This political cartoon titled “Help Wanted” was created by Khalil Bendib in 2007. He is an award-winning cartoonist with many of his illustrations displayed in newspapers including USA Today The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. This cartoon shows how asylum seekers who have fled from their county in search of freedom and safety are viewed by the United States, either they are seen as “cheap, disposable labor” or as a criminal that needs to be immediately deported. Neither of these views display what the United States is meant to stand for. “The Land of the Free, The Home of the Brave”, yet we throw out those brave enough to flee their country and everything they know in search of freedom and “our” nations help.
My reference question is “How does the limited views shown in the cartoon on the asylum seekers trying to enter into the United States by those who hold power in the country affect this group?” I will begin by explaining the power that the government and big business have in the United States. I will then describe the views in dept and draw connections between the two views to show both the fault of the country and how helpless they are leaving these people. Additionally, I will then speak on the irony of the message that United States claims to send, and actual message that they send to asylum seekers.
I will incorporate Laura Bush, “Separating Children…Breaks My Heart” by quoting her description of the ill treatment of both asylum seekers and their children due to the zero tolerance rule. I will incorporate Tal Kopan, “Justice Department: Use ‘illegal aliens,’ not ‘undocumented’” by stating the Department of Justice’s decision to continue to use the term “illegal alien” to describe all undocumented immigrants including those who entered the country legally but lack proper documentation. I will incorporate “Wanted: Immigrant Labor” by Rhett Wilkinson who gives his own interpretation of Bendib’s cartoon.
