Conservative group tries to reduce immigration to a game of Capture The Flag
Dan Brawner
April 24, 2007
As part of its Conservative Coming Out Week, University of Iowa’s College Republicans organization planned a symbolic game of Capture The Flag” with one side as “illegals” and the other side playing the boarder patrol.
Chairman of the College Republicans, Greg Baker received 150 outraged emails characterizing the exercise as racist and demanding its cancellation. Baker called off the game, saying, “...we did not want to make this about an idea of race or anything against Mexicans.”
Baker seemed surprised that his symbolic hunting and jailing of undocumented immigrants might be taken the wrong way. He claims he was only trying to draw attention to the problem of protecting the US boarder. On the College Republican Web site, Baker argues that every other week on Iowa’s “very liberal” campus is devoted to liberal causes and he wanted one week to highlight conservative issues.
Capture The Flag is a kid’s game in which one side slips through enemy territory to take their flag and win. It’s a simple, fun game. Lots of running and excitement. Capture The Flag is the simplest peaceful expression of tribalism – US verses THEM. The rules are etched on our DNA. Our clan must survive and any clan that threatens us is toast.
You have to sympathize with Baker’s position. He was trying to identify his clan and tell them how they could beat the other side. The metaphor he chose to symbolize the complex issue of immigration was a game of Capture The Flag. But sometimes the distinction between play and reality becomes blurred and suddenly the players are going for blood. What starts out as Capture The Flag might turn into Kick the Cans– MexiCans, AfriCans, Puerto RiCans. Before you know, you’ve got a race war on your hands.
Immigration is a complex issue because it involves real people–not “illegals” or “aliens”. The US is struggling with this complexity. In Marshalltown, Iowa, on December 12, federal officials raided the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant, arresting 1,200 undocumented workers. The raid sent shockwaves through the town of 27,000, temporarily closed the plant and left the population of 6,000 Hispanics to spend their Christmas in fear.
Republicans are leading an effort to restrict our boarders. Recently, a bill was signed into law, authorizing 700 miles of new fence along the boarder with Mexico. But businesses like Swift & Co. are demanding cheap labor from Mexico. Neither political party appears ready to own this issue.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress are in gridlock these days, each unable to agree on anything or accomplish anything for fear of making concessions to the other side. Primal urges of tribalism are keeping them from seeing what’s best for the country–instead of who’s got the flag.
Chairman of the College Republicans, Greg Baker received 150 outraged emails characterizing the exercise as racist and demanding its cancellation. Baker called off the game, saying, “...we did not want to make this about an idea of race or anything against Mexicans.”
Baker seemed surprised that his symbolic hunting and jailing of undocumented immigrants might be taken the wrong way. He claims he was only trying to draw attention to the problem of protecting the US boarder. On the College Republican Web site, Baker argues that every other week on Iowa’s “very liberal” campus is devoted to liberal causes and he wanted one week to highlight conservative issues.
Capture The Flag is a kid’s game in which one side slips through enemy territory to take their flag and win. It’s a simple, fun game. Lots of running and excitement. Capture The Flag is the simplest peaceful expression of tribalism – US verses THEM. The rules are etched on our DNA. Our clan must survive and any clan that threatens us is toast.
You have to sympathize with Baker’s position. He was trying to identify his clan and tell them how they could beat the other side. The metaphor he chose to symbolize the complex issue of immigration was a game of Capture The Flag. But sometimes the distinction between play and reality becomes blurred and suddenly the players are going for blood. What starts out as Capture The Flag might turn into Kick the Cans– MexiCans, AfriCans, Puerto RiCans. Before you know, you’ve got a race war on your hands.
Immigration is a complex issue because it involves real people–not “illegals” or “aliens”. The US is struggling with this complexity. In Marshalltown, Iowa, on December 12, federal officials raided the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant, arresting 1,200 undocumented workers. The raid sent shockwaves through the town of 27,000, temporarily closed the plant and left the population of 6,000 Hispanics to spend their Christmas in fear.
Republicans are leading an effort to restrict our boarders. Recently, a bill was signed into law, authorizing 700 miles of new fence along the boarder with Mexico. But businesses like Swift & Co. are demanding cheap labor from Mexico. Neither political party appears ready to own this issue.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress are in gridlock these days, each unable to agree on anything or accomplish anything for fear of making concessions to the other side. Primal urges of tribalism are keeping them from seeing what’s best for the country–instead of who’s got the flag.
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