"They Take Our Jobs"

They Take Our Jobs
Reading and Discussion with Aviva Chomsky
Saturday, July 14, 2 pm

Claims that immigrants take American jobs, drain the American economy, contribute to poverty and inequality, destroy the social fabric, challenge American identity, and contribute to a host of social ills are openly discussed and debated at all levels of U.S. society. But according to Aviva Chomsky, immigrants’ rights activist and professor of history at Salem State College, the current immigration debate is “rife with myths, stereotypes and unquestioned assumptions” about the history of immigration and how American society, economy, and laws function. In her latest book, They Take Our Jobs!, Chomsky dismantles twenty-one of the most commonly maintained myths about immigration, from “immigrants don’t pay taxes” to “today’s immigrants are not learning English.” In a series of accessible chapters, Chomsky argues that many opinions about immigration are based on a distorted and sanitized version of American history that is reinforced by textbooks, politicians, and the media—and rarely questioned.

Come meet Aviva Chomsky and hear her read from They Take Our Jobs!: And 20 Other Myths About Immigration on Saturday, July 14, at 2 pm at Feed Your Head, 272 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970, 978-744-4009.


About the Author
Aviva Chomsky is professor of history and coordinator of Latin American Studies at Salem State College. The daughter of noted activist and linguist Noam Chomsky, Aviva is the author of several books including Linked Labor Histories: New England and Columbia. She has been active in Latin American solidarity and immigrants’ rights issues from more than 25 years. Aviva Chomsky lives in Salem, MA.

"An indispensable guide to the current debate on immigration. If you are at all uncertain about how to deal with anti-immigrant arguments, you will find Chomsky's book a perfect response. She makes her points with clarity and uses unassailable evidence while offering constructive short-and long-term solutions."
—Howard Zinn, author of You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train