Dora the Explorer Arrested for Being Illegal Immigrant in Mug Shot

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

CHICAGO -- In her police mug shot, the doe-eyed cartoon heroine with the bowl haircut has a black eye, battered lip and bloody nose.

Dora the Explorer's alleged crime? "Illegal Border Crossing Resisting Arrest."

The doctored picture, one of several circulating widely in the aftermath of Arizona's controversial new immigration law, may seem harmless, ridiculous or even tasteless.

But experts say the pictures and the rhetoric surrounding them online, in newspapers and at public rallies, reveal some Americans' attitudes about race, immigrants and where some of immigration reform debate may be headed.

For about a decade, the pint-sized Latina character has taught millions of children the English alphabet, colors and Spanish phrases on a Nickelodeon TV show and through a global empire. Her smiling cherub face is plastered on everything from backpacks to T-shirts to fruit snacks.

But since the passage of the Arizona law -- which requires authorities to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally -- Dora's life and immigration status have been scrutinized and mocked.

"Dora is kind of like a blank screen onto which people can project their thoughts and feelings about Latinos," said Erynn Masi de Casanova, a sociology professor at the University of Cincinnati. "They feel like they can say negative things because she's only a cartoon character."

The depictions, whether through irony or protest, are being used by those who oppose and support Arizona's law. On one hand she's a likable symbol who many can relate to, and at the same time, perceived as an outsider who doesn't belong anywhere.
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The picture:

Regardless of how you feel about the law, I think most people can agree this is pretty dumb.

[Chickadee]

Totally agree, WVR!

 

I went to the Freaking News web site and got this additional information:

"

In this composite image provided May 20, 2010 courtesy of Debbie Groben and FreakingNews.com, is an image of Nickelodeon cartoon Dora the Explorer created late last year by Debbie Groben of Sarasota, Fla., for a contest for the fake news site FreakingNews.com. The image, and others like it that question or make fun of the Latina cartoon character's immigration status and country of origin, have been in wide circulation since Arizona passed a controversial immigration law. Groben,

who is against the immigration law

, said she just created it out of good fun and didn't know it would enter the immigration debate. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Debbie Broben and FreakingNews.com)

"

 

And there is still more information here toward the end of the article.