The article critiques the Department of Homeland Security's consideration of a reality TV show that would award US citizenship as a prize. It argues that such a show diminishes the serious nature of citizenship by replacing civic engagement with entertainment. The author warns that this approach resembles the commodification of citizenship, akin to ancient spectacles where participants compete for public favor through increasingly outrageous means. The piece highlights concerns about public knowledge of civics among students and critiques the government's reliability in providing truthful communication about such proposals.
"It really isn't a stretch from that concept to the Hunger Games or the amphitheater spectacle of the gladiatorial fight: the poor, desperate immigrant who can entertain the toga-clad crowd with the most spectacular displays of violence, cruelty, or selfishness wins the ultimate prize-citizenship, bestowed by the decadent emperor and his train of sycophants."
"Given the administration's relentless lying, however, it's hard to believe anything they say on this."
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