Editorial Cartoons & Immigration
Team Member Name: Haleigh Hafslund
Publication: Access to cartoon: California Political Review, Published on: Cagle Cartoons
Date: 11/21/2014
Cartoonist: Rick Mckee
U.S. or International: U.S.
Title of Cartoon: Obama Welcome Mat
Cartoon #: 9
What action is taking place in this cartoon?
In this cartoon, Obama is laying out a welcome mat with the U.S. Constitution on it for the immigrants to cross into America. It’s implying that our President is letting the immigrants walk all over the Constitution, and not abiding by our laws.
What is the context?
As Tancredo explains it, “Obama continues to ignore laws enacted by Congress in open defiance of the separation of powers found in the U.S. Constitution.” (Tancredo, 5/23/2014)
Tone of the Cartoon:
1: Negative framing of the issue
2: Framing is opposed to supporters
3: Framing is supportive to opponents
What “reality” is constructed/framed about this issue?
Obama is not following the U.S. constitution, our President does not support us as citizens, but does support immigrants and will do anything to help them into this Country.
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Team Member name: Haleigh Hafslund
Publication: Jen Sorensen
Date: 11/24/2014
Cartoonist: Jen Sorensen
U.S. or International: U.S.
Title of Cartoon: Grandpa Perkin’s Thanksgiving Tirade
Cartoon #: 10
What action is taking place in this cartoon?
This cartoon is portraying a family at Thanksgiving dinner with the Grandpa ranting about how in the good old days he knew everyone in town and shopped from friends’ stores. Then he switches gears and is upset that everything is now made by foreigners and immigrants are taking over business’. Then the Grandpa gets up to go to the black friday sale disregarding what he had just said.
What is the context?
Sorensen’s cartoon is implying that although americans are feeling annoyed, and maybe even threatened by immigrants, they still support them in their line of work because it feels hopeless to try to end something that can’t seem to be stopped. As Sorensen herself says about this cartoon, “many people have the feeling that the country has seen better days, that we’ve lost our small town roots and values… Millions of Americans have been led to believe that immigrants are to blame. Then they do their shopping at places like Walmart and the cycle continues.” (Sorensen, 11/24/2014) Sorensen wants Americans to see that we can make a difference in making our Country a better place.
Tone of cartoon:
1: Negative framing of the issue
2: Framing is opposed to supporters
3: Framing is supportive to opponents
What “reality” is constructed/framed about this issue?
Sorensen wants us to believe that we can make a difference as Americans, instead of complaining about everything and doing nothing.
Analysis:
Sorensen uses framing by naming by labeling it “Krap Mart” rather than “Walmart.” This advances Sorensen’s cause by triggering a response that “Walmart” is bad and sells “Crap.” She also uses this as a symbol of families in the U.S. who seem to complain about the issue of immigration but are too complacent to do anything about it.
Sorensen is showing her true passion in this cartoon, She feels that Americans need to take more of a stance rather than complaining. She’s taking her stance through her drawing and we need to take our stance through our strengths and talents rather than living day to day without a change. We all have opinions and thoughts that we can turn into action.
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Team Member name: Haleigh Hafslund
Publication: The Salt Lake Tribune
Date: 8/19/2015
Cartoonist: Pat Bagley
U.S. or International: U.S.
Title of Cartoon: Bagley Cartoon: GOP Immigration Solutions
Cartoon #: 11
What action is taking place in this cartoon?
A (presumably Hispanic) undocumented family is stuck in a tunnel in this cartoon, with the “republicans” on the other side threatening to deport them, take them to jail, bomb them, or take their property. The undocumented mother asks, “ISIS?” and the husband answers, “no, republicans.”
What is the context?
According to the Huffington post, the republican politicians are treating immigration too harshly.
Foley explains in this article: “In hindsight, Romney's tough talk on immigration appears to have been a mistake. Romney eventually won his party's nomination. But he lost the general election to President Barack Obama, a loss partially attributed to the fact that Romney picked up only 27 percent of the Latino vote. "Self-deportation" became shorthand for the type of rhetoric that drives away Latino voters. Now, as the 2016 presidential campaign heats up, some conservatives are warning that the current slate of GOP candidates could face the same results with Latino voters if they don't take a softer stance on immigration.” (Foley, 5/21/2015)
Tone of cartoon:
1: Positive framing of the issue
2: Framing is supportive to supporters
3: Framing is opposed to opponents
What “reality” is constructed/framed about this issue?
Bagley wants republicans to see that they are too harsh on the issue of immigration. Bagley shows the fear in the undocumented families face as they are trying to make a new life for themselves, but can't.
Analysis:
This cartoon uses labeling as Bagley sells us the story of an undocumented family only wishing to cross the border to make a better life for themselves with their daughter wrapped in a blanket and the father grasping his arm around her. As the family tries to make it through a tunnel they are met by the “republicans” wanting to take drastic measures to cease the undocumented traffic into America.
Bagley also uses exaggeration in this cartoon in drawing a conclusion that republicans feel that undocumented immigrants should be deported or imprisoned. As the wife asks the husband if the people yelling down the tunnel is ISIS, the cartoonist uses analogy to compare Republicans to the tactics of ISIS.
Gabriel and Preston share in an article how Donald Trump drove a hard line on immigration. With Trump’s harsh tone, the hispanics are now finding the Republican party to be unfriendly, no matter who the candidate is. Many other Republican candidates “echoed Trump’s call to end automatic citizenship for the American-born children of undocumented immigrants, repealing a constitutional right dating from the Civil War era.” (Gabriel, Preston, 08/18/2015) The hispanics are simply seeing Republicans as bullies because they are not standing idly by, these candidates are speaking up against illegal immigration.
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Team Member name: Haleigh Hafslund
Publication: Go Comics
Date: 08/31/2015
Cartoonist: Lalo Alcaraz
U.S. or International: U.S.
Title of Cartoon: Lalo Alcaraz
Cartoon #: 12
What action is taking place in this cartoon?
This cartoon symbolises immigrants being stamped with a barcode to be kept track of throughout their lives.
What is the context?
Amato explains Chris Christie’s take on illegal immigrants. “At any moment, FedEx can tell you where that package is. It’s on the truck. It’s at the station. It’s on the airplane. Yet we let people come to this country with visas, and the minute they come in, we lose track of them,” Christie said. Amato placed a video with his article of Christie saying this, and also that Christie would like immigrants to receive a tracker device of some sort to help us keep track of them. (Amato, 8/29/2015)
As we face this cartoon, the barcode is the first thing we see, and as we look closer we now notice the immigration stamp. The barcode is well known across the US as most of us have heard of the phrase “mark of the beast.” This immediately peaks our curiosity and interest just as the cartoonist planned it. He wants us to pay attention, he wants us to know what’s in store if we’re not careful about who we vote for as President or what steps we take as a society to make the right decisions. This barcode is what Alcaraz sees in the future. whether that’s a good thing or bad thing, that’s up to us to decide.
Tone of cartoon:
1: Positive framing of the issue
2: Framing is supportive to supporters
3: Framing is opposed to opponents
What “reality” is constructed/framed about this issue?
The cartoonist is showing us the image he believes will take place for immigrants if Chris Christie becomes president.
Analysis:
Alcaraz uses exaggeration as he shows the image plainly, believing this is what will happen to immigrants, when even Chris Christie in his video didn’t say he’d specifically give immigrants barcodes, Christie mentioned tracking devices, but didn’t specify what kind of tracking devices. (Amato, 8/29/2015). The cartoon is symbolic of what opinions some people, like Christie, might have towards immigrants. What's powerful about this cartoon is it is reminiscent of what was done to the Jews during the Holocaust, making it all the more impactful by making the audience think.
Analysis:
Mckee uses symbolism as he shows the constitution as the centerpiece of his cartoon. We immediately think, “what’s happening to our constitution?” As soon as we realize that our President is placing it on the border as a welcome mat for immigrants, we react a certain way. Mckee also uses analogy as he compares the U.S. Constitution to a welcome mat. (McManus, 2012) Labeling is also used--Mckee labels the U.S. border and also labels the constitution as the "welcome mat" in order to be able to use his analogy.
Parlapiano explains in an article, “President Obama announced on Nov. 20 a series of executive actions to grant up to five million unauthorized immigrants protection from deportation.” (Parlapiano, 11/20/2014) This cartoonist is showing their obvious distaste for the President's decision and feels he is taking a stance in the wrong direction.
(Mckee, 2014)
(Sorensen, 2014)
(Bagley, 2015)
(Alcaraz, 2015)