For the Ability to Persuade, An Argument is Needed Although Star Parkers “Se Habla Entitlement” is similar to Roberto Rodriguez's
“The Border on Our Backs”, in that they are both argumentative-persuasive pieces about
Illegal immigration; they are reasonably different. Whereas Parker opposes Illegal
Immigration protests and demonstrations in the United States; Rodriguez supports Illegal
Immigration protests and demonstrations.
Parkers “Se Habla Entitlement” is an argumentative-persuasive piece about Illegal
Immigration. Parker’s use of personified language to convey her own reactions to Illegal
Immigration; Parker is able to persuade Readers to agree with her arguments. In regards
to Illegal Immigration Parker feels that it is “a major turn off” (564), “not convincing”
(564), “doesn’t provoke my sympathies” (564), particularly annoying” (566), and “a little
suspicious” (566). Based on Parkers use of language, a Reader of “Se Habla Entitlement”
might feel that Parker is right in her thinking or just completely disagree.
Likewise Rodriguez’s “The Border on Our Backs” is also an argumentativepersuasive piece about immigration. He too uses personified language to convey his
argument to persuade Readers to agree. “People who are illegal… people not afraid to
stand up for their rights” (416-17), “Lets not pretend”(417), “Just what does brown
represent in this country… auto ethnic cleansing campaigns”(417), “We deny the nopal
1 no longer… [s]inverguenzas” (417-18). A Reader of “The Boader on Our Backs” might
feel either empowered by Rodríguezes words or they might disagree whole-heartedly.
Parker opposes Illegal Immigration protests and demonstrations in the United
States. According to Parker during such demonstrations and protests; similarities between
the civil-rights movement are brought forth. “Draping these bogus claims in the garb of
the civil-rights movement is particularly annoying”(565). She uses the allegory that
compares illegal Mexican immigrants to Blacks during the civil-rights movement to
reiterate her opposition of Illegal Immigration protests and demonstrations.
The civil-rights movement was about enforcing the law, not breaking
it…If Americans were kidnapping Mexicans and selling them into slavery
here, I might see the equivalence. But these are free people, who chose to
come here and chose to do so illegally (565).
For Parker Mexicans claiming that their demonstrations for rights are similar to
that of Black protesting for their rights during the civil-rights movement is
ridiculous. Whereas Blacks before the civil-rights movement were not given the
choice to come to American, Mexicans chose to leave their country and are all but
demanding rights in America. Therefore Parkers opposition to Illegal
Immigration protests and demonstrations is to say Mexicans chose to come to the
United States illegally, thus forfeiting any rights they might have had before.
In comparison Rodriguez supports Illegal Immigration protests and
demonstrations. Although he too uses the allegory that compares illegal Mexican
immigrants to Blacks during the civil rights movement his means is different.
“…[W]e’ve been baited into fighting with African Americans… the truth is… it is they
and their struggles against dehumanization that we draw inspiration from” (418).
2 Rodrigues argues that the real reasoning for the demonstrations held by Illegal
Immigrants is to stop the dehumanization of Mexicans. He states clearly that the
inspiration to protest comes from what African Americans sought to win during the civilrights movement.
“We know full well we’re not on foreign soil, but on Indian
lands… [t]he whole continent, the whole earth--which our ancestors have
travelled for thousands of years--is our mother(417-18).
By stating that the United States is not foreign land to Mexican ancestors and it
has been used in the past, that the United States is essentially not owned,
Rodriquez is able to detach the stigma of Mexicans crossing the border as illegal.
“[T]he protests are actually about asserting the right—virtually a cry—to be
treated as full human beings” (417). Rodriguez support of Illegal Immigration
protest and demonstrations can thus be tied to the wanting of basic human rights,
to be treated as humans.
3