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JIM CARREY’S ART AS A MESSAGE ON IMMIGRATION POLICY AND THE DANGERS OF CENSORSHIP
BY: JEN EVANS
Hollywood has long used its star power to both promote and resist political agendas. From Marlene Dietrich’s anti-Nazi campaign to Chuck Norris’ endorsement of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, it has become commonplace for celebrities to harness their visibility in an effort to drive change. A smattering of celebrities have even entered politics themselves, with President Ronald Reagan, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Senator Al Franken just a few of the individuals who have made the transition from “Tinseltown” to government.
It was not until recently, however, that celebrities and ordinary citizens alike gained the freedom of ostensibly unlimited public speech. With the advent of social media, Hollywood activists are no longer restricted by the time constraints and corporate oversight of more traditional outlets. Rather, those in the public eye now have the ability to reach hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of individuals at any time via platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, with the content of each message seemingly censored only by the producer’s judgment.
Among social media’s most prolific celebrity activists is actor Jim Carrey, star of such renowned films as Dumb & Dumber and Man on the Moon. A talented performance and visual artist, Carrey produces political cartoons which are then shared with his over 18.2 million Twitter followers. Carrey’s artwork has been further shared via traditional media outlets which have clamored at the actor’s commentaries on such charged topics as sexual assault, government corruption– and American immigration policy.
Much of Carrey’s art has focused on the recent controversy in which migrant children were detained and separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet such art is not only a criticism of American policy, but also a reminder of the human rights implications inherent to the very practice of migration. Beyond our modern landscape of partisan, and often sensationalized, politics lies millions of individual stories of fear and courage, struggle and triumph; stories of humanity.
In our new world of digital media, there is more potential than ever before to tell these human stories of migration. But, in exploring the intersection of media and migration, we must also take pause to consider those stories not being told. Many of history’s greatest human rights atrocities have occurred beneath the veil of restricted media. And yet, in this time of unprecedented media saturation, such restrictions persist.
Reporters Without Borders notes that nations including China, Rwanda, and Cuba severely restrict media production and consumption within their respective borders, with many nations expanding such constraints to include new technologies such as social media. Most recently, Saudi Arabia has been accused of carrying out an extrajudicial killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has published articles criticizing the nation’s royal family. It is believed that a further 28 journalists are imprisoned within Saudi Arabia for similarly dissenting views.
And so, as we engage with the diverse narratives portraying global migration, let us also challenge ourselves to recognize those stories which lay within the absence of media: The exploited migrants whose stories are silenced under restrictive governments, the would-be “Jim Carreys” whose activism begets persecution. Let us remember that historic suffering often occurs within historic silence.
For more of Jim Carrey’s artwork, follow him on Twitter @JimCarrey.
63 YEARS AGO: MEDIA AND MIGRATION, THEN AND NOW
BY: JEN EVANS
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana’s words verge on cliché, but their message prevails. We need look no further than Our Jamaican Problem, a 1955 British production, to discover ground that continues to be re-tread.
This video presumably aimed to assuage English nationals who were ill at ease amid an influx of Jamaican migrants. Like many modern migration stories, Our Jamaican Problem indicates concern that immigrants represent increased competition for sought-after employment, housing, and other opportunities.
The piece offers familiar reassurances: ‘There will be enough work for all,’ and, ‘additional housing will be made available.’ But Our Jamaican Problem offers an additional insight, one that is too often absent from modern media discussion regarding migration. That message is one of compassion: Immigrants are seeking better lives for themselves, better futures for their children.
In a thought-provoking discussion, Our Jamaican Problem ponders the reasons for this influx of Jamaican migrants, noting lack of opportunity and poor living conditions throughout the tropical nation. The video notes that, for long-term sustainability, improvements must be made– either to heighten quality of life in Jamaica or to accommodate greater numbers of immigrants in England.
Our Jamaican Problem concludes with an intriguing overture: In acknowledging that many immigrants are fleeing difficult circumstances, the video proposes that providing development and humanitarian assistance to immigrant source countries may be the most beneficial response to large-scale migration. A proposal worthy of consideration for all sides of current immigration debates.