by Luis Alvarez
I came across an interview with Manuel Vazquez by Bill Moyers, done a couple of months ago, on the issue of immigration. It’s an intelligent discussion on the sociological realities that too often are not considered in this ongoing debate. Vazquez states, "This whole concept of illegality again is really problematic because it really
doesn’t go to the complexities of the situation."
Among the rich points that Vazquez presents, is the reality of the cognitive dissonance that mainstream Americans experience with respect to this issue and the overlooked contributions that these immigrants make to the fabric of America. He makes a critical point on how the present American economic and global realities play a part in the development of certain view.
Manuel Vásquez, born in El Salvador, is an associate professor of sociology and
religion at the University of Florida in Gainesville, specializing in the ways
in which Latino immigration affects American communities.His recent publications include GLOBALIZING THE SACRED: RELIGION ACROSS THE
AMERICAS (Rutgers University Press, 2003), which he co-authored with Marie
Friedmann Marquardt, and IMMIGRANT FAITHS: TRANSFORMING RELIGIOUS LIFE IN
AMERICA (AltaMira 2005), co-edited with Karen Leonard, Alex Stepick, and
Jennifer Holdaway.
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