Seeking Refuge: Central American Migration to Mexico, the United States, and Canada First Edition

I used to believe the standard myths of US society, about how we are the champions of democracy and the greatest country in the world. The evidence was that so many people were coming here to enjoy our greatness. As it turns out, the story is a little more complicated and a lot less flattering than the usual narrative. My political perspectives started to change when I met an immigrant from El Salvador. He was a soldier in El Salvador's brutal government military, which was funded by, and served as a proxy for, the US empire.The societies of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua have been devastated by decades of US intervention that has included overthrows, political assassinations, genocide of indigenous people, oppression of labor and peasant organizers, embargos, neoliberal corporatism and so forth. Given all of this injustice, I think it's great that some Central Americans are coming to the U.S. and Canada and are finding a way to survive, some are even prospering. I consider it to be a sort of war "reparations," a debt that the U.S. owes to Central American people.Turning the Tide: U.S. Intervention in Central America and the Struggle for PeaceIf the immigrant-bashers were to listen to the stories of the people they are demonizing, I believe they'd lose a lot of their resentful attitudes. Not only should U.S. citizens feel shame over their country's relations toward Latin America, we should feel gratitude over the many economic and cultural contributions Latin Americans are making towards our country. "Seeking Refuge" does a wonderful job of filling that gap in our understanding of why it is Central Americans are coming here. We need to see immigration as the humanitarian crisis that it often is, a crisis that has been exacerbated by policies created in D.C. and on Wall Street - ie, the passage of NAFTA.It is often pointed out that Mexico is even more harsh toward Central American immigrants than the U.S. is. While that is true, we should keep in mind that Mexico is carrying out policies that the U.S. pressures for. National Geographic - Wetback: The Undocumented DocumentaryIn this era of the criminalization of economic refugees, the building of more detention centers and a hi-tech wall (a subsidy to war profiteers like Lockheed Martin and Boeing), "Seeking Refuge" demands that U.S. citizens look themselves in the mirror, and take responsibility for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Central America.See also Romero Salvador (Special Edition) and When the Mountains Tremble"Between individuals as between nations, peace is respect for the rights of others." -Benito Juarez

Jam packed studies course - I am thrilled to understand this topic from an all important REGIONAL perspective. Much info on Canadian politics as well - rare, important and appreciated!

Print is light making reading book difficult. Waiting for Powell to acknowledge rec eipt of duplicate c opy dellivered to me accidentally.

Quick delivery, book is brand new! excellent condition. Many thanks!

Seeking Refuge increased my awareness to the political and economic issues plaguing refugees in Central America, and indeed, around the world.Maria Cristina Garcia’s extensive research in this area and her commitment to uncovering the plight of displaced populations brings objectivity and sensitivity to a complicated and polarizing topic. Her writing style is fluid and direct, and her compassionate approach makes this scholarly work a much more interesting read than a textbook full of facts.