american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
MIGRATORY AGENCY 145<br />
<strong>the</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g legal structures do not account for <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>in</strong> which <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are capable of liv<strong>in</strong>g, given <strong>in</strong> part <strong>the</strong>ir opportunities for legal<br />
employment (21; orig<strong>in</strong>al emphasis). Because of <strong>the</strong>se circumstances,<br />
migrants have “to compete not only aga<strong>in</strong>st o<strong>the</strong>r people but aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
<strong>the</strong> system as well” (84).<br />
De Soto notes that <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> n<strong>in</strong>eteenth <strong>century</strong>, U.S. politicians<br />
“expressed <strong>the</strong> revolutionary idea that legal <strong>in</strong>stitutions can survive<br />
only if <strong>the</strong>y respond to [<strong>the</strong>] social needs” of <strong>the</strong> people, many of<br />
whom live, work, and hold property outside of exist<strong>in</strong>g legal structures<br />
(150). However, <strong>the</strong>y currently have failed to <strong>in</strong>tegrate<br />
(im)migrants <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> legal system. Espada’s poem, <strong>the</strong>n, implicitly<br />
exam<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong> ramifications of cross-cultural (mis)communication,<br />
especially between presumed extralegal migrants and <strong>the</strong> legal system<br />
of <strong>the</strong> world’s imperial power, and how <strong>the</strong>y impact <strong>the</strong> possibilities<br />
for justice. 14 Given <strong>the</strong> conspicuous title, however, <strong>the</strong> possibilities for<br />
justice are extremely limited. One Spanish-speak<strong>in</strong>g (im)migrant versus<br />
U.S. colonialism? An <strong>in</strong>dividual charged with a crime versus a<br />
judge charged with enforc<strong>in</strong>g colonialism, law, and order? Yet if anyone<br />
can “expla<strong>in</strong>” Yankee colonialism, it is a migrant charged with a<br />
crime aga<strong>in</strong>st that colonial power. The title suggests fur<strong>the</strong>r that<br />
Mariano is <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> act of speak<strong>in</strong>g truth to that power.<br />
Mariano’s confrontational demeanor <strong>in</strong> front of <strong>the</strong> Judge and <strong>the</strong><br />
system of justice he represents belies <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> dynamics<br />
between prisoner and system are very complicated. These dynamics<br />
coalesce <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> “Interpreter,” who represents <strong>the</strong> fluid<br />
space between cultures and languages, between ways of understand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> world—not between ideologies, but between <strong>the</strong> Spanish-speak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
extralegal migrant and <strong>the</strong> English-speak<strong>in</strong>g neocolonizer charged<br />
with ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> legal structures of U.S. global hegemony. The<br />
Interpreter, <strong>the</strong>n, is agent of nei<strong>the</strong>r party, but <strong>the</strong> go-between who<br />
mediates <strong>the</strong> communication between Lat<strong>in</strong> and North American,<br />
prisoner and captor, powerless and powerful. If Mariano is charged and<br />
Judge Coll<strong>in</strong>gs is <strong>in</strong> charge, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Interpreter is charged with <strong>the</strong><br />
greatest responsibility. He must facilitate communication and ensure<br />
that justice is possible. Without <strong>the</strong> Interpreter’s presence, <strong>the</strong>re can be<br />
no cultural or l<strong>in</strong>guistic <strong>in</strong>terchange, especially as Judge and Prisoner<br />
never talk to each o<strong>the</strong>r directly. In effect, <strong>the</strong>re is no dialogue between<br />
cultures or languages or across power differences. Even though <strong>the</strong><br />
Judge has more power than Mariano, <strong>the</strong> Interpreter presumably tries<br />
to level <strong>the</strong> play<strong>in</strong>g field. Mariano’s power is his subversion of <strong>the</strong> system<br />
and his ability to speak a language (and curse <strong>in</strong> a language) that<br />
Judge Coll<strong>in</strong>gs does not understand.