Dear Texas, when you leave, take Arizona with you...
The Republicans in Arizona are out of their minds. This is just racism, perhaps the most public widespread instance of racism in America that I have seen in my life. I fully expect the Republican National Committee to denounce this. If not, God help us.
HJ
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12 comments:
I still say we want to lay claim to Austin and some of its surrounding area.
I'm sorry, but Alex Jones is based there, and he negates a LOT of awesome.
HJ
I live in AZ, and I'm offended at people playing the "racism card" on this. There's controversy here, too, but we don't accuse our neighbors of malign motives. Something else that I think needs to be understood: There's a strong element of libertarianism and nonconformism in the AZ social-political culture, which leads to resistance to being told what to do. I think that's the main reason AZ voted against MLK day years ago. So, the best thing people outside AZ can do if they don't like the new laws is to state your views, without trying to coerce with threats of "boycott".
David:
Well, in the spirit of our exceptional contrarianism, then: I live in AZ, and I think that these laws are unjust and racist in motive and intent. I also support the right of any person, or group of people, to organize boycotts or any other form of peaceful civic action to effect social change. That's how democracy works.
It's also worth pointing out that we could have been on our way to a real solution for our current immigration problems had the anti-immigration crowd supported Bush's reform initiative during his administration.
In my opinion, the current "crisis" has been deliberately exploited and exacerbated by the same people who decry it the loudest. It seems far more important to grandstand, waving signs and shouting slogans, instead of creating and working on a workable solution.
David,
Libertarian exceptional contrarianism is in itself worthless. Invoking it like it was a value in itself is about as convincing as John Cleese in the "argument clinic."
We now have people in Arizona going after American citizens on the basis of who their parents are. No. Hell no.
HJ
My point about boycotts is that they easily come across as an effort to force, not convince, and as such could be entirely counterproductive.
MrMark,
I agree with you about many of the problems being worsened by the failure of proposed reforms by (then?) moderate Republicans. But, it was my distinct impression that the loudest critics weren't even from the border states. (Remember Tom Tancredo?) Thus, I am tempted to place the radical right demanding "no amnesty" and the left calling for boycotts in the same category: as outside interference by people who don't understand AZ's problems.
"Thus, I am tempted to place the radical right demanding "no amnesty" and the left calling for boycotts in the same category: as outside interference by people who don't understand AZ's problems."
And by problems you mean the Constitution? And that's everyone's business.
HJ
I mean not having even a practical understanding of the problems rising from illegal immigration. I would apply this especially to right-wingers like Tancredo, who talked about tougher enforcement when he wasn't even in a border state. My immediate reaction was to want to ask what he would do that would be better at stopping illegals than the Border Patrol, the Minutemen, and the numerous hazards of the Sonoran Desert.
Seriously, David, doing nothing is better than trampling the Constitution. Like, almost anything is better than what is happening now.
Part of the problem with "convincing" in this case is that we are tapping a very deep emotional well here, and emotion always, always trumps reason. Always. I'm not convinced that the process is not based on irrational prejudice against hispanics. The fact that someone would even consider targeting an American citizen, even an "anchor baby," screams racism. And racism is based on irrational revulsion, an emotion.
So boycotts, hell yes. Strip them of their tax base so they can't enforce their draconian laws. Remove federal funding. Aggressively pursue expedited repeal through the courts. Humiliate them, if you have to. Force them to change.
If you are convinced that illegal immigration is a problem, you increase federal funds for surveillance and interdiction as well as hiring and training agents to do it. We don't need an entire fucking state to go Minuteman-vigilante.
HJ
Thank you, Bing.
As I said at the start, there are plenty of Arizonans (I count myself among them) who are already opposed to SB1070. (I haven't even read about the education law, so I'm not commenting on that.) Those who support it are not going to be turned by "humiliation" or boycotts.
As for federal funding, that is precisely where Arizona (or any other state) is at the mercy of those who may not even be well-informed of the facts of our situation. I think there is a good chance that Obama's decision to send aid through the national guard will ease agitation.
OK, I've finely looked into this. Main thing I have to say is, this is a PROPOSED bill by Russell Pearce, who is fairly extreme even by AZ standards. I also am satisfied that it is (or would be) unconstitutional even apart from the 14th ammendment issue: If there is to be revision how citizenship is defined, that's a matter for Congress or the Supreme Court, not a state legislature.
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