Who What When Where Why
“What was his story? Why did he think it was okay to grab me like that? Did it make him feel good? Feel better, stronger? Superior? What was going through his mind when he decided that his hand should land on my shoulder? What else did he want to say? What else did he want to do?”
Quote
Excerpt From
Dear America: Young Readers’ Edition
Jose Antonio Vargas
https://books.apple.com/us/book/dear-america-young-readers-edition/id1434290660
This material may be protected by copyright.
Who: Jose
What Happened? Jose was grabbed by a white passenger who called him an illegal and gave him a hard time about being in first class
Why: the passenger was unhappy about Jose being undocumented
Where: on a plane in Tampa
When: after posting his essay online (and coming out as undocumented)
All immigrants are criminals.
(False dilemma? Bandwagon? Hasty generalization?)
Hasty Generalization
José argues that real change requires people to choose this over staying comfortable.
Courage
What is one of the main messages of
Dear America: The Story of an Undocumented Citizen
A. Everyone has the exact same opportunities in life.
B. People should always keep difficult secrets to themselves.
C. Immigration is simple and easy to understand.
D. Every person has a story, and empathy can help us better understand one another.
D. Every person has a story, and empathy can help us better understand one another.
Which statement is the lie?
A. I grew up in the Philippines with my grandparents before coming to the United States.
B. My mother sent me to America because she hoped I would have more opportunities.
C. I always knew I was undocumented from the day I arrived in the United States.
D. I believed my move to America was the beginning of a better future.
C. I always knew I was undocumented from the day I arrived in the United States. ❌ (Lie)
“You’ve broken the laws of this country! Don’t bind legal with illegal. We are different. We are not you.”
Who: A woman who immigrated to the US from India
What is happening? She is confronting Jose about the difference between him and her (illegal v legal)
Where: MIT
When: during Jose’s public speaking event
Why: She was upset that Jose was in the country because he had not entered the same way she had.
My grandparents immigrated legally, so everyone else should be able to do the same. (Slippery slope? False analogy? False dilemma?)
False analogy
Publishing his story meant Jose risked losing what?
His career, personal safety, reputation, ability to live in the US
Philippines was colonized by which country?
A) Asia
B) England
C) India
D) Spain
D) Spain
Which statement is the lie?
A. I discovered I was undocumented when I tried to get my driver’s license.
B. Learning the truth about my immigration status left me shocked and confused.
C. After learning the truth, I immediately returned to the Philippines.
D. I worried about what my future would look like.
C. After learning the truth, I immediately returned to the Philippines. ❌ (Lie)
“If you wanted to get a job, if you wanted to have a life, if you wanted to exist as a human being, what would you have done?”
(Chapter 13)
Who: Jose
What: Jose is applying for a job and thinking about which box he should choose regarding his immigration status. He chooses to lie. He is also reflecting on what it means to “earn” US citizenship.
When: spring 2000 after graduating from high school
Where: in a small conference room on the third floor of the San Francisco Chronicle building
Why: He wants the job. He wants independence from his grandparents and mother. He knows he is lying but he believes somehow he will earn his box (earn citizenship).
You can’t call yourself patriotic if you support undocumented immigrants.
(False cause? Bandwagon? False dilemma?)
False dilemma
This emotion often kept Jose silent before he shared his story.
Fear
How old was Jose Antonio Vargas when his mother sent him to live with his grandparents in the United States?
A) 8 years old
B) 10 years old
C) 12 years old
D) 15 years old
c) 12 years old
Which statement is the lie?
A. I loved writing and became a journalist.
B. I worked hard because I wanted to prove myself.
C. I won awards for my journalism.
D. I never had to worry that people might discover I was undocumented.
D. I never had to worry that people might discover I was undocumented. ❌ (Lie)
“This is fake. Don’t come back here again.”
Who: the woman working at the DMV
What: was referring to Jose’s green card and passport
Where: the department of motor vehicles
When: Jose was 16
Why: she could not allow Jose to get a drivers license without proper documentation
If we allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the US, crime will increase.
(Slippery slope? Bandwagon? False dilemma?)
imost commonly an example of the slippery slope fallacy, especially if no evidence is provided to support the predicted chain of events.
Why?
The argument assumes that one action (allowing undocumented immigrants to remain) will inevitably lead to a negative consequence (more crime) without demonstrating a causal connection.
It can also overlap with:
Jose showed courage instead of comfort when he did what?
Announced publicly he was undocumented
Why did José Antonio Vargas come to the United States?
A. He wanted to attend an American college.
B. His grandparents brought him on vacation.
C. His mother sent him to live with his grandparents for a better future.
D. His family moved together for a new job.
C. His mother sent him to live with his grandparents for a better future.
Which statement is the lie?
A. Sharing my story was an act of courage.
B. I hoped my story would help people better understand undocumented immigrants.
C. I wanted readers to see undocumented people as human beings, not just political issues.
D. After sharing my story, every person in America immediately agreed with me.
D. After sharing my story, every person in America immediately agreed with me. ❌ (Lie)
Why did José decide to become a journalist?
A. He wanted to become famous.
B. He enjoyed writing and wanted to uncover and share the truth.
C. His grandparents told him he had to.
D. It was the easiest job for him to get.
B. He enjoyed writing and wanted to uncover and share the truth.