Check Out IntLawGrrls on Gitmo, the 1924 Immigration Act, Etc.

Check out IntlawGrrls (here) to get a wonderful rundown by Grace O’Malley on the GOP presidential candidates’ statements at the South Carolina debate last week on Guantánamo.  To paraphrase Rosa Brooks, there was a contest to see who could do their best Jack Bauer impersonation.  Bauer is the anti-terrorist, pro-torture hero played by Kiefer Sutherland on the Fox television show “24.”  Indeed, as we have previously mentioned here, anti-immigrant candidate TOM TANCREDO, when asked about a terrorist plot, even invoked the name of Jack Bauer as his role model.  We have written (here) about how popular culture — and “24” in particular — has influenced U.S. society and encouraged the use of torture against alleged “terrorists.”  By the way, in its 400th episode last night, “The Simpsons” did a nice parody of “24” (with an appearance by none other than Jack Bauer), with torture employed to thwart a sting bomb attempt.

In a post on May 19, Grace O’Malley reminds us of the sordid history of the Immigration Act of 1924, which brought the nation the infamous national origins quota system favoring the immigration of northern and western Europeans (and restricting and excluding the admission of many other nationalities).

KJ

P.S.  On May 21, Grace O’Malley on IntLawGrrls looked at the views of Democratic presidential candidates views about Gitmo.  interestingly, none of the Dems mention Jack Bauer or “24” in their “analysis.”