Mexico? Really?
Posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bvwv/Editorial/6679/
Studies like the one performed last year by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation — it found that about half the state’s Hispanic population is here illegally — is exactly the sort of thing that has turned scores of residents into activists scouring the countryside for registered voters to sign onto a petition supported by Secure Arkansas.
As June came to a close, the group’s chairman, Bryant’s Jeannie Burlsworth, told the press she believes her group has collected at least 45, 000 signatures. That’s impressive, but a minimum of 61, 974 signatures must be gathered by Monday if the group’s measure is to have a chance of qualifying for the fall ballot.
Even if you’ve never heard the term Secure Arkansas before, there’s a pretty good chance that you can guess what type of substantive actions the group supports. A quick gander at the group’s Web site provides this sound bite:
“ Secure Arkansas is a grassroots organization committed to the rule of law and the fair treatment of both citizens and legal immigrants. We believe the state of Arkansas is beholden to protect its citizens and their tax dollars. Since the federal government has not acted to secure our borders from illegal immigrants, who unfairly benefit from the privileges of citizenship, it becomes necessary for Arkansas citizens to defend their rights and privileges by championing the laws that our state government will not. ”
Yada, yada, yada.
Now, one can’t argue with the reasons behind such a group’s existence. Officials at the state and federal levels have failed to stem the tide of illegal immigration for decades. A lack of border security and what to do about the illegal immigrants already in this country are legitimate topics of debate for citizens and their leaders. Through groups like Secure Arkansas, some citizens are fighting back. More power to them as citizen activists.
But we detected a bit more than just concern about public services and taxpayer dollars going to benefit illegal immigrants. Listen to what Burlsworth, after making a recent trip to northwest Arkansas, had to say to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “ I went up there last week. I was so disappointed because it’s starting to look like Mexico up there. ”
That comment set us to wondering: When Burlsworth saw all those Mexico-looking stores and signs, or whatever qualities she discovered that made her declare this part of the state as essentially North Mexico, did she go inquire about the immigration status of the business owners ? When she decried the changing appearance of northwest Arkansas, Burlsworth did so without regard for whether anyone making or influencing those changes is here legally. It didn’t matter. It looked like Mexico, and that, she says, was just a downright shame. Residents need to think before they sign their names to this ballot initiative. Maybe this effort really is about public services being provided to illegal immigrants. Maybe it’s also about the fact that “ they ” have come here and affected our communities. What does the fact that parts of northwest Arkansas look like Mexico have to do with whether public services should be available to illegal immigrants ? Nothing, but it’s reflective of this measure’s punitive motivation. “ How dare they come to America ” seems to be the reasoning. There’s a very real difference between these two stances. One is all about the law — and on that point, it can’t be repeated enough that Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe believes that the efforts of Secure Arkansas would mostly duplicate what state and federal laws already seek to accomplish. Enforcement, if we hear Beebe correctly, is the crux of the problem. The other is all about a population’s impact on its environment, and generalities about who can belong to the club. The appearance of Mexican businesses does mean there’s an audience to be served, some legal and some not, we’re sure. But decrying the mere existence of these businesses reflects a problem with “ those people ” more so than with anyone else breaking the law. We do have challenges in immigration, but it’s not about making sure someone’s homogeneous notions about community remain intact and untouched.
— Northwest Arkansas Times