Having been a full-time resident of Arizona for over 30 years, I strongly disagree with the part-time Arizona resident who recently wrote favoring the state’s anti-Hispanic law. (July 2 letter, “State protecting its legal citizens.”)
He correctly abhors people smugglers and their violence. The new law does nothing for this. It will aggravate the problem, discouraging police contact by those who might be helpful to enforcement.
Over my years as a professional in Phoenix I had opportunities to interact in many ways with the Hispanic community. I found them to be more industrious, religious and law-abiding than the general population. None of the arguments frequently advanced against immigrants, such as welfare costs, increased crime or lack of assimilation, withstand scrutiny.
Quoting Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon writing about the bill’s sponsor, Russell Pearce: “The senator’s own vision is distorted and myopic. Enough of his reckless misstatements. I know how it works for you, senator. If you told people the real numbers — verified by the FBI — you’d have no ‘hot-button issue’ and would risk losing your political base.”
Does the letter writer remember when Russell Pearce circulated Neo-Nazi anti-Semitic e-mails in 2006? Does he remember when President Bush, Sen. Kennedy and Sen. McCain proposed immigration reform, only to have it derailed by extremists? We need a workable, comprehensive reform that addresses border security, a realistic worker program, employer sanctions and a way to legalize those who are good, productive members of our community. We do not need misguided racist legislation written by lawyers who accept funding from white supremacists.
Brian C. Judd, M.D.
Mukilteo and Phoenix
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