welk and The Champagne Music Makers. That ought to keep the mariachi crowd away!

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

This is absolutely brilliant!!! Why didn't any of us think of this?

Forget the music videos, all we have to do is set up giant loudspeakers along the border which play polka music 24/7. For variety would intersperse the polka with some Lawrence Welk and The Champagne Music Makers. That ought to keep the mariachi crowd away!

Maybe that is the problem, they have been playing the wrong songs. They have been playing

Hi ho hi Ho it's off to work again. We take you jobs and taxes too. Hi ho hi ho

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

This is absolutely brilliant!!! Why didn't any of us think of this?

Forget the music videos, all we have to do is set up giant loudspeakers along the border which play polka music 24/7. For variety would intersperse the polka with some Lawrence Welk and The Champagne Music Makers. That ought to keep the mariachi crowd away!

I think they need to throw in a ton of RAP music myself! I know I would not want to cross the line if that was in store for me on the other side.

I think they need to throw in a ton of RAP music myself! I know I would not want to cross the line if that was in store for me on the other side.

You're right. Given a choice between M&M and Lawrence Welk, Lawrence wins hands down in my book every time...I would even rather hear polka music played on an accordion.

"Roll out the barrel, let's have a barrel of fun!"

How about "Gramma got run over by a reindeer" is spanish over and over again?

Defens, is that stern looking guy in your Avatar you?

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

Defens, is that stern looking guy in your Avatar you?

That's Michael Douglas the actor.

Brian, I did not recognize him and I've seen most of his movies.

It is definitely a unique graphic.

Scarecrow, below is a link to the Internet Movie Database for the 1993 movie Falling Down. It is really good, kinda funny, kinda dark but with a gritty reality. Michael Douglas plays William Foster, a guy just pushed a little too far, like right off the deep end.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106856/