Media Dogs 2010: Cartoons and Coding

Cartoon #1: "Alabama Immigration Law"

Publication: www.caglecartoons.com, 2011

Cartoonist: Monte Wolverton

1. Positive or negative framing of undocumented immigrants: Postive

2. Positive or negative framing about immigration policies: Negative

What reality is constructed/framed about immigration/immigrants?

This cartoon is based on Alabama's immigration law (HB56) and is comparing it to Nazi Germany's Holocaust. The artist is trying to show that the racial profiling that HB56 explicitly promotes is exactly how Nazi Germany profiled Jewish families, simply from assumptions and physical features that stand out. This cartoon ironic because the SS officer (Governor of Alabama) is ordering them into the boxcar and taking them for a ride, but HB56 strictly prohibits providing any transportation to undocumented immigrants.

Cartoon #2: "Jim Crow Immigration Law"

Publication: www.otherwords.org, 2011

Cartoonist: Khalil Bendib

1. Positive or negative framing of undocumented immigrants: Postive

2. Positive or negative framing about immigration policies: Negative

What reality is constructed/framed about immigration/immigrants?
The author of this cartoon is comparing the Jim Crow laws of the 1960's to Alabama's adopted immigration bill. In the 1960's Jim Crow Law's (Separate but Equal) were created to separate whites and blacks from public institutions. Alabama's new bill prohibits illegal aliens from applying or being admitted to secondary education (college) institutions. Although the author does make a great comparison to the Jim Crow Laws this comic is really only showing half the truth. According to HB 56, its does not specify that illegal aliens cannot attend public schools such as high school or elementary but it's the administration's duty to check the citizen status of both parents. Past Supreme Courts have ruled that a child has the right to a public education no matter their immigration status. Although majority of HB 56 is still in effect, denied access to free public education has been over ridden.

Cartoon #3: Alabama Immigration Law 1

Publication: www.Politicalcartoons.com, 2011

Cartoonist: J.D. Crowe

1. Positive or negative framing of undocumented immigrants: Postive

2. Positive or negative framing about immigration policies: Negative

What reality is constructed/framed about immigration/immigrants?
The author of this cartoon is responding to the strict punishments of aiding an undocumented alien. It is a felony in the state of Alabama to aid an undocumented alien if you know that they are undocumented. The author is making the argument that inalienable rights always take seniority over any state or federal law in the United States. The right to life for this person in the cartoon (undocumented or not) is being taken away by the state of Alabama.

Cartoon #4: Alabama Immigration Law 2

Publication: www.Politicalcartoons.com, 2011

Cartoonist: J.D. Crowe

1. Positive or negative framing of undocumented immigrants: Postive

2. Positive or negative framing about immigration policies: Negative

What reality is constructed/framed about immigration/immigrants?

The author of this cartoon is referring to Section 12 of HB56. According to Section 12, Law enforcement has the right to determine the immigration status of an individual if they are under the suspicion that they are in the country illegally. The author is framing the image that a police officer can just come up to an individual and ask them if they are legal or not. According to the law, an individual must cause an infraction in order to be questioned about their citizenship. Immigrants are required to carry visas and other legal documents in order to show their residency. Unlike Arizona's law where they just need to show a driver's license.

Cartoon #5: Immigration Law: Alabama Brownout

Publication: www.editorialcartoons.com, 2011

Cartoonist: J.D. Crowe

1. Positive or negative framing of undocumented immigrants: Postive

2. Positive or negative framing about immigration policies: Negative

What reality is constructed/framed about immigration/immigrants?
In this cartoon Crowe again tries to reinforce the fact that the Alabama HB56 Law is enforced based on appearances of individuals. The author of the cartoon is framing that people with darker skin color (or people who are not pasty white) will be questioned about their citizenship starting Labor Day weekend when the bill was passed into a law.

Cartoons in 2010 based on Arizona's SB1070