Articles in Spanish intended for domestic consumption are far more extreme as are the frothings of politicos at all levels from village mayors to El Presidente. There is no doubt but many of these worthies, both journalistic and political, have convinced themselves--or at least desire to give the impression of having been convinced--that Arizona has declared a free-fire zone on any and all people who might have a tan skin and/or speak with an accent.
The Mexican rants have been seconded strongly by assorted politicians and public figures--including the ever camera-ready Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Additionally all segments of the blogosphere to the right of Attilathehun.us (The Geek hopes no such site exists) are serving up the view that the Arizona law regarding illegal immigrants will be followed instantly by posses of Tea Party types equipped with fully automatic weapons gunning down any and all who cannot prove beyond the shadow of a 'birther" doubt their right to breath good old 'Merican air. (Note: there are too many examples available to merit links.)
It is time to get a grip, bucko.
Actually, there are two realities upon which a firm grip must be taken. The first, and most obvious, is the motives behind the Arizona enactment which is, in the Geek's estimate, perhaps, but only perhaps, a tad over the edge. The second, the more important is the base hypocrisy hiding under the clouds of Mexican outrage.
Arizona, like the Geek's home state of New Mexico, is heavily Hispanic. It is quite possible that the state to our west exceeds the Land of Enchantment as an entrepot for illegal immigrants from throughout Central and South America. It is equally probable that Arizona has seen more spillover violence from the drug war currently in progress in Mexico than has New Mexico.
Certainly, more directly drug related murder has occurred during the past two years in the great cities of Arizona than in New Mexico. These homicides have been well planned, well executed, and have exhibited sophisticated tactics and weapons. Most, if not all, remain unsolved.
Given this concatenation it is not surprising that many residents (seventy percent in one recent poll) are afraid enough to support even the relatively drastic action represented by the Arizona law. It would appear that even Hispanic descent citizens in Arizona are more worried about the illegal immigrants and drug violence than they are of the police and the potential for such admittedly real hazards as profiling and harassment.
Being hassled by the cops is no fun. The Geek knows that well from numerous unpleasant such experiences at the hands of federal border agents and assorted local cops alike due to his (very) long hair, tan complexion, and Indian features. His own anti-authoritarian personality has done nothing to make these encounters any less unenjoyable (hopefully for the minion of the state as well).
Nonetheless, it is utterly certain that there are many things far worse than being rousted by a man with a badge and an attitude. These range from losing employment in favor of a less costly and far more amenable to exploitation illegal immigrant to being caught in the crossfire between businessmen seeking to settle trade disputes with rock and roll capable weapons.
Given the inability of the federal government to craft a solution to the problem of illegal immigration which can achieve an acceptable measure of consensual support among We the People it is inevitable that some state would make the first move. State governments no less than the one located in Washington, D.C. have the responsibility of securing the domestic order. When a problem such as that presented by illegal immigrants perturbs the tranquility and good order of a state's population, it must act or lose political legitimacy.
Arguably, the Arizona law has headed off more informal and far more intimidating, not to say violent, means employed by vigilance committees of one sort or another. That alternative is not all that remote given the fear created by homicides committed by illegal aliens--typified in an exaggerated and fortunately rare form in the recent killing of an Arizona rancher near the border by a man whose footprints went straight back to the border.
(In this context it might be recalled that Autoarms marketed its version of the famed Tommygun to ranchers along the Rio Grande with ads featuring the lone cowman confronting a group of armed Mexicans. The Thompson .45 submachinegun gave the lone ranger all the advantage needed to keep his humble house and herd safe from depredation. The ad campaign back in the Twenties kept the struggling company alive and the "tommy chopper" available for others including Al Capone and his violin case toting boys.)
Being no more of a constitutional scholar than is the current president, the Geek will not hazard a detailed assessment as to the probability that the Arizona law will survive court challenge. But, it probably will not given that even the federal courts are political bodies and sway wildly to the controlling gusts of political winds whipped up by the hoi oligoi.
It can only be hoped that the controversy stirred by the Arizona legislature and governor will kick Congress hard enough to produce the necessary federal immigration reform legislation. Accomplishing this task will not be easy given the polarizing effects of the reform efforts in the past. Squaring the circle of providing the "path to citizenship" while assuring border security as well as giving no hint of rewarding past violations of immigration law. (Hint: The time may be upon us to end the birthright citizenship which automatically accrues to any who take a first breath on some part of American soil. This might go a long way to gaining support for "amnesty.")
And now, the big enchilada--the grotesque hypocrisy of Mexican media and politicians alike. There is a basic problem with their crocodile tears over the fascist Arizonians. That problem is quite simply the vile things which happen to Central Americans during their passage through Mexico en route to the Land of the Big PX.
Folks from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and other desperately impoverished and increasingly drug violence ridden Central American states are victimized by both criminals and officials on their long and very dangerous trek north. These illegal birds of passage are robbed, beaten, raped, kidnapped for ransom, and murdered in truly wholesale lots.
It has been reported that Amnesty International using data from the National Human Rights Commission believes that no fewer than ten thousand migrants were kidnapped in Mexico during a single six month period last year. Not only have criminal gangs including those normally associated with drug trafficking such as Los Zetas been perpetrators of the kidnappings, the robberies, the beatings, the rapes, and the murders, so also have members of assorted Mexican law enforcement agencies.
To the illegal traveler on the rails and roads of southern and central Mexico there is no way to tell the cops from the crooks other than the fact the first has the badge and the second the better weapons. Then, in northern Mexico, on the final approach march to the border, the cops and crooks are joined by the coyotes, the occupational traffickers in human beings whose expropriations and inhumanity make the behavior of the cops and crooks pale into virtual insignificance.
Those are the realities on the Great Road North.
Do Mexicans vituperate against these sins in their midst? Do Mexican media and political figures denounce those who rape, beat, rob, kidnap, and kill men and women from the countries to their south?
Of course not. Don't be silly. There is no profit in it. No votes. No better circulation or ratings. Anyway, who wants to sully the pure nation of Mexico, the nationalism of the Mexicans? That would only give comfort to the Yankees.
Then what about the Yankees? Does President Obama find the beatings, robberies, kidnappings, rapes, murders of Central Americans by Mexicans to be as despicable, as abhorent as he finds the Arizona law? Who knows, the record is silent.
What about the reverends Sharpton and Jackson? Silence again. Perhaps these two men of God are of the view that violence directed by brown against brown is just fine. Only harassment by the white guy with a badge of a brown person merits condemnation from pulpit or street demonstration.
And, where are the cries of alarm, the tocsin of opposition from the Left, from the Huffington Post, Alternet, the Daily Kos? Silence once more. Perhaps the beating, raping, robbing, kidnapping, and killing of the unarmed, impoverished by the armed impoverished is OK providing both parties are of the same color and language. As long as victim and victimizer are identical in color, language, and (presumably) socio-economic class no harm worthy of mention is done.
Only actions by the powerful, by Whites in a legislature, or wearing a badge or simply supporting the acts merit opposition, earn opprobrium, deserve the epithets. Thus the word, "hypocrisy" is spelled in both Spanish and English.
Get a grip, people. There is a real problem with illegal immigration. The Arizona law shows that unmistakably. Hurling words from behind the barricades of sanctimonious rectitude--and hypocrisy--will do nothing to advance a solution. Unless and until these people on both sides of the border can develop a solution which will be acceptable to the majority of We the People, the greatest service they can provide those of us born here, those of us who are here legally, and those of us who are illegal immigrants is to sit down and shut up.
No comments:
Post a Comment