THE ARIZONA PROBLEM

Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010--IN THE NEWS: THE ARIZONA PROBLEM

The folks in Arizona, both good and bad, seem to by having a problem with their southern border. You know, the one they share with the country of Mexico. So much so, that their state legislature recently passed a law giving those entrusted with the duty of enforcing the law “more tools” in the perceived “war” against illegal immigration. While I am sure that those who support the new law’s intentions are good, well meaning people, we all know what the road to hell is paved with, don’t we? Once you have given a dog a bone, you’d best be careful how you retrieve it.

Before we delve any deeper into this problem, let me assure you that I am not without experience in this matter. I lived in both Tucson and Phoenix, spending about three years there between the two, and I lived in Flagstaff for about six months. Additionally, I’ve spent some time in New Mexico (much more that a vacation’s worth), and, of course, I was born in and continue to live in the Great State of Texas; as the politicos are fond of calling it. All three of these are border states; therefore, I have a life of experience of living with our Mexican brothers. After due consideration and drawing on my experiences here and there, I have come to the following conclusion: the Arizona law is plainly just wrong-headed, and serves no useful purpose.

For one thing, there are laws already on the books that cover the situation; new laws are not needed, the old one’s either need to be enforced, or changed to something easier to enforce. You can argue that enforcement by the feds has been lacking, but you can also argue that state’s laws can never supersede federal law. Didn’t we engage in a war one time, humorously known as the “civil war” (has there ever been any such thing as a civil war?), that was, in part at least, caused by the notion that a state could write laws contrary to the wishes of the federal government? Then, there’s that other thing; the matter of the rights of our citizens. District Judge Susan Bolton was correct when she wrote that it is likely that law-abiding citizens of this country will be detained against their will while their immigration status is being checked (this quote is not verbatim, but the meaning is the same). In other words, citizens will be deprived of their right to go about their business in the pursuit of their happiness, in a free manner. We must ask ourselves this question; do we really want a law that will obstruct our liberty? It is my hope this will become a moot question; for, once the arguments pro and con make it to the Supreme Court, the law will be ruled unconstitutional. This is as it should be, in my opinion.
I can only wonder, however, how this law ever came to be in the first place. Can the people of Arizona not see what they are doing to themselves? In their haste to keep illegal immigrants out of their state, are they really willing to give up one of their essential liberties? (insert any quote by Benjamin Franklin here) What will happen if their law is allowed to stand and be enforced? The answer is as old as slavery itself.

People with brown skin will be endangered in Arizona, whether they are here legally or not; whether they are citizens or not. I am no great shakes as an odds player, but I will take less-than-even odds that no white people will be stopped. Clear-cut cases of racial profiling will be abundant; ask any of your black friends about that. In Arizona, it will be even worse, because they will be able to deport any illegals they find, without due process of law. At least the black folks can’t be deported; they, for the most part, are citizens. And, if mistakes are made? Well, shoot, who’s to know? That’s another thing I’ll take less-than-even odds on; the police departments in Phoenix and Tucson won’t be running out into the streets to shout out any mistakes that they’ve made.

Let us remember that all of our families were immigrants to this country, not a single one of us can claim the USA as a birthright. The only indigenous people we have are the Native Americans, and we have treated them shamefully through the years. Not only do we continue to treat them shamefully, we are attempting to add blacks and Mexicans to the list as well. That’s some track record we have, folks, yessiree. I, for one, can’t find a whole lot there of which to be proud.

Ladies and gentlemen of Arizona, let’s come to our senses, shall we? Let’s quit acting as if the world is coming to an end (it’s not), and find a better way. Our neighbors to the south, the Mexicans, are here to stay, and they are not going to just disappear; no matter how many homophobic laws you enact. You can’t build and supervise enough fences to keep us apart, so you’d best learn to live with life the way it is. Don’t let your over-blown self-importance destroy you; you are most assuredly not the only people on the planet.

Else, the Natives may decide to build their own fence, and deport all of us from THEIR country! You know what? If that were to happen, I’d bet you’d find that you like Mexico a whole lot more than you thought…

Brazos Mason