The Covering of Individual Selves in Mainstream Society
Kenji Yoshino is the Chief Just Earl Warren professor of Constitutional Law at New York University, who wrote Covering, that provides an analysis on society's views on race and sexuality. He proposes a new civil rights for America, he says “We must instead build a new civil rights paradigm on what draws us together rather than on what drives us apart” (553). Yoshino explains how he covered himself, which means that he had to express a false self in order to fit with the mainstream society. He hid his homosexuality until he believed that it was safe to do so, yet homosexuality is not accepted by many. He explains how it is “a necessity of social life” (552). All of which, explains how…show more content… Well, through personal experience I have witnessed situations that boiled down in two things. Deportation and the fact of splitting families are two key problems that persuade these immigrants into hiding in the shadows. Immigrants such as Mexicans, Indians, Chinese, and the Philippines, stand by of fear for their lives and for their families. This is a perfect anecdote in comparison with Yoshino’s quick reference to “the closet” (559). Referring to homosexuals hiding their homosexuality from society and keeping it to themselves. The homosexuals hide under fear that they do not know how society will welcome them, unlike the immigrants, they know exactly what will happen and fear deportation. All in which these two groups of people fear society and hide their true selves creating “a secret life”…show more content… These agencies will find these immigrants in vulnerable situations. Federal law enforcement have the ability to raid the worksite, home and anything in between. By personal experience, I have witnessed worksite raids due to the fact that my neighborhood is next to heavy factory populated area. It is quite common that the occurrences happen. It is not a surprise that the next day, my sister comes frightened from school fearing that my mom would be next, after her friends tell her about what is going on. With that said, at state level, such as the Arizona SB 1070 in 2010, in which enabled law enforcement to ask for immigration status rose the concern of racial profiling, but soon was modified and renamed to Arizona HB 2162. Moreover, this was an attack towards immigrants in the United States after nation-wide recognition, which was against civil rights of the people. This law passed in Arizona triggered other states in attempting the same technique, while some failed, some succeeded. These have been examples of attacks against the immigrant population, regardless if they moved here illegally or not, in which triggered them to hide in the shadows. All while their civil rights were