Wednesday, February 7, 2007

30's Days, Immigration in Review

Illegal immigration has become an important topic in current news and politics. This controversial subject was featured in FX’s “30 Days” program. It begins when a Frank George, radical minuteman from the border, moves in with an illegal immigrant family in East L.A. This family of seven lives in tight quarters which become even smaller when another person comes to live there.

The Gonzalez family consists of Rigoberto (father), Pati (mother), and 5 children. The two youngest of the children were born in the United States, thus making them citizens. The other three however, are still in the States illegally. The most outspoken of them all was oldest daughter Armida.

Frank must leave all of his identification papers behind, do manual labor, and live in their home for 30 days. He himself was an immigrant from Cuba, however he and his family did so legally. Upon his arrival to his new temporary home, he is instantly reminded of Cuba. Frank is immediately put to work with Rigoberto, who works for low wages as a handyman. This consisted of many strenuous jobs and chores. Rigoberto says that he is “doing the jobs that Americans don’t want to do.”

Frank also spends time with the rest of the family and really begins to become a part of their family and lives. He is genuinely touched by the family and feels a bond of kinship between them. During his time there he states, “…we really start to appreciate life.” But was that enough to change his radical ways?

This is not meant to persuade the viewer in either direction. If anything else, the producers of this episode were attempting to inform the viewer. Both sides of the argument are shown, one through Frank and the other through the family and their friends. It informs the viewers of the conditions that immigrants are leaving behind and their dreams of the future yet to come. It is most defiantly an episode worth watching.

2 comments:

Brad Weaver, BC Instructor said...

Will you watch more 30 Days?
What would happen if the ghost of Walter Lippman watched this episode with you and you could talk afterward? What would you say to him? What would he say to you?

Jessica said...

To be honest, I don't really watch tv. So I would have to pass on watching more 30 days. If I watched this with a ghost I would be very freaked out. But I think that Lippman would focus more on agenda setting issues and how they shape the pictures in our heads. Who knows, he might have even had a stance on immigration.