Know Your Enemy.
I enjoyed this cartoon because upon it presents a reality that many anti-illegal immigrants are oblivious of. They believe themselves to be patriotic, however they would certainly be surprised to be compared to the Ku Klux Klan. However the KKK upholds that America is for white people, and detest the thought of anyone from other countries enter the U.S. This is exactly what the protester conveys with his poster and propaganda against undocumented workers.
We can see there is Selective Perception in this cartoon in that what one person may see (the protester) for some can be compared to something different (the KKK member) it'll all just a matter of perspective and perception. Cultivation is also at work here as most associate the KKK with socially unacceptable actions and view them negatively, and this is something we would not appreciate being compared to; hence the surprised look upon the protester's face.
-SM
Avocado Trees (and illegal immigrants)
One irony in this cartoon was that illegal immigrants, like avocado trees, are not native to the United States. The United States usually prides itself on being an immigrant country, however in the case of Undocumented Mexicans, many Americans are highly opposed to these immigrants.
Upon further research the real irony in this cartoon is that one would find the ambrosia beetle is native to Asia, and therefore has nothing to do with Mexican illegal immigrants. This shows that Americans are ignorant when blaming Mexicans for everything, whether it's illnesses, bad economies, job loss, or in this case... asian Ambrosia beetles.
This cartoon seems to employ the Cultivation Effect in that this (angry) individual may have the predisposition to attach negative impressions to undocumented workers. As he sees more and more negative impressions associated with undocumented workers he may simply assume that all negative things that occur are a result of these undocumented workers, which of course is not the case.
-SM
The Original Illegals
This cartoon aims to entertain the viewer with irony. Irony can be shown in this cartoon by observing that the Native Americans feel the need to build a wall because "too many of us [pilgrims] enter illegally and won't learn the language or assimilate into their culture..." and today we "Americans" feel the need to build a wall to keep Mexicans out of the United States. America (as we know it) was founded by immigrants from almost every nation around the world, and yet many Americans cringe at the idea that Caucasians may not always be the dominant majority in the U.S.
It is difficult to attach a Media Theory to this cartoon because it lacks the qualities of Gatekeeping and framing, and it does not include perception either. Honestly I can't put a finger on exactly which theory ought to be applied here.
-SM
This cartoon uses a particular word choice to frame the immigration issue. Using "undocumented workers" to refer to to early European immigrants puts the comparison of early immigrants and today's immigration issues in a familiar light to us. we all revere the Pilgrims of the 17th century, but we may look at today's immigration issue much differently
Immigrants are portrayed positively in this cartoon simply because they have to suffer the negative portrayal of immigration policy. The cartoonist criticizes US immigration policy by using irony, showing that the “Land of the Free” isn’t as free as traditional American ideology suggests. It seems that the only “freedom” is enjoyed by the people lucky enough to already be in the country (which is another source of irony as the majority of the US population is not Native American, the people who really were here first).
The artist shows a bias of selective perception: Americans tend to have a strong sense of freedom and concern for individual rights, which is why many- liberals and democrats especially- view the frequent discrimination against immigrants as hypocritical of our country’s values. A cartoonist with a conservative/republican background may see it differently (not to say that all conservatives are against immigration).
-LM
