America today has experienced a great deal of positive impact done by people who are rather considered as rebels. These are the people who have gone their way against mainstream American norms. They have expressed their views independently. This has caused a big rift between them and the people who are conservative and do not heed on new happenings that are against the way society is used to operate. The society deals with these rebels in the story in a similar manner in America today. The walkers were running from a harsh life in their home country of Mexico. Their wages were very low to sustain a family. Mendes worked in legitimately at a factory in Nogales, Sonora where he made tiles. The wages were very low to sustain his family a factor that pushed him to smuggling business (Urrea 70). Though this was not the only way he could sustain his life, it shows the challenges faced by people in Mexico that pushed the walkers to take the deadly risk. Nobody realizes the challenges they face until they made the deadly move. The survivors are met with harsh reactions by police who interrogate them at the hospital. Urea says "cops did not scare anybody" (Urrea 185). They (police) flex, grunt and talk tough to the walkers in a bid to intimidate them. This shows how America society has been harsh on people who go against the mainstream American norms. At the end of the story, the walkers are seen as heroes and are welcomed in America. The America society does not consider the challenges one has gone through that might have pushed them to the decision. In America today, Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49 ers quarterback, in the year 2016, knelt during the playing of the national anthem in protest of oppression of black people and people of color by the state (Wyche, Steve 3). This was seen as an unpatriotic act and it led to the dismissal of Kaepernick from the NFL. This clearly shows American society intolerance towards people who rebel. They do not consider circumstances that lead to their disapproval of the norms. When the athlete protested the dismissal, United States President dismissed it as pet issue in disapproval. Secondly, there is the use of symbolism to convey a message. Collins is seen as a man who influences positive impact and gets admired people who support him. Amy Tan's book, Fish Cheeks, the miniskirt is used to symbolize understanding of inner self. Tan wears it goes against the popular belief by the Chinese community (Tan, Amy 23). This got her admired by her people and far beyond. She gets accepted in American society. Setting portrays a similar move as the ones experienced in the America Today. Colins Kaerpeniick kneeling during the singing of national anthems show dissatisfaction and rebellion against mistreatment of blacks by police. This is aimed at reaching a goal of the players being heard and their grievances being meant through respect for blacks and people of color (Lipsyte, Robert 4). The setting becomes clear as other players join him in support as many more players kneel during the national anthem and there is further victimization of Collins. This attracts the attention of the President and he even tweets about it in disapproval. He advises Collins to look for another country if he feels dissatisfied by the United States.
Characters in the story share similar characteristics with America today. They show resilience in advance for what they believe in. They are pushed for the desire to change a life that they are ready to face everything that comes there way. This is a big show of strength as they have to meet resistance because what they are pursuing is against what it has been existing. Urrea says that experts could not give a definitive schedule to doom (120). The writer shows that walkers were ready to face all the challenges that were there to be met. They could never plan enough to ensure their safety was guaranteed. However, they continued with their journey even when they felt like they were lost. This determination kept them strong in the desert even when some lost their loved ones. Jose Antonio Bautista says," with enchantments and deceptions, they led us" (Urrea 145). This shows how walkers were furious with their leaders Mendes but there was little they could do. At the end of the story, the walkers appear victorious when they are rescued and treated at American hospitals. The bodies of those who lost their lives in the desert are flowed to Mexico and escorted by Mexican leader. Colins Kaepernick kneels during the singing of national anthem. When asked by a journalist why he did so, he answers that he cannot stand for a flag that oppresses black people and people of color. He further elaborates that if rights of blacks are respected, he has no issues standing. He gets furious with the media for calling those who protested the oppression of blacks by police through sitting during the national anthem as "anthem protestors". This term demeaned the cause of rebellion as Collins and his supporters were not entirely against the anthem but they wanted to pass a message. His actions bore fruits and get the attention of the entire nation. President Trump tweets about it though in disapproval. Actions of Collins makes him admired and seen as a hero for standing for what he believes in. Though he is dismissed from NPL, he battles the dismissal in court showing his aggression and fighting spirit for what he believes in. He is seen as a hero in athlete activism. He was presented with Muhammad Ali legacy award in 2017 by Beyoncé. The former quarterback formed Players Coalition that has promoted players interests. Kaepernick appears in the cover of Time magazine with the headline The Perilous Fight.
Symbols are used to show a bigger picture as symbols in the modern world. Tan gets fascinated by American boy Roberts that she focuses it all to get his attention. She is determined to attract him that she changes a number of normal things in her Chinese to a point that she almost forgets about herself. Noticing that, her mother gives her a gift that depicts a bigger picture and message that keeps her grounded on her Chinese culture. She advised her to follow her America way but still maintain her Chinese in her (Tan 2). The skirt is used to symbolize a change in adaptation. The skirt used to express herself through fashion while being careful not to her Chinese traditions. This rebellion makes her popular in America and she gets accepted in America as she becomes a renowned American writer ( Tan 2003). In America today, symbolism can be seen through kneeling of Colins Kaepernick is a symbol to show displeasure with the state on how it treats blacks and people of color. The actions are not against patriotism but are basically used to pass a message. The kneeling gets recognized as a way of communicating displeasure. The symbolism is used across the country during football games. The gestures make optimal goal where the actions become a matter of national discussion. Kaepernick gets admired and wins several awards including Muhammad Ali’s legacy award (Lipsyte, Robert 7). He later resigns from football and becomes a free agent. As a free agent, Collins continues with the fight for justice for blacks a factor that makes him an icon in athlete activism.
Setting in the story are similar to those in real America Today as they employ similar tactics to counter the people who rebel the mainstream norms. When walkers are being treated at the treated at hospital, police who are interrogating them talk tough on them to intimidate them. They flex and grunt in a way to threaten the walkers. There incidences where the walkers had to change direction in order to avoid border patrols. This show the challenges and difficulties rebels have to meet. America today does all it can to prevent and maintain mainstream norms regardless of the consequences the actions have on the rebels. Death of 14 of walkers whom media refers as Yumi 14 is a clear indication of how society treats rebels. However, after making it through the border, walkers get accepted and celebrated as heroes. "He was the first Mexican Chief of Migratory Affairs. The men looked up at him as he was photographed talking to him. He told them they are heroes" (Urrea 194). This show the walkers received admiration after making it through though they had faced resistance before. In America today, actions Colins Kaerpenick of sitting and later kneeling during national anthem gets instant disapproval from NPL management to President Donald Trump, who at the time was vying for the presidency. Some media section dispute supporters of Collins as "anthem protestors". Some players who later follow suit of kneeling during the anthem are dismissed from their teams and schools. However, this does not work in any way to discourage or break the spirit of Kaepernick who is later going to ignore invitation by Donald Trump in the Whitehouse. This resilience and rebellion make him gather supporters who demonstrate outside headquarters of NPL in New York. He wins several awards for his cause and further forms a foundation to support the rights of black people. He contributes sizeable amounts of money to the cause. This shows how adversity can go a long way to achieving ones set goals no matter the challenges faced (Turkewitz, J 5).
Rebels use rebellion as a way of communicating a point they feel society is going against. Rebellions are not aimed at hurting society norms nor does they work to disapprove beliefs of others. Rebels are often admired by the community and are treated with respect and admiration. Their rebellion is often for the better. Colins Kaerpenick uses kneeling during the national anthem as a way of expressing displeasure with the victimization of black and people of color by police. His actions face resistance at first but eventually, he gets an audience from family members to players and the president himself. This greatly shows that rebellion is not entirely harmful to the ways of the society but can be used to mean good to the society and even to those who are opposed to it. The stories much relate to America Today showing how rebellion has been treated over the years. Though it is faced with challenges at the start, rebels’ gets admiration later from society.
References
1.Urrea, Luis Alberto. The devil's highway: A true story. Back Bay Books, 2008.
2. Tan, Amy. "Fish Cheeks." The Brief Bedford Reader (2003).
3. Turkewitz, J. "Protest started by Colin Kaepernick spreads to high school students." New York Times (2016).
4. Wyche, Steve. "Colin Kaepernick explains why he sat during the national anthem." NFL. com 27 (2016).
5. Lipsyte, Robert. Sportsworld: An American Dreamland. Rutgers University Press, 2018.
