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By Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com

   

    July 20, 2010

 

The logic of Arizona’s apartheid champion

By Patrick Osio, Jr.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s most recent comments in attempting to justify her state’s near apartheid law has exposed her, her party and much of her state’s citizens to the true light of their deeply rooted racism.

Recollect first that the stated reason for the passage of SB 1070 was based on misleading and false information provided to legislators and Arizona citizens that crime was rampant due to illegal immigrants and the poster child of such crime wave was the killing of a rancher. 

The falsity of such arguments went without challenge by the Arizona state legislature and the governor simply stated she was signing the act into law because she feared for the safety of the citizens of Arizona.

The absurdity of the false information has quickly unraveled with FBI and other credible information indicating that crime in Arizona has been dramatically reduced each of the last several years and further that the US border towns and cities are amongst the safest in the nation far lower than for instance, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and many others.

So now faced with that Gov. Brewer was faced with having to come up with a new angle and she came up with a lulu.  She said during the June 15 candidates’ debate that she believed that most illegal immigrants were not entering the United States for work. She then associated illegal immigrants with drug smuggling, drop houses, extortion and other criminal activity. Brewer made the incredulous assertion that “the majority of illegal trespassers are bringing drugs in.”

As she should have expected the challenges to her remarks came swiftly and demands for her to either show proof or retract her bigoted remarks came from various fronts.

So the good governor in a written statement presented her proof – A March 2009, Los Angeles Times article in which the reporter asserts that drug cartels have made in roads into human smuggling. Based on this, Gov. Brewer issued her statement, "The simple truth is that the majority of human smuggling in our state is under the direction of the drug cartels, which are by definition smuggling drugs - the business of smuggling humans across the Mexican border has been brisk, with many thousands coming across every year."

She obviously didn’t check with T.J. Bonner, president of the union that represents border agents, who after hearing her comments said some illegal border-crossers carry drugs but most don't. People with drugs face much stiffer penalties for entering the U.S. illegally, and very few immigrants looking for work want to risk the consequences. The majority of people continue to come across in search of work, not to smuggle drugs. Most of the drug smuggling is done by people who intend to do that. That's their livelihood."

And Mr. Bonner added on CNN News, that Brewer's comments, don't "comport with reality -- that's the nicest way to put it."

So there you have it – the only authority the Governor of Arizona needs to sign a bill into law and then defend her position is a newspaper article – no need for FBI, DEA, Border Patrol or Department of Homeland Security – what do they know? And as to the reports that crime is down in Arizona and border cities are safe, come on now – this is an election year, the economy is down and it’s a historical happening that in such times you blame illegal immigrants for all things wrong – how else you gonna get elected in Arizona?

So Governor Brewer keep protecting your state’s pot heads, cocaine and other illicit drug users whose habit feeds the drug cartels, because they may vote and show the world that the US has a state attempting to keep apartheid alive because you want to stay in power. Do that, but don’t recoil when you’re called a racist.

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Patrick Osio, Jr is the Editor of HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com) Contact at: Posiojr@aol.com

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

For information on purchasing, write to HVCstore@aol.com

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