I may be sticking my neck out just to get it chopped off. The nice thing about America, I can offer you my figurative neck and you can figuratively chop it off...and that's okay. In my America, opinions are okay and allowable. There is no such animal as political correctness. We have ridden this horse too long! Why have we become a nation that is so afraid to voice our opinion that we are becoming yes men with no voice of our own???
The subject is the influx of illegal aliens and Arizona's right to enforce an federally mandated law and my opinion on that subject.
I may not have all the facts straight but that is what opinions are basically about...a comment on what you know of a subject. I personally try to arm myself with information before I feel I can adequately state an opinion. If I am wrong on that, please point it out. Speak up people, this is your America!!!
It seems the federal government is suing Arizona about the state's right to enforce an immigration law that is established. My first question is how can the federal government condemn the enforcement of their own law?
Can anyone say the state has no right to decide who enters the country through the corridor of their state? This is a law and they choose to enforce it. It is not racial profiling. There is a problem here. We are required as American people to carry identity with us. Our driver's licence is a must for daily living and if that is not available we have state issued ids. Many companies require additional id to enter the area of employment. We are a nation that runs on identification.
Would I be upset if I were asked to show ID because I am blue-eyed...yes. Would I be upset when my neighbor is killed by people coming into our country uninvited...yes. Would I be upset when my family land is so trashed by trespassers that I can't even use said land...yes. Would I be upset that my own children cannot find employment because of the use of illegal aliens...yes. Would I be upset that same said aliens received government assistance and far better housing than I can afford working two jobs...yes.
Please do not misunderstand. We are a nation of immigrants and should be proud of that. My own ancestors not four generations back came through Ellis Island proudly. They worked hard, they learned English, they obeyed the laws and had a dream. They became Americans...not Irish-Americans, not English-Americans, not African-Americans, not any hyphenated Americans in the bunch. They simply became Americans. And that, my people, if you haven't figured it out, is the way it is supposed to be.
Leave Arizona alone! They are only enforcing a law that is in place. I have a suggestion, if Arizona is so bad, MOVE.
I will apologize in advance for those I have offended, not for the act of offending but rather for hurting your feelings. I am not very good at being politically correct. Many of you may be surprised that this farmer's daughter has a political opinion. I have always been taught that if you can't say anything nice, keep your mouth shut. I have also been taught to be a proud American and stand up for what I believe.
GO ARIZONA!!!!!! LET US TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13 comments:
Now don't hold back girl! Heeehehehe!
We are the land of the free and the home of the brave. Sometimes we have to be brave a voice our opinion.
Have a good one Gail!
Sometimes you just gotta speak your mind. 70% of Arizonans believe that something must be done about illegal aliens. If the federal government can't or won't do the job of securing our borders correctly, why prevent Arizona from doing all they can to uphold that law? It boggles the mind.
Just like your ancestors, my own grandparents passed through Ellis Island, learned English, became citizens, and worked hard.
I love this post. I've been formulating one on this vey subject.
1st, part of my ancestory was already here speaking Spanish when the other part of my ancestry was stepping off the boat at Plymouth.
2nd, I live in a state that borders Mexico. I live in NM who like Arizona was part of Mexico at one time and then the land was purchased by the US (or annexed)
3rd, I too am a proud American (no hyphenation).
4th, the state I live in also has a problem with illegal immigration. But our dumber than dirt governor made it legal for the illegals to get drivers licenses.
I am sick of folks thinking the problem is not a problem. Mi problema es tu problema.
My spanish speaking grandfather required all his 18 children and 50+ grandchildren to speak English because we were Americans. Born in the territory before it became a state he was always about being a loyal American. (Proudly voted to become a state in 1911). And I betcha he's spinning in his grave with all this mess going on.
If everyone who disagrees would just take a visit to the Sonoran desert in the southern part of either AZ or NM and see the human garbage dump and the desicration of two of the United States, you might change your mind about how folks who come here treat your country.......I see it every day. Come on down folks, I'll let ya see first hand. It is hellacious, obscene and unneccesary.
And lastly...AZ only restated what the federal immigration law states....for their own state. If we were following the law of the land (the US folks) the subject would be mute.
Proud to join your rant.
I'm waiting for all the other states that said they were going to do the same thing, to step in and do it!
It is beyond ridiculous that the 'justice department' is suing Arizona for enforcing the law.
And just WHY do we have to press 1 for English anywhere in these United States? What's next? 3 for French, 4 for German, 5 for Japanese? ugh. :/
Sadly, North Carolina is one of the Driver's License offenders, too. >:{
Thanks for stating your opinion on this matter!
HALLELUAH!!! Love this post. My grandparents came through Ellis Island, they learned the language, had sponsors and did everything correct and became good citizens. Our government is going TOO far and is taking away our rights anyway they can. Let's get them all out in 2010 and 2012.
I love your post and no you are not ranting, you are telling the truth. Hang in there.
Maxine
There are laws for everything and they should be enforced no matter what. If you enter the country illegally than you have broken the law. The united states has always opened their doors to all but do it legally. I have to obey the laws in my state and all over the world when I must carry a passport. Suing arizona is sending the wrong message to the criminals who enter under the radar. Since the government doesn't like arizona's solution then let them come up with a better one. This all comes down to one thing.. cheap labor that robs americans from earning a living legally.
Sorry, can't be on your side on this one and I hope you can hear my side.
For me, I don't think this law about illegal immigration. It's about racism. Since me and my kids are brown, I worry about it. I've been in towns where my husband (who looks more hispanic than I do) gets treated differently right off the bat.
Fine. Everyone has a right to do that, actually. I just don't think we should give it the force of law.
Face it, you know and I know that the people getting stopped and harassed are not blue eyed. They are the hispanic guy with the heavy accent driving a truck who was hauled in by INS because even though he showed his drivers license AND his CDL, he was suspicious. Because he said his mother lives in Mexico. At least that's the excuse the officers said - "He didn't answer the questions right."
His wife had to get him out of custody of the INS by bringing his birth certificate. (you can actually watch a video news story of this if you are interested)
Time has proven again and again, If you give the state too much power to avoid due process, they will abuse the heck out of it.
Don't get me wrong. Immigration issues do need resolution. We need jobs for Americans. We need to make sure our borders don't become shanty towns. We do need a way to deal with border security.
But creating a situation where brown people have to carry birth certificates in addition to everything else and be careful not to mention relatives living in other countries? That's not a solution. That's an attempt to intimidate anyone who is hispanic. And trust me, it does. Citizens - actual citizens - are terrified of what might happen to them when they get stopped by law enforcement.
You know, I don't think this is what the thousands of hispanics fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places (along those hispanics who have served in every war disproportionately to their numbers) would consider freedom.
Trust me, I know this is not a popular position for me to take. But I take it anyway. Because I do think we should all be treated equally, no matter our accent, skin color, or chosen profession. Even if it is sweating it out in farms, picking crops, following the seasons to earn a living - like my husband's family did for years when he was a child.
And they are all native born Americans.
I am pleased by all well voiced opinions I have received.
I respond to each comment personally. If I have not, it is a techical problem like No Reply Comments.
I value all opinions and look forward to reading them.
Freedom of Speech is an amazing freedom.
Gail I'd love to hear from you on this my email is wprosapio (at) gmail (dot) com
It's a hot subject. People are confused and just don't know it. It's not a racial issue.
My birth certificate shows I was born in WA, husband's birth certificate shows he was born in NH, son's shows he was born in WI. SS cards show we are citizens. Our house was burglarized to get these documents because they were worth thousands of dollars!
Not all Americans born in this country have parents who were here legally. Many enter this country in the last trimester of pregnancy to have a child we automatically grant citizenship to, have their babies and leave again (maybe) without paying the medical bill like the rest of us have to. Perhaps this worked when we were a young country and needed citizens, but in an overburdened system, the policy of jus soli needs to be revisited.
Like most people reading here, I'm related to immigrants. My grandfather immigrated through Ellis Island from Lebanon, and my mother's parents did the same from Belgium. Unless you're a Native American, you are a relative of an immigrant.
I understand the desire to live in a place that would allow me to better myself, but there is a legal way to do this. We need to stop turning our heads the other way in respect to illegal immigration and find humane solutions to the problems.
Gail, kudos to you for speaking your mind, but I have to agree with Breathe on this one. You bring up excellent points, but I have another one.
Now, I know that I am a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, white girl from the Midwest, but I have am all about social justice, and AZ's new law is racist and oppressive.
Being a social worker, with a cultural anthropology minor, I would like to propose an idea to you: colonization.
When you say "...let us take our country back," do you realize that it was not our country to begin with? That the land mass that is now North America and Mexico, was forcibly taken away from its original inhabitants...the indigenous people??
Whether it was at the hands of white European or Spanish colonists, millions of Native people were murdered, oppressed, and forced to abandon their ancestral lands...all in the name of colonization. And, it continues today.
As for AZ in particular, pretty much every Southwestern state belonged to Mexico, until our government lied, cheated, and fought to get it.
So, I ask that you rethink your last statement about taking our country back, because it was not ours to begin with.
Now, please do not take this personally, I am just letting you know that I disagree and explaining why. Trust me, politics (and religion) is one area that I can agree to disagree with people.
No hard feelings... : )
You go GIRL! I love your post, and I feel 110% the same as you! I remember when immigration would come through the potato plants locally, and you should of seen the 'aliens' run! They were like little ants! If they had the misfortune to get caught, they were back to work in three days! We would joke about it! THERE IS A LAW that has been badly neglected, and the 'aliens' are abusing that law. Arizona has just decided to step up and put it back in force where everyone else has swept it under the rug! GO ARIZONA!
Oh yeah, did I already say, I LOVED THIS POST?!
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