CR Responses

I read "Why Blame Mexico?" by Fred Reed and found it controversial, but very thought provoking. His argument is that the United States has brought illegal immigration upon itself. Reed says that "The problem of immigration, note, is entirely self-inflicted. The U.S. chose to let them in. It didnt have to. They came to work. If Americans hadnt hired them, they would have gone back" (47). I totally agree with him. Reed uses a lot of rhetorical questions in his argument to get the reader to really think about the point he is trying to make. He also has reliable resources like the book De Los Maras a Los Zetas, that talks about accounts with border patrol and how they can be easily bribed. He also talks about arguments people have made about illegal immigrants coming from Mexico and the government. He seems very knowledgeable. I think Reed uses all of this information to evoke emotion in the audience, by telling them that, yes there are people who come into the U.S. illegally because they are running away from previous crimes they have commited, but most of them are just looking for a better job, and a better way of life. Everyone can connect to that, just wanting more for yourself and for your family. He does a very good job at painting the "innocence picture" of the illegal aliens. All in all, I really liked this article and the point that he made.

I also read "Lady Power" by Nancy Bauer. In this article she is talking about the role of modern feminism and the line between self expression or self empowerment and self objectification. Bauer talks about Lady Gaga and her role in feminism today as she is a representative of "sexual, strong women who speak their mind". Bauer associates her with Cindy Sherman, an artist who also personified the question that is "being a woman is a matter of artifice, or artful self-presentation". Bauer builds this argument by citing quotes from Gaga, and using examples of her to ask the question of self expression or self objectification? She also talks about modern day feminism in young women, and how they act. How they can be very studious and driven one day and then the next they are matching men drink for drink and hookup for hookup at a college party. The power that they have during those hookups, to walk away, when mostly they dont, is the power that Bauer talks about. In this she can connect with the audience, women readers, because maybe they have been in this situation and they have their own opinion. But then when will society really be okay with women acting more like men?