Sunday, May 28, 2006
Arco Arena
An interesting website has been advertised recently on News 10 commercials in Sacramento. If you are interested, News 10 has put together a compilation website of the ABC network affiliate's news coverage of the arena. Although somewhat limited in scope, it is worth a look, if just to participate in the site's poll. Check out http://www.futureofthearena.com for the website.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Amnesty for Immigrants
The Valley thrives on immigrants. It thrives on having a great supply of people for labor, while at the same time hiding from that fact. For that reason, California, and especially its agriculturally intensive interior, has always required a new influx of people, but has never wanted them for long.
Sadly, it seems this phenomenon has been around for decades, maybe first noticed in the 1930s, when California first "welcomed" a wave of agriculturally-trained settlers. Other movements to the state, like the Gold Rush or the draw of Hollywood on young people, have been able to withstand an overabundance of people to those professions because the people could easily redirect themselves to less dream-driven pursuits. Agriculture is a different kind of trade. It is an industry so foreign to the rest of the economy that when the government checks jobless rates, it only includes non-farm labor. Those that farm, it seems, are in it for the long haul, and are transitory in nature due to the seasonal requirements of landowners.
For hundreds of years, those that worked the farms generally do not own the land. Much of the labor for harvesting crops is seasonal. However, it is also essential. Especially for industrial farms, or corporations who own thousands of acres, labor must be plentiful at a specific moment in the growing cycle of the plant. Farmers need a guarantee that a large group of people will be ready when the time comes to pick. They also will not need them long-term, and will not be able to provide for the laborers after the crops have been harvested.
Back to the 1930s... This was the era of the Dust Bowl. Due to unsustainable agricultural practices in the Midwestern United States causing disastrous wind erosion, as well as the financing disasters of the Great Depression, thousands of agricultural families lost their farms and moved to California. The Golden State was reportedly continuing to thrive agriculturally. When they arrived, they became the state's migrant farm workers, in some cases supplanting minority groups that had already filled this niche.
This group of Americans also faced the hatred of other Americans already settled in California. The "Okies", a derogatory name used for these laborers, were sometimes banned from entering certain California counties, and often faced discrimination and bullying by officials and landowners. The farms, as usual, required labor at specific times, and then sent many away without work. Any attempts at labor organization were thwarted as farm owners simply hired other Dust Bowl refugees to fill strikers' positions.
These practices continued through the 20th century, even after farm laborers again became immigrants from other countries, primarily Mexico. Cesar Chavez, now one of the most honored of Californians, helped organize farm labor through the United Farm Workers union. Today, while the job is still not envied by most Californians, higher wages are paid, and UFW continues its work to improve safety standards and job security for laborers.
A simple understanding of this history is essential to considering the Central Valley's place in the current immigration debate being held on Capitol Hill. President Bush has recently stated a need to construct a stronger physical border with Mexico, and to increase the presence of law enforcement in the region. Along with that plan, there are considerations being made on how to deal with the millions of immigrants that have settled in the United States illegally. Some plans include ideas such as assessing fines on illegal immigrants and the companies that employ them to making it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally. Huge demonstrations were recently held throughout the country, including a rally of tens of thousands in Sacramento, calling for amnesty for immigrants that have made their home here.
This is a difficult topic to discuss. Although great arguments can be made for the United States to secure its borders, such as to prevent drug trafficking or for security from terrorists, it is hard to see how further securing one border will do enough to stop these threats to justify the price tag. The wall between Arizona and Sonora may be higher, but obviously a terrorist could come into the country on a plane, as the 9/11 bombers did, and drugs could come in by the container-full on ships, as port security does not check each container. These may not be likely scenarios, but they could, and therefore probably will, happen. Border security will help, but it will not stop everything.
However, there is great danger in not adding the human element to this equation. The United States has become a world power due to hundreds of years of immigration. Our strength is our diversity and tolerance for difference. Of the millions in this country illegally, many have settled into and become a valued part of our communities. Parents may be here illegally, taking care of their American-born children. Others are Senior Citizens, just looking to live out their days in the land of their families. Many take pride in this country, celebrating our holidays, cheering for hometown sports teams, or working hard to learn English to be "accepted".
The Central Valley continues to see the greatest concentration of immigrants in our agri-business. They continue a grand legacy of new Californians who started out by toiling in the fields, the hardest of jobs in the state. Over the decades, the language spoken among our grapes might change, the hand that picks our strawberries may be a different shade. Through it all, these are the hardest working of Californians. ValleyVue proudly takes the "naive" stance of calling for all of our residents to receive validation by our National leaders. Amnesty for immigrants.
Sadly, it seems this phenomenon has been around for decades, maybe first noticed in the 1930s, when California first "welcomed" a wave of agriculturally-trained settlers. Other movements to the state, like the Gold Rush or the draw of Hollywood on young people, have been able to withstand an overabundance of people to those professions because the people could easily redirect themselves to less dream-driven pursuits. Agriculture is a different kind of trade. It is an industry so foreign to the rest of the economy that when the government checks jobless rates, it only includes non-farm labor. Those that farm, it seems, are in it for the long haul, and are transitory in nature due to the seasonal requirements of landowners.
For hundreds of years, those that worked the farms generally do not own the land. Much of the labor for harvesting crops is seasonal. However, it is also essential. Especially for industrial farms, or corporations who own thousands of acres, labor must be plentiful at a specific moment in the growing cycle of the plant. Farmers need a guarantee that a large group of people will be ready when the time comes to pick. They also will not need them long-term, and will not be able to provide for the laborers after the crops have been harvested.
Back to the 1930s... This was the era of the Dust Bowl. Due to unsustainable agricultural practices in the Midwestern United States causing disastrous wind erosion, as well as the financing disasters of the Great Depression, thousands of agricultural families lost their farms and moved to California. The Golden State was reportedly continuing to thrive agriculturally. When they arrived, they became the state's migrant farm workers, in some cases supplanting minority groups that had already filled this niche.
This group of Americans also faced the hatred of other Americans already settled in California. The "Okies", a derogatory name used for these laborers, were sometimes banned from entering certain California counties, and often faced discrimination and bullying by officials and landowners. The farms, as usual, required labor at specific times, and then sent many away without work. Any attempts at labor organization were thwarted as farm owners simply hired other Dust Bowl refugees to fill strikers' positions.
These practices continued through the 20th century, even after farm laborers again became immigrants from other countries, primarily Mexico. Cesar Chavez, now one of the most honored of Californians, helped organize farm labor through the United Farm Workers union. Today, while the job is still not envied by most Californians, higher wages are paid, and UFW continues its work to improve safety standards and job security for laborers.
A simple understanding of this history is essential to considering the Central Valley's place in the current immigration debate being held on Capitol Hill. President Bush has recently stated a need to construct a stronger physical border with Mexico, and to increase the presence of law enforcement in the region. Along with that plan, there are considerations being made on how to deal with the millions of immigrants that have settled in the United States illegally. Some plans include ideas such as assessing fines on illegal immigrants and the companies that employ them to making it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally. Huge demonstrations were recently held throughout the country, including a rally of tens of thousands in Sacramento, calling for amnesty for immigrants that have made their home here.
This is a difficult topic to discuss. Although great arguments can be made for the United States to secure its borders, such as to prevent drug trafficking or for security from terrorists, it is hard to see how further securing one border will do enough to stop these threats to justify the price tag. The wall between Arizona and Sonora may be higher, but obviously a terrorist could come into the country on a plane, as the 9/11 bombers did, and drugs could come in by the container-full on ships, as port security does not check each container. These may not be likely scenarios, but they could, and therefore probably will, happen. Border security will help, but it will not stop everything.
However, there is great danger in not adding the human element to this equation. The United States has become a world power due to hundreds of years of immigration. Our strength is our diversity and tolerance for difference. Of the millions in this country illegally, many have settled into and become a valued part of our communities. Parents may be here illegally, taking care of their American-born children. Others are Senior Citizens, just looking to live out their days in the land of their families. Many take pride in this country, celebrating our holidays, cheering for hometown sports teams, or working hard to learn English to be "accepted".
The Central Valley continues to see the greatest concentration of immigrants in our agri-business. They continue a grand legacy of new Californians who started out by toiling in the fields, the hardest of jobs in the state. Over the decades, the language spoken among our grapes might change, the hand that picks our strawberries may be a different shade. Through it all, these are the hardest working of Californians. ValleyVue proudly takes the "naive" stance of calling for all of our residents to receive validation by our National leaders. Amnesty for immigrants.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Film Review: United 93
ValleyVue doing a review on a movie? Preposterous! What in the Valley does it have to do with the mission of this blog? It may be easier to look upon this article in the context that is part of a two part series examining the Valley's response to American events, international issues, and in the second part of this series, to be published soon, immigration.
United 93 is a controversial film reenacting the events of the September 11, 2001 Al Queda attacks on the United States, particularly from the perspective of passengers aboard United Airlines flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. There are few if any moviegoers that would walk into the theater not knowing what happened on 9/11. However, this film appeals as a visual depiction of what some call the one bright spot on that day--the passengers' heroic efforts to take the plane back from the terrorists.
This ValleyVue film critic should mention that he viewed this film in a San Francisco cinema. Considering the emotional nature of the film topic, it may have been advantageous to review it among residents of the Valley to get a full idea of the reactions. On the other hand, as seen in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, this was an event felt equally by all Americans.
In fact, as the film moved on, I could not help but to remember my own personal experiences of that day. I woke up, started driving to work in Sacramento, and looked around at a stop light to see bleary-eyed, if not crying commuters. The radio in my car was playing music--which would soon be replaced on all frequencies by news programming for days. In between songs, the DJ was fielding calls by distraught listeners. I heard "the towers are gone. Just gone," and a call by a hiphop DJ for prayer. My interest was peaked, and I tuned to a newsradio station to hear of the planes, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the general fear and confusion that fell over the whole country.
This emotional recollection came flooding back as the film depicted the same confused, fearful reaction of air traffic controllers, military strategists, and news reporters. Knowing fully that the planes the FAA could not communicate with would hit the towers in Manhattan, I was still struck empathetically with sorrow when again viewing footage of the second plane crash. The theater was silent, along with the onscreen characters--the decision-makers who were shocked into momentary inaction--as the second tower was struck. At that moment, the realization that America was under attack had set in, and the feeling of helplessness in stopping any other ongoing attack overwhelmed us all. The theater was still, except for the occasional sob...dare I say there was not a dry eye in the house?
A bit of controversy has arisen out of the filmmaker's decision to depict the humanity of the terrorists. These were Islamic fundamentalists, but they were not shown as unwavering soldiers of Bin Laden. Definitely, the characters showed no sign of questioning their cause, but there was more hesitation to act than might have actually been the case on United 93. On the other hand, the film was believable and realistic all the way through. These humans were all frail, with the same amount of trepidation and fear as any of us would have had in their stead. I believe that lends more credit to the courageous passengers as they confronted militant terrorists that had already killed their fellow Americans both on the plane and, as they found out from cell phones, in New York.
I felt the fear, anger, and desperation of these passengers. I was possibly more hateful of the terrorist characters on Flight 93 than I have ever experienced of other film villains. September 11 was a day I lived through and experienced, but because of this film I have gained an even deeper respect and awe of the passengers on that and the other three hijacked planes that day. I desire even more for the United States to capture Bin Laden and others responsible for the attacks. I also have a renewed hope that America's defenses become more reactive to terror activities. Makes you hope for a sequel, in which Bin Laden is finally caught.
United 93 was a flight from the east coast to San Francisco. Remembering that flights inbound from the East Coast are not common at Valley airports, it is true that the end destination for some of the air travelers that day was to the Valley. This was reinforced by imagery of two passengers reviewing brochures of Yosemite National Park. It is already known that the Valley is affected by terrorist activities. Sacramento has in recent years apprehended eco-terrorists that firebombed housing developments. Elk Grove's propane tanks were the target of one never acted upon terrorist plot of Anericans who also planned to topple Sacramento's TV antennas in the Galt area. Most notoriously, Hamid Hayat of Lodi was arrested and prosecuted recently for training in a terrorist camp in Pakistan, while father Umer Hayat has been released after being on trial for financially supporting terrorist activities.
ValleyVue does officially recommend the viewing of "United 93". Keep in mind this is not your average movie, (popcorn chomping is not recommended). Immerse yourself into an experience of remembrance and emotional turbulence. You may feel like you have been punched in the gut, and that is actually how we should feel. I was emotionally spent, and so were most of the audience. As I walked out of the theater, the lobby was full of people, but it was terribly silent. People will quietly file out, as if freshly stunned by the world-changing morning of 9/11. Without eliciting those feelings of inadequacy, fear, and in the end, determination, this movie would have been a failure. Instead, it delivered exactly as the subject matter required.
United 93 is a controversial film reenacting the events of the September 11, 2001 Al Queda attacks on the United States, particularly from the perspective of passengers aboard United Airlines flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. There are few if any moviegoers that would walk into the theater not knowing what happened on 9/11. However, this film appeals as a visual depiction of what some call the one bright spot on that day--the passengers' heroic efforts to take the plane back from the terrorists.
This ValleyVue film critic should mention that he viewed this film in a San Francisco cinema. Considering the emotional nature of the film topic, it may have been advantageous to review it among residents of the Valley to get a full idea of the reactions. On the other hand, as seen in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, this was an event felt equally by all Americans.
In fact, as the film moved on, I could not help but to remember my own personal experiences of that day. I woke up, started driving to work in Sacramento, and looked around at a stop light to see bleary-eyed, if not crying commuters. The radio in my car was playing music--which would soon be replaced on all frequencies by news programming for days. In between songs, the DJ was fielding calls by distraught listeners. I heard "the towers are gone. Just gone," and a call by a hiphop DJ for prayer. My interest was peaked, and I tuned to a newsradio station to hear of the planes, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the general fear and confusion that fell over the whole country.
This emotional recollection came flooding back as the film depicted the same confused, fearful reaction of air traffic controllers, military strategists, and news reporters. Knowing fully that the planes the FAA could not communicate with would hit the towers in Manhattan, I was still struck empathetically with sorrow when again viewing footage of the second plane crash. The theater was silent, along with the onscreen characters--the decision-makers who were shocked into momentary inaction--as the second tower was struck. At that moment, the realization that America was under attack had set in, and the feeling of helplessness in stopping any other ongoing attack overwhelmed us all. The theater was still, except for the occasional sob...dare I say there was not a dry eye in the house?
A bit of controversy has arisen out of the filmmaker's decision to depict the humanity of the terrorists. These were Islamic fundamentalists, but they were not shown as unwavering soldiers of Bin Laden. Definitely, the characters showed no sign of questioning their cause, but there was more hesitation to act than might have actually been the case on United 93. On the other hand, the film was believable and realistic all the way through. These humans were all frail, with the same amount of trepidation and fear as any of us would have had in their stead. I believe that lends more credit to the courageous passengers as they confronted militant terrorists that had already killed their fellow Americans both on the plane and, as they found out from cell phones, in New York.
I felt the fear, anger, and desperation of these passengers. I was possibly more hateful of the terrorist characters on Flight 93 than I have ever experienced of other film villains. September 11 was a day I lived through and experienced, but because of this film I have gained an even deeper respect and awe of the passengers on that and the other three hijacked planes that day. I desire even more for the United States to capture Bin Laden and others responsible for the attacks. I also have a renewed hope that America's defenses become more reactive to terror activities. Makes you hope for a sequel, in which Bin Laden is finally caught.
United 93 was a flight from the east coast to San Francisco. Remembering that flights inbound from the East Coast are not common at Valley airports, it is true that the end destination for some of the air travelers that day was to the Valley. This was reinforced by imagery of two passengers reviewing brochures of Yosemite National Park. It is already known that the Valley is affected by terrorist activities. Sacramento has in recent years apprehended eco-terrorists that firebombed housing developments. Elk Grove's propane tanks were the target of one never acted upon terrorist plot of Anericans who also planned to topple Sacramento's TV antennas in the Galt area. Most notoriously, Hamid Hayat of Lodi was arrested and prosecuted recently for training in a terrorist camp in Pakistan, while father Umer Hayat has been released after being on trial for financially supporting terrorist activities.
ValleyVue does officially recommend the viewing of "United 93". Keep in mind this is not your average movie, (popcorn chomping is not recommended). Immerse yourself into an experience of remembrance and emotional turbulence. You may feel like you have been punched in the gut, and that is actually how we should feel. I was emotionally spent, and so were most of the audience. As I walked out of the theater, the lobby was full of people, but it was terribly silent. People will quietly file out, as if freshly stunned by the world-changing morning of 9/11. Without eliciting those feelings of inadequacy, fear, and in the end, determination, this movie would have been a failure. Instead, it delivered exactly as the subject matter required.
