#269 | Foreigner At The Doorstep: A Story of Asylum at the US-Mexican Border w/ John Washington
Intro: 10:35 | Outro: 1:27:30
In this episode, I speak with writer, translator, and activist John Washington. We discuss his book ‘The Dispossessed: A Story of Asylum at the US-Mexican Border and Beyond,’ published by Verso Books.
At the center of ‘The Dispossessed’ is the story of Arnovis, a Salvadorian man seeking asylum in the United States. As John weaves together the harrowing story of this man as he attempts to cross numerous borders and countless obstacles on his journey northward, John expands his narrative to include the deeper history and purpose of asylum, the modern bureaucratic framework potential asylees must contend with, and the details and consequences of the uniquely cruel immigration policies enacted by numerous presidential administrations (and most recently, the Trump Administration and their family separation policy). As much as “asylum seekers are expected to unveil themselves, to recount their histories, and to exhibit their wounds," the same cannot be said of those that are in a position to provide asylum.
What we ultimately fear, what we ultimately hate, is, so often, an outward manifestation of our own action or inaction. As Kristeva puts it, “The foreigner lives within us: he is the hidden face of our identity . . . By recognizing him within ourselves, we are spared detesting him in himself.” Dispossessing and denying the stranger or refugee does not keep us safe or in possession. It exposes us. (https://bit.ly/3hy4wBC)
By looking at how the United States treats those escaping the most horrifying conditions imaginable, what does that expose in us?
John Washington is a writer, translator, and activist. A regular contributor to The Nation magazine and The Intercept, he writes about immigration and border politics, as well as criminal justice, photography, and literature. Washington is an award-winning translator, having translated Óscar Martinez, Anabel Hernández, and Sandra Rodriguez Nieto, among others. A long term volunteer with No More Deaths, he has been working with activist organizations in Mexico, California, Arizona, and New York for more than a decade. He is currently based in Brooklyn.
Episode Notes:
- Read segments of ‘The Dispossessed: A Story of Asylum at the US-Mexican Border and Beyond’ at Bookforum and purchase a copy at Verso Books: https://bit.ly/3hy4wBC / https://bit.ly/2GYUOvp
- Learn more about John’s work at his website and follow him on Twitter: https://www.jblackburnwashington.com / https://twitter.com/jbwashing
- Read John’s recent articles at The Intercept and The Nation: https://bit.ly/35KGeSv / https://bit.ly/2ZK61q6
- The songs featured in this episode are “Villa” and “A Swift Nap” by El Michels Affair from the album Adult Themes: https://youtu.be/3Zdal_axukg / https://youtu.be/d1bnVJNl6Pc
