My paradigm shift essay centered on immigration and how views on certain immigrants have evolved throughout the century. Early on, all immigrants were discriminated against due to the simple fact of them being immigrants and outsiders, however society has evolved to where there is an acceptance of white or European immigrants. Minorities and people of color who immigrate to the United States are treated as criminals and are falsely accused of being the ones to blame for many issues in our country (unemployment rates, economic downfalls, etc.) For this TED Talk, I want to convince viewers to look past the politics behind the immigration debates, and instead focus on the families that are hurting and the positive impact that immigration can have on our nation.
Topic: Systemic racism within our immigration system
Purpose: To analyze the benefits of immigration so that viewers can understand why it is needed and how to eradicate misinformation and racism within immigration debates.
Thesis: Debates on immigration have long been plaguing our society with misinformation and callous efforts to discriminate against only immigrants of color; because of this, it is crucial for people to understand that immigrants are essential for overall growth because immigrants are the reason why our nation is so strong.
Introduction: In order to convey the importance of immigrants to my audience, I want to start off with a lesson that was taught to most American students in history class: the transcontinental railroad. This lesson was emphasized as a great American feat, however the underlying notion behind it is that this accomplishment was entirely due to the work of immigrants. Expanding on this, many of the undesirable jobs we see today are occupied by migrant workers who are willing to take on the jobs most Americans do not want in order for them to survive. Highlighting this in the beginning will hopefully help the viewer understand that immigrants truly did build this nation.
Body:
- History behind immigrants
- What have they contributed to our nation
- What are the benefits of immigrants being in this country
- How has their role/acceptance evolved
- Systemic racism in our immigration system
- Issues with the Mexico border
- Mistreatment throughout the Trump presidency
- Specific bans during the pandemic
- How does this mirror historical events?
- Acceptance of white immigrants
- Solutions
- Why should immigration policies be in effect?
- How lenient should they be?
- What do immigrants have to offer?
- What are the economic, social, and political benefits?
I really appreciate that you’ve chosen to target this topic, I think xenophobia is a huge issue in our country that we don’t talk about enough. For a nation established and sustained by immigrants, it will be very interesting to discuss why we have suddenly shifted to this perspective of hatred. Your chosen points of discussion for the body of the talk are all excellent supporting points for understanding your argument. Another point you could consider talking about is the attacks on 9/11 and how people have used it to justify islamophobia. Does this have a personal connection to you and your life? What makes you passionate about this issue? I think your outline covers the subject well and it sounds like a great plan for the talk!