So I was driving tonight, and there was a radio talk show about immigration. In case you're not living in Arizona, this is a huge issue out here, being so close to Mexico and all.
Anyway, I got all fired up... wasn't this country *founded* by "illegal immigrants"? Anyone who is not Native American is an immigrant in this country, and humans are nomadic as it is.
If you're unsure of the Arizona-specific issue of immigration, a good starting point is Googling "Sheriff Arpaio Raids." I usually provide a few articles/sources on issues, but I'll leave you to this one. Long story short, the Sheriff of Maricopa County (where Phoenix is located) established raids that "catch" illegal (Mexican) immigrants from various areas in the county and deport them back to Mexico.
Any person born on U.S. soil is a U.S. citizen, thus complicating matters a great deal. If two illegal immigrants were to have a child in the U.S., the child would be a U.S. citizen, and the parents would not. This fact has split up countless families, where the parents are deported, but the child(ren) remain(s). On the talk show tonight, one caller stated, "Just send the kids back with the parents. They don't need to be here, either." I was livid. The same caller (I'm using a great amount of self restraint by not throwing some colorful adjectives in there) also said, "I'm competing with these people for jobs. That ain't right." Umm... isn't competition the very backbone of a capitalistic society? Heaven forbid the best candidate get the job, regardless of race. Seriously, are we still in 1950?
Anyway, I don't mean to make this into a political blog; that's not its purpose. I merely mention this issue because it will directly pertain to some of my students (my school has an 85% Latino population)... and I think it's important for me to keep this issue in mind when considering the behaviors and opinions of my students.
For now, I take my leave. Take care, and the countdown 'til T-day (Teaching Day??) stands at 29 days.
1 comment:
The issue even reaches up to Flagstaff. I remember stories of friends teaching in schools with high Latino population, and on days with big 'raids' going down the whole family would up and leave for a day or two, making entire classrooms significantly smaller (like down to 5 kids).
It's a tough issue with hot tempers on each side. I don't think we are going to be able to come to a solution that doesn't totally piss someone off.
-Fandrew
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