Tag: immigration reform

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Opinion Viewpoint

Fencing Justice Out

Laws written out of fear and anger are never good laws. Very few Americans are proud of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1789, the Prohibition amendment of 1919, and the Patriot Act of 2001. All were designed to curb the rights of American citizens but especially those of immigrants.

The pending new legislation on immigration, which passed the Senate this past week, focuses on border security and control and may, or may not, become the law of the land. Just as in 2007, when the hard right blocked President Bush’s genuine attempt at immigration reform, Republican fear, anger, and intransigence in the House now threaten to undermine reform by insisting on prohibitive, unrealistic “security” measures at the border.

To placate the hard right, Congress is considering spending up to $40 billion over the next 10 years to double the current force of 20,000 border patrol agents and complete a 700-mile fence project that was begun in 2006, never fully funded by Congress, and technologically flawed. Given that most undocumented persons in the U.S. overstay some type of visa, appropriating billions of dollars for a fence is wasteful.

Additionally, over the past couple of years, the U.S. has recorded a net loss of immigrants. This is because an anemic economy and a robust deportation effort under the Obama administration, combined with the foul mood of state legislators in Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, et al., have created an inhospitable environment for immigrants.

Nevertheless, billions of dollars in unnecessary fencing seems to be the fulcrum upon which any potential reform of our outdated immigration system rests and may be directly related to U.S. military drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan, driving defense contractors to the border with Mexico.

Even with this giant “security surge,” many Republican legislators oppose the pathway to citizenship for undocumented persons who have been living in the United States. The vast majority of the undocumented workers have contributed to our communities and economy; many have been here since infancy and form part of the complex fabric of society. Rather than thinking of the undocumented via a one-dimensional narrative, why not look at the undocumented as human beings, workers, students, friends, neighbors? Let’s recognize their presence and value by focusing on the many contributions they make to society.

Republicans are putting up myriad barriers to prevent the undocumented from moving along a path toward citizenship. Insisting that the border be completely locked down and “secured” before anyone can move toward citizenship is a tactic designed to please the nation’s most conservative element — people who have historically opposed all programs and legislation designed to help immigrants, minorities, and the poor.

The fearful right refers to a pathway to citizenship as “amnesty for lawbreakers,” yet our immigration laws are so outdated, baroque, and unfair that we’ve pushed into the category of “lawbreaker” most people who come here without documentation or overstay a visa and who want to work in the U.S., save money, and support loved ones.

The hard right’s irrational focus on “security” and punitive policies reflects the demographic triple-bind in which they find themselves. Republicans know they’ll never win another national election without strong support from Hispanics. Republicans know that “Hispanic” is the fastest growing demographic category in the nation. They know the sun has set on the days of national political domination by white males, and so they’re in an existential fight for political survival.

The solution for Republicans is simple: Treat immigrants, legal and otherwise, like human beings, and support policies that are important to immigrants. A hike in the minimum wage, more money for public schools, better and strongly funded community health centers, money for English language classes, and public funds for day care would make for a good start.

Republicans have shown, though, that they would rather spend money on technologically dubious and expensive fence projects and 40,000 border agents.

No matter what happens — and we hope meaningful legislation emerges that can be signed by President Obama — Hispanics will remember the great Republican intransigence, the menacing, expensive fence, the fear and anger of the 2013 U.S. Congress.

Bryce Ashby is a Memphis-based attorney and board member at Latino Memphis, Inc. Michael J. LaRosa is an associate professor of history at Rhodes College.

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Letters To The Editor Opinion

Letters to the Editor

Response to Roland

It’s always a close call whether it’s worth rebutting claims made by my friend, county commissioner Terry Roland, but, lest silence be seen as assent, I correct one claim about me which he was quoted making in a recent Jackson Baker Politics column (June 13th issue).

On school merger, Roland said that the suburban municipalities had initially agreed to the “chancellor model” of governing a unified district, where they would still have “autonomy,” but Commissioner Walter Bailey and I said, “Heck naw, we gone sue!” (I trust Baker has done a fair phonetic rendering.)

Where to begin? Suburban leaders never agreed to the chancellor model claiming it didn’t give them enough autonomy. I, however, was on record as a proponent of that model and would have been happy to settle for that. At any rate, this issue played no role in anyone’s decision to go to court. The federal lawsuit started when the suburban school system sued the county commission and others, not the other way around. The county commission did eventually file a “third party claim” in that lawsuit, saying the state law on merger was unconstitutional, but A) the chancellor model was not involved, and B) the court agreed that the law was indeed unconstitutional.

Other than that, Roland’s claim is accurate.

Steve Mulroy

Memphis

Terror Paranoia

Comedian Marc Maron liked to refer to those all-American folks on the right as “sheeple.” It was his contention that they would follow anyone whose rhetoric supported their prejudices and fears, be it Cheney, Falwell, Limbaugh, or any of the host of second- or third-tier fear mongers.

The paranoia seems to be growing. George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security in response to the attack on the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, he forgot to take military action against the country that supported the attackers and instead used the attack as an excuse for initiating payback to Saddam Hussein.

Since 9/11, the terrorist-industrial complex has grown by leaps and bounds. But since the sad happening at the twin towers in 2001, a total of 64 Americans have died in this country at the hands of Muslim extremists or terrorists. I’m sure supporters of the terrorist-industrial complex would argue these relatively low numbers are the result of the incredible vigilance by our protectors.

I’d like to propose we refocus to other areas where there is a genuine threat to the lives of all Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2011 there were 851 accidental gun-related deaths in this country. Compare that figure to the one Muslim-related homicide in the U.S. in 2011. Is it fair to say that perhaps our precious resources are being misdirected?

John Manasco

Memphis

Immigration Reform

Many members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are agents of the same type of stiff resistance to human rights seen during the civil rights era. While debating the immigration reform bill that went before Congress, many of our law makers behaved like modern-day George Wallaces, promoting fear and hatred. Even though later in life he admitted he was wrong about his harsh segregation stance, Wallace in 1963 was a leader against equal rights for blacks. The voices heard in Congress today that are demonizing the path to citizenship in the immigration-reform bill are as off-base as those who fought to keep segregation in the early ’60s.

Alfred Waddell

Memphis

It’s obvious, watching the immigration reform battle in Congress, that Senator John Cornyn of Texas is the most polarizing Senate figure on the issue. Cornyn’s true colors as the leader of the Republican anti-immigration pack are showing through, as he offered an “all or nothing” provision that is likely to sink immigration reform.

But what do you expect? In the House, Republicans will more than likely put the final nail in the coffin of a potentially historic immigration overhaul.

After spending years unsuccessfully trying to repeal “Obamacare,” Republicans are now attempting to use and distort the landmark health-care law to derail immigration legislation. Have they no shame? Have they no clue how irrelevant to the general electorate the GOP is becoming?

Richard Rayvid

Nashville

Categories
Letters To The Editor Opinion

Letters to the Editor

Big Mouth Billy Bass?

I’m not sure if this has already been proposed for the new Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid, but I’d like to humbly suggest that the plan for signage include at least one large Big Mouth Billy Bass animatronic fish, mounted near the top of the Pyramid. Songs that the fish would sing could be determined by a committee of city and community leaders but should include numbers by many of our favorite local artists.

Do you think they’d go for it?

Horgslien Jones

Memphis

Racism in the Flyer

I read the Flyer as respite from the idiocy that comes from places like Fox News and The Commercial Appeal. Unfortunately, in your May 30th issue I found you slipping a bit. I refer to a letter to the editor by Donald A. Moskowitz, in which he states that “the Palestinians, like other Arabs and Persians, cannot be trusted.”

It’s one thing that he is an ill-informed bigot, but it is another that you deem his racist, inflammatory drivel fit to print. Your paper is usually above such. I doubt the letter would have been accepted if, instead, it stated, “Blacks, like Hispanics and Asians, cannot be trusted.” Or, putting the shoe on his other foot, “Israeli Jews cannot be trusted.” Is the Flyer, like others, getting numb to Middle East bashing, making it an acceptable form of free speech? Sounds like hate speech to me.

As for Moskowitz’s lack of faith in a two-state solution, I totally agree — as long as he and others insist that war is the only answer, it will be. It would take the unprecedented pressure of the U.S. withholding military assistance to really ever change the equation.(Hopefully, war-mongering will someday become a “generational issue,” like gay-marriage acceptance.)

Tm. Prudhomme

Memphis

Fluoride Balance

We at the Mid-South Fluoride Free Coalition wanted to tell you how several of us inside and outside our community were so pleased with Louis Goggans’ article “Fluoridation Altercation” (June 6th issue).

It was as refreshing an example of balanced reporting of the fluoride issue as we have seen in a long time. We thank you for allowing your reporters enough autonomy to state the truth according to both sides so that your readers can make an informed decision. We see balanced reporting of truth becoming an exception rather than the rule in our world today. So big kudos to Goggans and your entire team. Keep up the great work.  

Daniel and Maria Phelps

Memphis

Immigration Reform

The time has come for Americans, especially our senators, to support just and comprehensive immigration legislation. Our family values are in question if we do not prevent the breakup of immigrant families by deportations that separate spouses and parents from children. Our sense of justice is jeopardized if we are unable or unwilling to protect the rights of immigrant workers, all of whom have the right to just wages for their labor.

What purpose is served by holdups in the processing of immigrants already approved for residency in this country? A spirit of punitive legislation demeans us all and works against the general welfare of all. The common good seems to be forgotten or vilified or sometimes avoided for some perceived personal good on the part of those to whom we have entrusted governance in our nation.

Just immigration policy provides a clear and direct pathway to citizenship for the 11 million people who are undocumented in the U.S. Our Irish, German, and Italian ancestors found that pathway. Can we be so selfish as to deny it to others? The true American spirit springs from the soul of our nation. Therein we find generosity, openness, compassion, and even forgiveness. Let us maintain that spirit for our own good.

Gerald Bettice

Memphis

Your Moment of Dagmar

What is all the brouhaha about the government checking people’s phones? I feel kind of flattered that they would be interested in anybody I would call. Am I really that important? Wow, how cool is that?

It’s like when my bills are late, and I get oodles of phone calls. It reminds me of when I was young and my phone was ringing off the hook. Somebody’s interested in me! Nowadays, when the bill collectors stop calling, I feel like I’m being ignored.

It’s good to feel important.

Dagmar Bergan

Helena, Arkansas

Categories
Opinion Viewpoint

Embracing Immigration Reform

Republicans’ fast, furious, and sudden embrace of immigration reform may have unintended consequences. And if winning national elections by mobilizing Hispanics is their goal, it might be too late.

For several years, we have advocated for changes to our existing immigration laws. In this column, we have called for comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that reflects the realities of our market-based economy. Such reform should reinforce our neighborly relationship with Mexico, a nation that precariously straddles the wall between the Third World and the First.

This past November, Barack Obama won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, even though his relentless deportation program (a record 1.4 million people forced out of the United States in four years) continues unabated. Despite this, the president spoke the language of tolerance, inclusion, and reform while on the campaign trail, and Hispanic immigrants, documented and undocumented, were listening.

So now, barely a month into the president’s second term, some Republicans are speaking this (foreign) language of inclusion through a sudden conversion to the cause of immigration reform — something they characterized until a few weeks ago as merely amnesty for lawbreakers.

The idea of somnolent Spanish-speakers suddenly waking up and voting Republican after some sort of comprehensive reform is passed is completely out of step with recent Republican-imposed reality. Hispanics will vote for Republicans if Republican policies and positions favor issues important to them. Many Hispanics, we should remember, are raising children, earning very low wages, and living in substandard housing. Hispanics will vote for candidates who have specific plans to improve education for their kids.

Like all human beings, Hispanics want to live in safe neighborhoods, with a responsive, professional police force. They want decent housing and access to basic health care. They want public transportation that’s safe and functional. They don’t want to send their kids to Afghanistan or Iran.

What did the Republican platform offer this past November? Their program, in essence: lower taxes for the wealthiest of Americans and large corporations, massive cuts to social programs, and a possible invasion of Iran. The fact that 27 percent of Hispanics voted for that agenda is nothing short of miraculous.

Republicans might benefit from comprehensive immigration reform in that a new, national policy will probably shut down the dizzying array of primal “laws” coming out of state legislatures in Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, and South Carolina. Passing and enforcing immigration laws is a federally prescribed prerogative (and obligation), and new immigration reform laws, passed in a bipartisan manner, should dampen down the rhetoric from the individual states. Those state laws, which are designed to impose maximum suffering on the undocumented, have been written, passed, and praised by Republican state legislators. Ruling through cruelty is never a politically sustainable plan of governance.

Here we are, once again, and we hope that a national, bipartisan plan to reform our outdated immigration laws is passed by the end of this year. It is unlikely that such reform will result in an immediate Hispanic pivot to the Republican Party, even if the plan passes with strong Republican support. We look forward to studying the details of the legislation that emerges in the months ahead, and we hope the cruel, racist, xenophobic rhetoric of the recent past recedes and dissipates, replaced by a much more enlightened discussion on immigration and the immigrants among us.

Bryce Ashby is a Memphis-based attorney. Michael J. LaRosa teaches history at Rhodes College.