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author_by_nightWith all of the discussion surrounding immigration, I turn to fandom. In the end, writing about the odds and ends of media is one of the ways in which I come to terms with very real events. I'm focusing very specifically on the One Day at a Time Episode "Strays," and how it relates to immigration. This entry assumes the readers have seen at least the first season of ODAAT. (Also, for the record, I'm talking about the remake with the amazing Rita Moreno and Gloria Calederon Kellet.)
In "Strays", we learn that Elena's friend Carmen has been sneaking into the Alvarez's house. No one is really sure why, and interestingly, no one even asks. Lydia suspects Elena and Carmen are lesbians, Penelope just views Carmen as overstaying her welcome by far.
At one point, a discussion begins about so-called "legal" immigration. Lydia's position is interesting; she talks about how she came to America from Cuba via Operation Pedro Pan. In her view, she did it "the right way." In fact, a lot of immigrants and first generations hold this position. "I came the right way!" "He came the right way." The problem is that not all of the channels are optional for everyone. While it's wonderful that young Lydia was offered a way to come to America, a lot of children and adults alike are in just as much desperate need to leave - without any such program offering assistance.
Schneider has a "confession" of his own: He is actually technically an undocumented immigrant - from Canada. This is actually a fairly common trope in media, I suppose in part as a way to subvert expectations. However, the episode also shows that someone in such a situation benefits from privilege. Schneider speaks English as a first language, is from a somewhat similar culture and has an obscene amount of money, making it easy for him to navigate the country. People might not pick up on the fact that he wasn't born in America at all, never mind suspect that he is undocumented.
This brings us back to Carmen. When Penelope sees Carmen sneaking in again, rather than question why this teenage girl is so desperate, she simply gets upset. It doesn't occur to her, nor any of the other adults in the room, that maybe there's a reason she is so desperate to come into their home. She's just an intruder, right?
But it's not always that simple. We learn that Carmen's parents have been deported. Carmen, like many immigrants, doesn't even have a home to "stay in" anymore. Penelope asks Carmen what her parents told her to do, and we learn she's supposed to be with her brother. Schneider helps makes this possible, and Carmen is tearfully embraced by Lydia, Penelope and Elena.
One thing that Carmen mentions is that "we're just a regular American family." They had plans that were disrupted. Her parents haven't lived in Mexico for decades; Carmen herself has never been. America is their home now, as much as it's Schneider's home, as much as it's Lydia's home. A home they've been deprived of.
"Strays" so masterfully shows how immigration isn't as simple as "doing it the right way," because not everyone can. Lydia could come in through a program; Carmen's parents evidently did not, for reasons that are both unknown and irrelevant to the story. It also shows how privilege, stereotypes and our perceptions of other countries play a big part in how we view immigration. "Strays" also demonstrates that people coming into our spaces need to be treated well, not treated like criminals.
In "Strays", we learn that Elena's friend Carmen has been sneaking into the Alvarez's house. No one is really sure why, and interestingly, no one even asks. Lydia suspects Elena and Carmen are lesbians, Penelope just views Carmen as overstaying her welcome by far.
At one point, a discussion begins about so-called "legal" immigration. Lydia's position is interesting; she talks about how she came to America from Cuba via Operation Pedro Pan. In her view, she did it "the right way." In fact, a lot of immigrants and first generations hold this position. "I came the right way!" "He came the right way." The problem is that not all of the channels are optional for everyone. While it's wonderful that young Lydia was offered a way to come to America, a lot of children and adults alike are in just as much desperate need to leave - without any such program offering assistance.
Schneider has a "confession" of his own: He is actually technically an undocumented immigrant - from Canada. This is actually a fairly common trope in media, I suppose in part as a way to subvert expectations. However, the episode also shows that someone in such a situation benefits from privilege. Schneider speaks English as a first language, is from a somewhat similar culture and has an obscene amount of money, making it easy for him to navigate the country. People might not pick up on the fact that he wasn't born in America at all, never mind suspect that he is undocumented.
This brings us back to Carmen. When Penelope sees Carmen sneaking in again, rather than question why this teenage girl is so desperate, she simply gets upset. It doesn't occur to her, nor any of the other adults in the room, that maybe there's a reason she is so desperate to come into their home. She's just an intruder, right?
But it's not always that simple. We learn that Carmen's parents have been deported. Carmen, like many immigrants, doesn't even have a home to "stay in" anymore. Penelope asks Carmen what her parents told her to do, and we learn she's supposed to be with her brother. Schneider helps makes this possible, and Carmen is tearfully embraced by Lydia, Penelope and Elena.
One thing that Carmen mentions is that "we're just a regular American family." They had plans that were disrupted. Her parents haven't lived in Mexico for decades; Carmen herself has never been. America is their home now, as much as it's Schneider's home, as much as it's Lydia's home. A home they've been deprived of.
"Strays" so masterfully shows how immigration isn't as simple as "doing it the right way," because not everyone can. Lydia could come in through a program; Carmen's parents evidently did not, for reasons that are both unknown and irrelevant to the story. It also shows how privilege, stereotypes and our perceptions of other countries play a big part in how we view immigration. "Strays" also demonstrates that people coming into our spaces need to be treated well, not treated like criminals.
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Date: 2019-07-17 04:47 am (UTC)