NOT EVERYONE IN ARIZONA IS CRAZY !
Amidst all the hubbub and the uproar over Arizona's new immigration law, which allows police officers to demand proof of citizenship from anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant, I think a little clarification is in order. If all you know about this fine state that I live in is what you hear on the news sound bites, you may be thinking that Arizona is filled with right-wing whackos. I'll leave that alone for now, but it's a fact the state legislature has been dominated by Republicans for decades now. Pair them up with an unelected republican governor who took over when former democratic governor Janet Napolitano moved up to her post in Homeland Security, and you've got a situation where the inmates have gained control of the asylum.
Right-wingers like to try to apply simple solutions to complex problems, and with the passage of the new law, that's what they've done. In all fairness to them, there IS a big problem with our borders, not the least of which is the violence from the Mexican drug cartels that is spilling over into the border towns just a tad south of here. But how is the harassment of a few more people on the streets going to stem the tide of immigrants flowing into Arizona each and every day?
It's not.
And the Arizona legislature and Governor Jan Brewer know it. Their action was for SHOW--to make a "get tough" statement--and in their hearts, they know that's what it was. Now, let's ask them if making a statement to the world was worth the consequences. Economic boycotts against our state that are growing in number each day. Students withdrawing from our universities, or deciding not to come here in the first place. And our state...our beautiful state...my birthplace...now the laughing stock of the nation and the world. Such incredible lack of foresight on the part of those responsible is inexcusable.
The good news is, (I am convinced) the law is going to be struck down in the courts as unconstitutional. There are several court challenges already in the works. But the damage to my beautiful state has already been done.
Just for the record, I live in Tucson, and Pima county is the more progressive-minded area of the state. There are plenty of folks around here who are not happy campers about what has happened. Just wanted to let you know...NOT EVERYONE IN ARIZONA IS CRAZY!
Your comments, rants, raves, or tirades are welcome!
I suspect that you'd agree that Tuesday's election results are not good news for our democracy. Yikes, I may try to sneak over the border into Canada.
ReplyDeleteARLENE,
ReplyDeleteGo to Mexico and help restore the balance a little bit!
I'd like to give an intelligent and well informed comment, rant, rave, or tirade, Tim, but I haven't paid full attention to what's going on in Arizona other than hearing about it and the after-shocks and thinking 'what the ....?'. I understand that Arizona is closer to the problem, at least border-wise and drug-cartel wise, than we are here in Georgia. I understand that people all across the nation - especially when things are as bad economically as they are now - like to rant about how so many of us don't have health care and yet 'these illegal aliens' who don't pay taxes can come here and get free care and take our jobs - but, again, I'm thinking 'what the ...?'. I don't know what the answer is, but I just feel that this was not it, that it's too much big brother or something to be able to go up to anyone who looks of a different ethnicity (i.e. Mexican) and demand papers. And, speaking only for myself, I certainly haven't blamed or thought ill of you or your fellow Arizonians!
ReplyDeleteTim, there's craziness and then there's political craziness which I think most everyone has experienced both from time to time. I can imagine that it's a difficult issue to deal with and one that has gained attention for all the wrong reasons for what I've always think of as a beautiful state. That photo is seriously gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOK FIRST You are all welcome to Canada, TRULY!
ReplyDeleteSecond, borders are man-made, usually effected through greed and war...enough said!
LINDA,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts. It's hard to gauge how the rest of the country looks at this situation when every comedian starts his monologue with a joke about Arizona.
TALON,
It boils down to are we going to keep on treating the SYMPTOMS of the problem, i.e., rounding people up and sending them back home when more will just be coming to replace them and many of the same ones you sent back home will also be coming back--or do we try to treat the underlying condition that causes those symptoms--that is, why do they all want to be here in the first place? That has to do with living conditions in a poor country, and how can WE fix that, without annexing Mexico and making them a part of the U.S. and bringing their standard of living in line with ours?
LORRAINE,
You've hit upon the bottom line--all borders are in our minds, and any solution must come from a place of humanitarianism, not fear!
You've hit it right on the heart! beautifully put Tim!
ReplyDeleteI think that a lot of people who support these types of laws do not stop to think that we are granting power to the police state and that these powers can be easily extended in the not-so-distant future. You are correct, there are much better ways of addressing the immigration issue. Given the state the economy is in, though, it may be Mexico that is closing its borders to us!
ReplyDelete