Two Examples of Homeland Security Issues in the USA in Art or Popular Culture Task
La Bestia by The Simpsons is a song that is likened to the customary Mexican folk songs, the “corridos.” It tells of a narrative of the “Beast from the South,” a despicable train of death that is used by migrants aiming to get into the United States of America (Barkham, 2020). In Central America, the song is played in over 20 radio stations. But, what the public does not know is that a US Advertising Agency wrote the song to support the anti-immigrant campaign of the US Customs and Border Control Protection that aims to stop immigration from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador (Barkham, 2020).
As part of the border security issue, the song hints at the problem of loss of lives of the immigrants resulting from trying to cross into the USA illegally. In 1998, the US Border Patrol made an official announcement to inform prospective immigrants of the dangers that could result from crossing the border illegally (Barkham, 2020). One line in the song indicates that the train from the South is an almost sure way to death by suggesting that using this train is like tying a rope around one’s neck in the sun. This line symbolizes the kind of fatality that befalls most immigrants aiming to get into the USA illegally. The beasty expression seeks to instill fear among people by citing that death is almost a certainty when they engage in illegal immigration ventures. The extreme effect of wanting to cross into the USA illegally is the central theme of the song perpetuated by the increased possibility of death as a way to keep prospective immigrants from crossing into the USA illegally.
“No Trespassing” artwork by Lance Headlee is an example of art that highlights the subject of border security as championed by US Homeland Security. “No Trespassing” is a colorful acrylic painting on canvas with apparent traces of colors from the US national flag. The main character in the painting is a man depicted as a cowboy, standing his eyes hooded with a big pistol in one hand and the American flag in the other (Admin, 2012). Even though the piece is sold as a beautiful piece of pop culture, the artwork drives a big point home on the matter of controlling border security.
From the painting, it is evident that the cowboy symbolizes the protective role of the United States. The artwork can be described as a way of telling people that the US border will always be protected at all costs. The pistol on hand signifies the readiness of the United States to apply lethal force in securing its borders (Admin, 2012). The flag held in the man’s hands signifies the solidarity that is required from every individual that calls America his or her country to support the border security initiatives. The man’s posture captures readiness to take offence at anything that goes up against him. With only the visual expression, the painting manages to communicate the stance held by the US Department of Homeland Security in its effort to maintain border security.
References
Barkham, P. (. (2014, July 16). La Bestia: The Hit Song The US Border Agency Made To Scare Off Immigrants. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2014/jul/16/la-bestia-song-commissioned-us-border-control-stop-immigration
Lance Headlee Gallery
. Admin. (2012, October 18).Retrieved from https://lanceheadlee.com/tag/no-trespassing/