Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Arlington County Board Condemns "Politically Inspired" Attack on Immigrants
Words can't express the wisdom I see in the decision of the Arlington County Board decision to condemn the regional attack on immigrants, mostly Hispanic / Spanish-speaking individuals in the adjacent areas.
It's becoming more apparent that the Republicans have run out of scapegoats so they are now attacking Hispanics. Unfortunately, these kinds of attitudes carry over to both legal as well as illegal individuals in this country.
How quickly this country forgets that during the Great Depression, Texans of Mexican descent who were American citizens but who only spoke Spanish and could not produce birth certificates because most parents at that time could not afford to have their children born in hospitals were put on trains and shipped to Mexico because the Texans in power believed them to be "aliens". The shipping of people by train to other areas leaves haunting images of the Nazis shipping Jews during World War II. I am not trying to imply that these two situations are in the least similar--how can shipping people to their death even compare to shipping people to an adjacent country in the case of Texas simply because the individuals didn't speak English.
So when people say, Hispanics are not being discriminated against, they really have no idea of what they are talking about.
Does anyone remember signs in New York City saying?
Irish Need Not Apply
Does anyone remember quotas for Jews regarding enrollment in major USA universities?
Does anyone remember the Japanese-Americans being round up in concentration camps after the Pearl Harbor attack?
Does anyone remember signs in Texas that used to say:
No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed
Does anyone remember signs in the USA saying:
Colored or Whites Only
Many say something needs to be done regarding the immigration process and persons entering this country illegally. This is a very complicated issue. But what has many people quite upset is that is an illegal person who is blond and looks American--whatever that means--versus some one who is brown-skinned and looks more American Indian or Hispanic--whatever that means since Hispanics can be anything from blond/blue eyed to brown to black and/or any combination--is not faced with negative attitudes of "What are you doing in the country?" or "Are you in this country legally?"
This is why the Arlington County Board insists that all of its residents be treated with "human dignity and respect". No one should get away from committing crimes but just because one speaks Spanish or doesn't speak English does not make him/her fodder for negative or malicious attacks.
The Consul General of the Mexican Embassy Enrique Escorza stated it clearly:
"Listening to a very responsible county board like Arlington is very gratifying."
It's becoming more apparent that the Republicans have run out of scapegoats so they are now attacking Hispanics. Unfortunately, these kinds of attitudes carry over to both legal as well as illegal individuals in this country.
How quickly this country forgets that during the Great Depression, Texans of Mexican descent who were American citizens but who only spoke Spanish and could not produce birth certificates because most parents at that time could not afford to have their children born in hospitals were put on trains and shipped to Mexico because the Texans in power believed them to be "aliens". The shipping of people by train to other areas leaves haunting images of the Nazis shipping Jews during World War II. I am not trying to imply that these two situations are in the least similar--how can shipping people to their death even compare to shipping people to an adjacent country in the case of Texas simply because the individuals didn't speak English.
So when people say, Hispanics are not being discriminated against, they really have no idea of what they are talking about.
Does anyone remember signs in New York City saying?
Irish Need Not Apply
Does anyone remember quotas for Jews regarding enrollment in major USA universities?
Does anyone remember the Japanese-Americans being round up in concentration camps after the Pearl Harbor attack?
Does anyone remember signs in Texas that used to say:
No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed
Does anyone remember signs in the USA saying:
Colored or Whites Only
Many say something needs to be done regarding the immigration process and persons entering this country illegally. This is a very complicated issue. But what has many people quite upset is that is an illegal person who is blond and looks American--whatever that means--versus some one who is brown-skinned and looks more American Indian or Hispanic--whatever that means since Hispanics can be anything from blond/blue eyed to brown to black and/or any combination--is not faced with negative attitudes of "What are you doing in the country?" or "Are you in this country legally?"
This is why the Arlington County Board insists that all of its residents be treated with "human dignity and respect". No one should get away from committing crimes but just because one speaks Spanish or doesn't speak English does not make him/her fodder for negative or malicious attacks.
The Consul General of the Mexican Embassy Enrique Escorza stated it clearly:
"Listening to a very responsible county board like Arlington is very gratifying."
