TOW #10 - Visual Text: These are the Things a Manic Security Security Policy Can Keep Out

After the terrorist attakcs in Paris on the thirteenth, almost every single news page is filled with information regarding this event and the reactions that preceeded. This political cartoon, titled "These are the Things a Manic Security Security Policy Can Keep Out" by Tom Toles from The Washington Post addresses the immigrant safety precaution hotly debated in America right now that uses common American cultural beliefs and humor in order to accuse strict foreign policies of doing more harm than good and to persuade for a change in this course of action.
The visual text, explicitly stating the "American values" commonly established throughout the country and what America is believed to be a foundation of, emphasizes the ineffectiveness of foreign policies. By putting American ideals of "acceptance, openness, inclusion, immigration, and tolerance" that are ruined by strict security behind a fence on the opposite side of "security," the viewer can clearly see the juxtaposition and the shortcomings of strict security measures. This evokes a feeling in viewers that puts these policies in a negative light. Toles does this by including humor in order for Americans to be able to self-reflect.
By using humor while accusing the American hypocrisy in its immigration rules, Toles is able to more gently persuade the viewers into self-reflection. Although this cartoon does sharply criticize, it approaches it in a funny way, where the politician enforcing strict security to Uncle Sam creates a funny and pathetic scene. It accuses in a way that the accused can laugh at it also, which makes them think for themselves instead of violently pounding an idea into their heads. By doing so, American viewers can reassess whether such strict safety measures are what Americans should be doing as a culture of openness and tolerance, leading them to favor more open immigration laws.
The embracing and appreciating other cultures and everyone regardless of their background is the true American spirit, as defined by the visual text by Toles. His incorporation of American core values and humor allows Americans to disfavor such strict security measures that are putting refugees at risk - so that hopefully, as Toles wants, the doors of America will open as it should to those who seek freedom and happiness like true Americans.