Latinos are outraged by the law, even though 60 percent of Americans support it. Why the discrepancy?
The answer may have to do with context. Many Latino Arizonians see the illegal immigration provision as just another shot in a simmering culture battle with the predominantly Anglo Republicans who run the state.
A white woman who was interviewed by Arizona TV about the illegal immigrant law exclaimed, “We’re sick and tired of the drugs, gang violence and drive-by shootings!”
But these attitudes reveal antipathy toward Latinos in general, not primarily illegal immigrants. Is this what the new law is really about?
Further evidence of this is Public Law 2281, signed recently by Gov. Jan Brewer, banning ethnic studies classes that “promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote a resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for one ethnic group, or that advocate ethnic solidarity.”
The first clause is especially offensive to Latinos, since it implies that they may be unpatriotic and dangerous.
Illegal immigration has actually been trending downward in recent years. The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended one-third as many undocumented aliens last year as in 2000. This does not include the 40 percent of illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. legally but have overstayed their visas. All of our efforts at the border have no effect on them.
Economists report that the economic effects relative to government services and taxes of illegal immigrants are neutral. While no one should argue that illegal immigration ought to be ignored, why has it become such an issue now?
Another possible explanation is that Gov. Brewer, who signed the immigration and anti-ethnic studies laws, is running for re-election. The author of the ethnic studies law, Tom Horne, will represent the Republicans in the race for state attorney general.
In California, Steve Poizner has reduced Meg Whitman’s 40-point lead partly by focusing on illegal immigration. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina has gained traction against Tom Campbell the same way.
Is the attention paid to illegal immigrants this year influenced by politics and culture wars?
In politics, things are not always what they seem. • Mickey McGuire, a retired high school social studies teacher, is among a select group of local residents with columns in the Tracy Press.
If you disagree with Obama's policies you are a rascist.
If you support action against illegal immigration, you are anti immigrant.
If you are against Obama's health care bill, you are against health care reform.
Ignorance at it's finest. For all the little liberals who don't have a clue, we do not have a problem with our northern border. If we had the same problem with Canada we are having with Mexico, I'm pretty sure those of us who want something done about the illegal immigration problem could care less what the skin color is of the people coming in - it would still be a problem which needs to be fixed.
The scary part of the Arizona SB1070 law for those of you the have not read it:
20 B. FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR A LAW
21 ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR A LAW
22 ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF
23 THIS STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO
24 IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE
25 MADE, WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON,
26 EXCEPT IF THE DETERMINATION MAY HINDER OR OBSTRUCT AN INVESTIGATION. ANY
27 PERSON WHO IS ARRESTED SHALL HAVE THE PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS DETERMINED
28 BEFORE THE PERSON IS RELEASED. THE PERSON'S IMMIGRATION STATUS SHALL BE
29 VERIFIED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO 8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION
30 1373(c). A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY,
31 CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE MAY NOT SOLELY
32 CONSIDER RACE, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIREMENTS OF
33 THIS SUBSECTION EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY THE UNITED STATES OR
34 ARIZONA CONSTITUTION. A PERSON IS PRESUMED TO NOT BE AN ALIEN WHO IS
35 UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES IF THE PERSON PROVIDES TO THE LAW
36 ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR AGENCY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
37 1. A VALID ARIZONA DRIVER LICENSE.
38 2. A VALID ARIZONA NONOPERATING IDENTIFICATION LICENSE.
39 3. A VALID TRIBAL ENROLLMENT CARD OR OTHER FORM OF TRIBAL
40 IDENTIFICATION.
41 4. IF THE ENTITY REQUIRES PROOF OF LEGAL PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES
42 BEFORE ISSUANCE, ANY VALID UNITED STATES FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
43 ISSUED IDENTIFICATION.
The Mexicans get flogged, beaten, shot at, by their own countrymen... and many decapitations, mutilation and so on within their own country....
So what is the teenager doing at the border? They want to defend the dishonest practice of their fellowmen by trying to enter USA illegally?
I don't understand their thinking....
Jobs are booming in Mexico and what will the people find in USA??? Wake up, because the jobs are being outsourced.. many to MEXICO, you might want to look at your own country, STAY IN SCHOOL and get employment in your own country???
I hope the teenager is not part of the cartel... and people turn blind eye to the truth of their own countrys' lack of willingness to teach them the law of USA. Seems they support illegal activities of their own people....
Try going to France, go to Switzerland illegally.. good luck.
Illegal immigrants intent on breaking the laws often put stain on those who gained citizenship, or visa legally. "isupport" stated it so well. They (the warmly welcomed legal ones) don't need to have their lives in USA made harder by their own countrymens' illegal activites.
CN
I'M VERY ANGRY AT YOU SPANISH WHO ARE U.S. RESIDENTS AND NOT OBEYING AND RESPECTING THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
I was born in Guatemala. I came to the United States 40 years ago. When I arrived I had one goal in mind, to go through the legal process, to become a US citizen, that's exactly what I did.
I'm proud to be in this country who has giving me the opportunities to achieve my dreams.
I'm in favor of the new Arizona law, I wish other states would follow them.
Most Illegal Aliens in this country are here to take advantage of the US system and commit criminal acts.
I have met several Mexican women who have told me they keep having children to get help from the Government.
Also you have all this women working under the table as a housekeepers or nannies, and all the money they make the Government will never see one penny.
These women and their husband's are working in CAR WASH SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND AS GARDNERS, etc.
With their combined income, they make more money than anybody who has the right to be in this country.
They take advantage of all these services ( which they get for free), but they don't pay any taxes for these services.
Look up the statistics of all the emergency facilities being closed because they use it and they don't pay their bills.
They use healthy families for their children and they have money to pay for their own insurance.
Most of the money they make they send back to their families in Mexico.
Do you know, why the president of Mexico is angry with this law? It is because he knows if they start sending all the Illegal Aliens back to Mexico they will never see the money that they getting now.
Illegals have ruined this country, Illegals have destroying the infrastructure of many states.
The United States can't continue to support MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS who have been abusing the system for decades.
I'm in favor of these laws, I love this country and the ones who doesn't love and respect this country needs to leave go back where you came from.
Mickey, you mean the 60 percent of Latino Americans? Or 60 percent of all Americans?
If you refer to the 60 percent of Latino Americans supporting it, I would guess those 60 percent are legal Immigrants who gained citizenship?
Not hard to guess the other 40 percent may be illegal immigrants who dodged the law of following the protocol in permits, visa, and citizenship??
Some interesting points, but many are vague.
PS: Would one be happy about paying illegal immigrants bill in the hospital? And finding out the social security ID was stolen or fake... just bailed out.. leave administrative mess..?
Would the Latinos scream if we tighten the admittance policy? NO worry, it will apply to everyone. Would not have happened if the illegals did not force their hand to make such policies.
CN
CN
His entire commentary is unsupported by any facts, and is nothing more than anti-America, race baiting, white guilt liberal crap.
Have you actually read the AZ bill, Mr. McGuire? You showed that you have not when you stated that the new law (which isn't even in effect yet) establishes "a state policy of checking the citizenship of people who look like they could be illegal immigrants." The bill says nothing about checking on citizenship of people who "LOOK LIKE" they could be illegal.
Save your leftist propaganda for the SF Chronicle. It doesn't play well in Tracy.
Example: “Latinos are outraged by the law, even though 60 percent of Americans support it. Why the discrepancy?”
Now, I presume he is saying all Latinos are outraged. Where can we verify this claim? I know some Latinos aren’t outraged.
Consequently, the “discrepancy” the author cites is with his disingenuous, bent thinking.
You immediately go wrong with stating the new Arizona law establishes a state policy of checking the citizenship of people who look like they could be illegal immigrants
In fact, SB1070 prohibits EXACTLY what you say is now "policy", then you admit in the next sentence "The law prohibits racial profiling", but refute that immediately saying you cannot imagine how they can accomplish that.
Your swerves all over the road of logic set up the red herring that the rest of your piece is based upon.
You fail to address the fact that the American people have long demanded our government put a stop to illegal immigration, and implement a solution that is fair, fair to everyone involved, including those here illegaly, those wishing to come here and work legally, and of course fair to American people.
Of course politics "bends" how our politicians handle this, they are politicians. But you do not present a true representation of the situation in this country, you do not present a true representation of the AZ law, and lastly you offer no fair solution.
You fail to note that President Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress have failed to come up with a fair solution, and further that bipartisan efforts in the past from Simpson-Mazzoli in 1986 (which passed but is not enforced) to McCain-Kennedy in 2007, defeated largely due to public opinion, have failed us.
The question is why? Why is it that Democrats and Republicans cannot get together on a fair, enforceable solution?
Politics an illegal alien immigration. Yep it is in th mix ain't it? Now tell us something we don't already know.
An we all know our media don't dabble in th political game with thair reportin now don't we? They couldn't be th biggest part of this problem now could they?
Could it possibly be that you didn't hear, “We’re sick and tired of the drugs, gang violence and drive-by shootings,” from an Hispanic woman in Arizona by th media is that they profile thair interviews an purposfully exclude interviewin Hispanics?
I know many legal Hispanics in this country an largely they have th same feelins. But ya wouldn't know about that because yer nose is buried in th media an ya lap up everythang they put out as if it's th gospel truth.
I find it funny people go on about this law with th media made mantra "profiling" an yet are duped by th same media as they "profile" thair interviews ta get th words they want ta print.
An please don't tell me it don't happen cus I've been interviewed an since my opinion don't conform ta what th media is looking fer they simply don't print it or air it.
Also, accordin ta other national polls, th people in America that agree with this law is in th 80% an above area.
Th writer mentions,"Further evidence of this is Public Law 2281, signed recently by Gov. Jan Brewer, banning ethnic studies classes that “promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote a resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for one ethnic group, or that advocate ethnic solidarity,” as if it's a bad thang.
So, is th author actually supportin classes that promote th overthrow of th US government, promote resentment towards other races an classes of people? Is he promoting th advancement of ethnic solidarity an th elevation of one ethnic group of people over another?
I find two thangs wrong with that. One, it's illegal ta promote th overthrow of th US government an perhaps th FBI ought ta be investigatin this writer ta prevent him from takin further action on overthrowin our government.
Th other directly has ta do with th thang th writer is complain about. It's called racism. It seems he's of th mistaken opinion that th evils of racism solely rest on th shoulders of whites.
Get a clue Mick, you are promotin racism here.
But I have become accustom ta readin Mick's closet socialism an personal elitism. Get a grip Mick, that brown stuff ya leave in yer toilet every day smells just as bad as it does from th rest of humanity.
Yep, In politics thangs certainly are not what they seem, our media sees ta that. But it's refreshin ta see that some thangs like this pile of horse hockey never change. Good job on showin us all what true racism really looks like.