Opinion
New immigration law passed in Arizona promotes intolerance
April 28, 2010
Police officers in Arizona are now allowed to stop citizens they have “reasonable suspicion” may be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States.” Wasn’t this one of the qualities we despised in communist states such as the Soviet Union, East Germany and apartheid-era South Africa?
In retaliation to this new immigration law, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenagger has issued a statement calling for a list of all Arizona businesses, threatening a boycott if the law isn’t changed.
Groups have formed to support boycotts of the state’s sports teams and conventions. Hotels and businesses have already claimed cancellations due to the new law and fear that their businesses could be even further effected by the attention the state is receiving.
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera called on municipal leaders to launch a boycott of Arizona businesses. “Arizona has charted an ominous legal course that puts extremist politics before public safety, and betrays our most deeply-held American values,” Herrera said in a statement.
Mexico has issued a travel warning for the state of Arizona, stating that “It must be assumed that every Mexican citizen may be harassed and questioned without further cause at any time.” So that puts Arizona up there with the Congo and Afghanistan on Mexico’s “unsafe places to travel”.
The bill was signed by Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer who said the law was necessary because the federal government has failed to address persistent illegal immigration. Supporters of the law have stated that the law comes in reaction to the federal government’s lack of legislation on the subject of immigration reform. Once again, I shudder at the level of intolerance and forethought put into laws that have very serious effects on more than just citizens of Arizona.
Arizona, I would like to remind you of a little poem you may or may not remember. It’s inscribed in a place we thought was pretty hard to forget, but apparently has slipped the memory of your legislators. “Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
If you have trouble finding it in the future, it can easily be found on the Statue of Liberty. Please repeal the law that endangers lives both citizen and otherwise. Until you do, I wont be anywhere near your state or buying anything that comes from there. Be thankful that I didn’t bring up your earlier efforts to rid yourself of Martin Luther King Day. I can’t say there’s a strong pattern of intolerance in your state yet, but it’s getting close.
Chaia means life and Kimi-Chaia Lindberg tries to live it to the fullest. Writing is what she loves. Spanish, Hebrew, Portuguese and English are the words she uses. Tel Aviv is where she is inspired.