In her talk Walk in My Shoes: 30 Days and Immigration, Dr. Kristina Campos considers how to foster empathy in a world marked by division. Her Spotlight begins with Morgan Spurlock’s series 30 Days, part documentary and part reality show, that in 2006 took volunteer border-patrolman Frank George and asked him to live for 30 days with a family of illegal Mexican immigrants in East LA. For our purposes, the political discussion of immigration offers an important set of rhetorical positions to consider, to weigh, and to understand.
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Morgan Spurlock, 30 Days Resources
- Season 2: Immigration episode (49 min)
- Life After Film School: Morgan Spurlock (24 min)
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock talks about his career after Super Size Me, socially-relevant independent films, and the way technology is changing the future of film.
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Spotlight Resources
Biography
Dr. Kristina Campos is an assistant professor of communication whose research interests include presidential speeches and immigration rhetoric.
10 responses to “Walk in My Shoes”
(Spoiler alert)
I watched the Immigration episode and found myself really touched by the experience Frank went through. A must watch for anyone who wishes to see humanity at its extremes. To see Frank’s transformation from staunch deport all illegals to wanting to help through legal means is a powerful symbol of how human connection can change the hearts of people, even the most hardened of hearts. I never have been well versed in the debate of illegal immigration enough to have a strong opinion on it, but this documentary helped me to see that everyone is a person first, and that citizenship, race and gender all come after. We all are in this together and we should treat everyone as our own. It’s a difficult thing to do, but when people act as if their neighbor is really is their brother or sister, their whole life changes.
After watching the Immigration episode about Frank and then talking about it again today, I really connected because this summer I went to Lesotho, Africa and the situation there for the Basotho is basically the same as the situation of those people living in poverty in Mexico. It was hard watching the clips again today because it just touches my heart to see people like that suffer for no reason, when it’s not their faults!
In specific response to today’s discussion with Dr. Campos, I struggle with the illegal immigration issue because I generally “straddle the line”. I’m not completely against all immigration(even illegal),but yet I’m also not for all immigration either. I think this week’s topic continues with last week’s of loving people and trying to understand.. because I see both sides of the issues and I see the pros and cons to each person and their struggles. I think the real question is how do we learn to truly LOVE people and care for them in spite of their struggles/situations/shortcomings??
I can definitely relate to Bailey in the fact that it’s a constant struggle of human nature against compassion and empathy. I can almost side with both Frank and the family. On the one hand, there needs to be laws about immigration and how to control it and protect as best we can. But at the same time, the situation with the Gonzalez family is tragic and that’s why there is a need for aid for others in similar situation. We don’t live in a perfect world sadly because we have fallen from his grace. But we need empathy to found relationships and to drive us to be God’s hands and feet as Dr. Kampos said. It goes hand in hand with Dr. Beck’s saying loving the sinner and hating the sin and even farther back to God’s commandment to love one another as Christ loved the church. I don’t think there is a cut and dry question to how we love except for when we submit fully and completely to what God calls us individually to do and He lives through us.
Well said, Joshua! :)
I use to think that “my life could be better” not that anything “bad” was going on in my life, just not being satisfied with what I already had. Sometimes you think you’ve got things going on, but in reality there is a whole another world out there hurting day and night. I’ve been on a couple of missions trip to Mexico and saw the poverty that filled the lives of individuals. I never though had the experience to actually “take a walk in their shoes”.
After though finishing the video in which Frank got to experience what it was like on the other side made something inside of me break down. Thinking that there are plenty of people who are close and narrow minded not worrying about anyone but themselves and thinking their way is the only way. Its hard, but I admit to having such thoughts. I think then of what God does for us daily, by paying the ultimate sacrifice for our sake, so that we are free in Him, and able to show His love to all those around us.
In the end Frank did not change his views concerning illegel immigrants, but saw though what people went through on a daily basis, and I believe learned how to be compassionate toward the Rodriquez family. The family showed Frank that no matter what they loved and took care of each other despite of their views or circumstances. I believe that every person should have that kind of a heart.
I am really blessed to have watched this video, and learning that we were called to look and care for one another, it pleases God.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100927/ap_on_bi_ge/us_immigration_jobs_4
TO ME NO ONE CAN SAY SOME ONE ELSE LIFE IF THEY HAVEN’T LIVE IN THERE SHOES SO WHY TELL SOMEBODY HOW THEY LIVED AND ANOTHER THING ITS BAD HOW PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON IMMIGRANTS I MEAN EVERYONE IS EQUAL THAT’S WHAT I SAY AND FEEL THAT EVERYONE SHOULD TREAT ONE ANOTHER THE SAME AS HOW THEY WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED. D.BROWN
the video ”30days” remind me one news in my country. the news was about illegal immigrants family. they have 2 kids. the kids were born in Japan, so they were not illegal. but their parents were illegal. the government didn’t allow them to stay in japan. as a result, they went back to their country, and their kids are living in japan today.
lows are suppose to protect people, but sometimes lows hurt people. I think most of immigrants have reason. some of them have no choice but being immigrants so that they can live. this is a sad fact, but i think these kind of problems will be more obvious because the world is getting complicated..
the 30 days videos makes you think a lot . if i was put in that situation i really wouldnt want to send the immigrants home, because they are hard working and they do jobs that we wouldn’t want to do, and they also contribute to society which is a good thing.The immigrants came here because they did not have a choice.
Even they are just Mexican immigrants, i think they came to America to change something. That may mean there is something wrong in Mexico. I think America has to help them.