Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• Susanne Hanssum, Anne-Christin Schubert, Sylvia
  Albers

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Immigration
Two concepts
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What is assimilation?
C.R. Nagel politics of sameness Becoming one
of us
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Is assimilation desirable?
Orlando Patterson American culture is too
desirable and seduces all who immigrate. It is
becoming the core of global culture. The main
danger is that American culture is too successful.
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Is assimilation desirable?
Peter Skerry People assimilate to the wrong
things. 2nd generation is often over
conservative Lawrence H. Fuchs Immigrants more
patriotic than natives (Viva el rojo, blanco e
asul!)
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Is assimilation desirable?
John Fonte People assimilate not to American
culture, but to the ideology of multiculturalism.
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Is assimilation desirable?
Fuchs paraphrasing Skerry Dont be so
enthusiastic in you desire to assimilate
immigrants. You may get what you want!
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seasoning
Mark Krikorian First settlers surviving the
first winter. Now filing a tax return, opening
a bank account, enrolling ones children in
school, etc.
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What turns immigrants into Americans?
Salins (according to Skerry) Accept English as
the national language Adopt Protestant work
ethic (self-reliant, hardworking, morally
upright) Take pride in their American identity
and believe in Americas liberal democratic and
egalitarian principles
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What turns immigrants into Americans?
Skerry Intermarriage Bauer et
alii Immigrants coming with career goals are
more successful than those with family or
political reasons.
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Americanization

• Mark Krikorian with reference to Judaism
• New Americans were present in spirit at the
  defining events of the nations history
• Declaration of Independence
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Raising of the flag on Iwo Jima

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• Governor of California
• 2003
• Marrying Maria Shriver
• 
  1986
• Receiving US citizenship 1983
• 
  Success in Hollywood,
  Mr. Universe 1967 Mr. Olympia
  1970
• Munich
• 
  Bodybuilding,
• 
  Mr. Europe,
• 
  Stuttgart
• A Boy with a dream,
• Thal/Austria

Founding his own gym,
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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• Did Schwarzenegger become American? Or did he
  just move to America?

U. S. A.
Officially being American
Stating that he has always been American in
his mind
(Does somebody who feels American have ''the
right'' to be American?)
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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• IN GENERAL
• ''Wie eine Schlange, die sich immer wieder
  häutet, legt auch Arnold Schwarzenegger immer
  wieder seine 'alte Haut' ab und transformiert
  seine Persönlichkeit, indem er sich neue Ziele
  steckt. An seinem Lebenslauf können wir das sehr
  gut nachvollziehen Stets hat er sich von der
  'alten Haut' getrennt, um sich an einer neuen zu
  versuchen Gewichtheber Bodybuilder Studium
  USA Filmkarriere politische Karriere.''
  (http//www.numerologie.at/Namensanalyse20Arnold
  20Schwarzenegger.htm)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of
Americanization

• IN GENERAL
• ''Arnold Schwarzenegger arbeitet sein Leben ab
  wie einen Fitnessplan.'' (Die Macht
  der Oberarme, Der Spiegel 41/2003, Reader p. 18)
  
• ''My first goal was to win Mr. Austria.''
  (The Education of a Bodybuilder, p.
  22)
• ''I had two immediate goals. I was going to win
  Mr. Europe and I was going to compete in a Mr.
  Universe contest.'' (The
  Education of a Bodybuilder, p. 44)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• THE BEGINNINGS
• ''But what will you do with all these muscles
  once you've got them? - I want
  to be the best-built man in the world, ...Then
  I want to go to America and be in movies. I want
  to be an actor. -
  America? - Yes
  America.'' (The Education of a
  Bodybuilder, p. 19)
• ''I'd always had a claustrophobic feeling about
  Austria. ... It wouldn't allow me to expand.
  There seemed never to be enough space. Even
  people's ideas were small.'' (The Education
  of a Bodybuilder, p. 34)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• THE BEGINNINGS
• ''My biggest dream had always been to go to
  America and train with the American bodybuilders.
  I wanted to learn from them, to get more
  information and ultimately to beat them.
  ... I was convinced that the answers were in
  America.'' (The Education of a
  Bodybuilder, p. 91)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• FROM TODAY'S POSITION
• ''As you know, I'm an immigrant. I came over here
  as an immigrant, and what gave me the
  opportunities, what made me to be here today, is
  the open arms of Americans. I've been received.
  I've been adopted by America.''
  (http//en.thinkexist.com/quotes/arnold_schwarze
  negger)
• ''There is no place, no country, more
  compassionate more generous more accepting and
  more welcoming than the United States of
  America.'' (http//en.thinkexist.com/quotes/arno
  ld_schwarzenegger)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• FROM TODAYS POSITION
• ''In this country it doesn't make any difference
  where you were born. It doesn't make any
  difference who your parents were. It doesn't make
  any difference if, like me, you couldn't speak
  English until you were in your twenties.''
  (http//en.thinkexist.com/quotes/arnol
  d_schwarzenegger)

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• Schwarzenegger has fulfilled all demands to be
  best assimilated in the United States
• He learned the language (though still using his
  accent for his image)
• He accepted America's principles
• He took pride in American identity
• He inter-married (one of the best ways of
  assimilation)
• He had very clear goals and expectations of what
  he wanted to reach

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Schwarzenegger and the process of Americanization

• Today, Schwarzenegger shows several
  characteristics that are typical for US
  immigrants
• - kind of over-American
• - He tends to be more patriotic than most born
  Americans

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Bad news for immigrants?

• How does the governor deal with immigrant issues?

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Illegal immigrants in California

• The United States currently has 7-10 million
  undocumented workers.

especially significant issue in California,
where almost 32 of illegal immigrants reside
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Proposition 187

• During the gubernatorial campaign, Schwarzenegger
  said he had supported Proposition 187, a 1994
  initiative that denied services to illegal
  migrants but which later was tossed out by a
  federal judge.
• (http//malagigi.cddc.vt.edu/pipermail/lnc/2003-Oc
  tober/007465.html)

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Drivers license issue

• In his final days in office, the Democratic Gov.
  Gray Davis signed a legislation granting the
  privilege of license to the illegal immigrants
  (revoking the requirement that driver's license
  applicants have proof of lawful presence in
  California).
• "I am against the driver's license (for illegal
  aliens), because it is without any background
  check and without any fingerprints or anything.
  Therefore, it is dangerous for the security of
  California. (Schwarzenegger)

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• Shortly after entering office, Schwarzenegger
  derailed the law passed and signed by former
  Democratic Gov. Gray Davis that would have
  allowed illegal immigrants to apply for drivers
  licenses.

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Fence Issue

• In February, Schwarzenegger endorsed
  Congressional legislation authorizing the
  construction of a fence along California's border
  with Mexico.
• The proposal has sparked opposition from the
  state's Coastal Commission, as well as many
  environmentalists and Democrats.

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Annual meeting of the Newspaper Association of
America (04/19/05)

• "Close the borders in California and all across
  Mexico and in the United States, because I think
  it is just unfair to have all those people coming
  across, have the borders open the way it is, and
  have this kind of lax situation."

• "We in California have to still finish the
  border. That is the key thing -- to have borders
  and to keep the law, enforce the law."

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Language trouble (04/20/05)

• "The governor has talked before about the need to
  ensure that immigrants are put on a path toward
  fully participating in California's economy, but
  he feels they need to enter the country the right
  way, and must not undermine important security
  issues. He feels that the border needs to be
  secure."
• (Margita Thompson, Schwarzeneggers spokeswoman)
• (http//www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-04-20-s
  chwarzenegger-immigration_x.htm?csp34)

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Schwarzeneggers apology (04/21/05)
The bottom line is, I misspoke, and I'm
sorry if I offended anyone, I meant
'securing' our borders, not 'closing' them.

• "We have a great trade agreement with Mexico we
  are good friends, we are benefiting from these
  talented workers, so we have got to come up with
  a policy'' on immigration.

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Minutemen issue

• hundreds of volunteers have formed a citizen
  militia to spot and report illegal immigrants.
• The Minuteman Project was formed in order to
  thwart the rising tide of illegal immigrants
  along the U.S.-Mexican border
• Mexican government officials say it's a violation
  of the illegal immigrants' human rights.

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John and Ken Show (04/28/05)

• In an interview with the conservative talk-radio
  show on KFI in Los Angeles, Schwarzenegger said
  the Minutemen "have done a terrific job and they
  have cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants
  by a huge percentage, so it just shows
  that it works when you go and make
  an effort and when you work hard. I
  mean it is a do-able thing and it's
  just that our federal government is
  not doing their job."

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champion of immigrants

• "I have no plan. I think the most important thing
  to note is I am a champion of immigrants. I
  promote immigration. I am an immigrant myself. I
  think it's extremely important that we do it in a
  legal way."

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FINISH