JE#8

I had little knowledge regarding the Juarez murders before entering this class. I may have heard a little about the murders in previous classes, but it was something just in passing. The book “Entry Denied” and “Desert Blood” both served as good sources to help me gain a better insight on the murders. In “Entry Denied” book chapter 1, the conception of the Page Law was something that really struck out to me. This important piece of legislation was arguably one of the main sources of US policy towards immigrant populations. It was founded on the premise of the exclusion of Chinese women into the United States. This law at its most fundamental basis was one that was gendered. Women, in particular their bodies, were targeted for regulation and therefor seen as disposable to the US government. This historical background sets the premise for the treaty of NAFTA implemented by the US, Mexico and Canada. Although not explicitly stated, women were the unfortunate externality in this trade agreement and in particular Mexican women. The chapter that I point to is chapter three when Ivon is reading the article surrounding the murders. This was interesting because it demonstrated that even the natives of the region were uninformed about the murders. This disconnect took me by surprise, yet as I began to read more, it became apparent that it was meant to be silenced. The film that was demonstrated today in class, “Bordertown”, did a very good job at raising awareness around the issue. I’d even argue that the film did too well of job since it was blocked from wide release. Although I cannot speak to the actual numbers that the film brought up, the delivery was great and the situation doesn’t seem too far removed from the reality of things. I learned a great deal regarding the history and the effects that it has on people living in Juarez, in particular the women.