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Immigration Mad Libs: The New York Times, Russians, and Staten Island

Posted August 24, 2010 by Ted Hesson
Categories: Media Watch

As with any news beat, the basic themes of immigration reporting—however vital the enterprise might be—can sometime become repetitive.

Ned Berke, editor of the Brooklyn blog Sheepshead Bites, takes a crack at a recent article in The New York Times about tensions over an increase in Russian and Eastern European residents on Staten Island, saying that the article follows a pattern too often used to cover immigration.

Berke’s take:

Neighborhood-level ethnic tensions are a funny thing. They’re usually stressful, frustrating and embarrassing – even to observers. But in America, they’re also incredibly dependable.

So predictable are they that I can write a template article to be used for the clash between established residents and immigrant newcomers in any neighborhood during any point in history. It would go something like this:

Residents of _____________ (name of locality) are up in arms over the recent arrival of a wave of ____________ (ethnicity/race) immigrants.

Beginning in the _______ (decade), pockets of __________ (ethnicity/race) have been popping up across the nation. Here in ___________ (name of locality), they’ve started planting their roots, much to the disturbance of long-time residents who see them as upending the neighborhood character.

“They just won’t adapt to the American way of life,” said longtime resident. “They don’t learn English, they _______ (insert relevant stereotype). It’s not good for the neighborhood.”

There are also concerns that the new immigrant community is cheating taxpayers by (suggestion of welfare scheme)

“They’re getting money from our taxes,” said longtime resident. “But I see them in their (nice car/fur coat/expensive sneakers/all of the above).”

But _______ (ethnicity/race) say they’re here to stay, and just want a piece of the American dream.

“I came to escape ________ (relevant problem of host nation),” said immigrant. “I want what every American wants: to own a business, own a home and provide for my family.”

The immigrant community is already showing signs of integration. They ______________ (checklist of “American” things the immigrants do).

The arrival of new immigrants to any neighborhood sparks off hostilities with those that have lived there for years. But the case of ________ (name of locality) is unique. Unlike other immigrants, _____________ (insert generalizations about economic, education, cultural or perceptive differences between the immigrants and the long-time residents, usually without attribution or relevant statistical data). And that stands in stark contrast to the neighborhood’s traditional demographic makeup.

_______ (ethnicity/race) say the tensions are unjustified, and are caused by ________ (bigotry if newcomers are not white/jealousy if white).

“America is about diversity,” said academic/activist/immigrant/anyone not objecting. “In time ______ (race/ethnicity) will become part of this great melting pot society.”

I actually disagree with Berke in that I think that an article about ethnic tensions is still valuable to the community, even if it’s formulaic.

For better or for worse, though, almost all traditional media is formulaic. Just open up any two daily newspapers from across the country to see what I’m getting at.

Of course, there are those of us who would like an alternative to traditional media (hence, blogs), but the basic, reliable, dull, repetitive reporting by national papers provides a good starting point for discussion. From a basic news story, the hope is that bloggers, magazine reporters, and anyone else out there can take the conversation to the next level, by adding perspective or an angle.

Or with some Mad Libs.

Tags : bloggers, eastern european, media watch, russian, sheepshead bites, staten island

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