All throughout the controversy surrounding Arizona’s SB 1070, I’ve tried to see both sides of the story. Each side can present arguments that makes sense, and both sides are justifiably frustrated. I suspect that there’s a fair amount of hyperbole at work on both sides of the fence, but what I’m having trouble understanding is why White Arizonans are so willing to countenance a law that is so implicitly directed at the Brown People in their midst.
I understand the concept of “illegal immigration”, so the “What part of illegal do you not understand?” argument is just plain silly. I might be willing to buy into that argument if so many Arizonans weren’t so willing to benefit from the cheap labor provided by illegal immigrants. IF White Arizonans are so deadly serious about curtailing illegal immigration, then they should be willing to pay the true costs of goods and services that are artificially deflated by illegals. Having heard nothing from supporters of SB 1070 on this issue, I suspect that what they really want is for illegals to keep working for nothing and then disappear once their utility has diminished.
Don’t insult my intelligence by arguing that the federal government isn’t doing their job. The pace of deportations of illegal aliens has actually increased during the Obama Administration. Yes, the border needs to be secured, but it’s been REPUBLICANS in Congress that have thwarted attempts at immigration reform. If White Arizonans were serious about this issue, they’d be demanding that the Republicans they’ve sent to Washington do the right thing and stop playing politics with immigration reform. You can’t sit back while Republicans block reform and them blame President Obama for not delivering.
I will grant you that Arizona faces unique issues; I lived in southeast Texas for 10+ years, and I understand what people are worried about. As a border state, Arizona is on the front line. There’s a very real problem that needs to be solved, but it’s going to require a greater degree of honesty from both sides- particularly from White Arizonans. Contrary to what Sen. John McCain says, Phoenix doesn’t have the second-highest kidnapping rate in the world. Arizona is not being invaded. If White Arizonans want immigration reform, they need to be pounding on the doors of Congressional Republicans, who are the real roadblocks to reform. SB 1070 is not the solution that White Arizonans think it will be. What it will likely end up being, if it’s allowed to become law, is a way to establish Brown People as second-class citizens. If the Arizona wanted to send the message that White makes Right and Brown People are not welcome, they couldn’t have picked a more effective way to communicate it.
Here’s an idea: why not get representatives from a cross-section of Arizonans together and craft a bill that works for everyone and doesn’t leave Brown Arizonans feeling as if they’re living in a police state? Why not try bringing people together instead of dividing communities and people on the basis of color? What a novel concept….
