In the 19th and 20th centuries, America was built by people who wished for freedom and better lives for themselves and their children. They also had one thing in common. Most of them came from someplace else. All risked life and limb to get here and for the most part they were all resented and persecuted when they first arrived. And with each wave of immigration the injustice continued. But eventually justice prevailed and the immigrants were allowed to contribute to the growth of the nation and many of them became prosperous. With this history we must be clear and acknowledge that immigrants will still come to our borders and our shores seeking life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness regardless of the obstacles that are placed before them.
Last week, after having decided that it would continue the tradition of persecuting the newcomers, Arizona passed a law to legalize racial profiling. Now some in the GOP will state that this law isn't racial profiling. But the law allows an officer of the law to question the citizenship of anyone they feel suspicious of. And this suspicion does not have to be backed up by concrete evidence. If that is not racial profiling I don't know what is.
Many on both sides of the immigrant issue say that illegal immigrants are coming to America to do jobs that Americans won't do. Well, the truth is that immigrants are coming to do jobs that Americans won't hire other Americans to do. Why? Well, because as Americans we feel that there are certain things that American employers should provide American workers. Things, that after decades of hard work by unions, Americans take for granted and the GOP calls socialism. Those things being healthcare benefits, sick leave, maternity leave, family leave, eight-hour work days, 40-hour work weeks, overtime and a living wage that keeps up with the cost of living.
The silence coming from those who oppose big government is interesting. Arizona passes a Big Brother-style law and we heard nothing from the anti-big government patriots. And once again a law that pushes us closer to a totalitarian state is passed by Republicans. This is no coincidence. The GOP has made quite a name for itself in the last 50 years pushing legislation justified by fear and hatred. Except they call it patriotism. This so-called patriotism gave us the Patriot Act that weakened our civil liberties after 9-11.
So like free American blacks in the 19th century and Jews who had to suffer the same injustice in Nazi Germany during the 1930s and '40s, Latino immigrants will have to endure until the law is repealed and justice again prevails.
In fascist Germany the Jews had to walk around with the Star of David on an armband. Hopefully, Latinos will not have to wear a scarlet letter L for Latino. That could be a stretch but one never knows where the exploitation of fear and hatred by the GOP will lead us.
