In 1978 Congress passed a Joint Resolution declaring May as Asian Pacific Heritage Month which I wrote about here last year.
While it may just be coincidental, whats going on in Arizona with their new anti-immigrant laws?
Last month I wrote here that Arizona’s tough new anti-immigrant law S.B. 1070 gives Police broad new authority to demand papers or other documentation of anyone they may suspect being in the state illegally.
Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law is eerily familiar to California’s former Chinese Exclusion Act which I more fully discussed here on the 16 December, 2008
American citizens are not obligated to carry papers or government issued ID, I for one don’t have any papers or a government issued ID card in my name that identifies me as a U.S. Citizen and I was born here. How would I satisfy Arizona’s requirement to produce ID to establish my legal presence in the United States upon demand by Arizona authorities?
Subsequent to all the controversy surrounding Arizona’s new ID law, on Tuesday, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law H.B. 2281 which prohibits ethnic studies in Arizona’s public schools according to the bills author State Supt of Education Tom Horne.
Derek Chang, Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies at Cornell University writes here “Forget for a moment about academic freedom. Forget for a moment even the problem of what might constitute “resentment towards a race or class of people” or how one may define “ethnic solidarity.” My point here is merely that an ethnic studies education, one that examines especially the relationships among race, nation and power…various uses of racism, nationalism and state power–Chinese Exclusion, the Jim Crow South Japanese Internment and draconian immigration laws in Arizona—led us to stark conclusions about the nation’s past and present…”
While Gov. Brewer and other elected officials may want to wrap themselves up in the American flag attempting to spin their controversial new anti-immigrant laws which critics call separatism and racial preferences, one does not have to look very far into Arizona’s recent behavior to realize that their racial fears are leading themselves down a dark path.
Last month the Wall Street Journal reported that Arizona Dept of Education have begun telling Principal’s to remove teachers that don’t speak English well enough, heavily accented to insure that students with limited English skills have teachers that speak the language flawlessly.
Prejudice and Bigotry isn’t born it is taught, definitely a flawed character trait.
“Bigotry is the disease of ignorance of morbid minds.” –Thomas Jefferson
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cristy Li, Cristy Li. Cristy Li said: Arizona's New Chinese Exclusion Acts http://www.cristyli.com/?p=8045 […]
Cristi,I thought you were a journalist who sought out truth over popular opinion.
You’ve taken the easy road and haven’t done your homework.
But then, if you actually looked into what the ethnic study group, La Raza, or Derechos Los Humanos teaches, you might have to change your mind regarding Arizonans, many of which are of Mexican descent.
But approaching this with an open mind, and actually investigating things wouldn’t bring you accolades, would it, if you came to a different conclusion other than the one that says white Arizonans are ignorant, racists? People might actually call you a racist or ignorant.
FYI: La Raza translates to “The Race.”
Do you support the fact that White and African American student are denied access to these classes? Are you aware that only Hispanic teachers are allowed to teach the classes?
Isn’t this Racism and discrimination?
Did you know and do you support Mexican American students being taught to disrespect the United States Constitution, our laws, and the United States Flag?
Did you know, and do you support, Mexican-American students being taught to agitate for a new Country that would rob America of 5 states? If that can’t be obtained they want these 5 states given back to Mexico. Do you support this?
Did you know and do you support the Mexican American students being taught to disrespect the law, and to hate police officers – even though many of our officers are Mexican American?
How stupid and short sighted of you and others to instantly assume that officers of any race are going to racially profile people with brown skin, especially since many of the officers are of Mexican descent themselves?
Did you view the video of Pima County Attorney Isabella Garcia dancing around with the effigy of the decapitated head of WHITE sheriff Joe Arpio at a student lead demonstrations, last year for which the Students were excused from classes and in some cases actually given credit to attend?
Even if you hate Sheriff Joe, how can you justify this kind of violence against him?
How can you condone and encourage students of ANY race to behave this way towards law enforcement officers???
By the way, is it Racism, that when Pima County hired me, I had to sign away my rights to speak publicly or to participate in public rallies, or things like signing petitions, if the activities were speaking against the policies/and the politicians of the County /State; Yet, Isabella Garcia, County Attorney, is allowed to participate and incite riotous behavior among the Mexican American youth by carrying around the effigy head of the Maricopa County Sheriff, an elected and duly sworn officer?
The head of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, a white male, said Isabella didn’t violate any County policies as she did this on her own time. I know for a fact that every County employee has to sign a compliance paper.
But because she is powerful, a female, and Hispanic she is allowed her right to public activism, and to demonstrate extreme disregard for the Rule of Law and the officers who uphold the law.
Yet, somehow, YOU LABEL ME RACIST AND IGNORANT, because I want this insanity stopped.
At the very least I don’t want my tax dollars used to pay the salaries of teachers who teach Mexican American students to hate me because I am white, and living in their country.
I suggest you investigate Isabella’s website for Derechos De Los Humanos. I hope you can read the Mexican language, because that’s the more interesting version.
I know you’ll answer this in your own, smug, self righteous way.
It would be much more courageous of you to actually investigate rather than taking the easy way out.
May be, just may be, you’d discover who the real bigots are.
I love the Mexican people. They are warm, loving and kind people. I get why they overflow our borders. I would do that too, if I lived under their failed government.
But I would respect my new Country. I would teach my children to respect it also.
After all, If you don’t respect America, her laws, her flag and Constitution, then why come here?
These are things that create the jobs the people of Mexico come here for, legally and illegally. And don’t believe for a second the only jobs they take are second class- they often work in construction and other above board jobs even when they are in this country illegally.
If these things keep up America will be as failed as Mexico.
And your arrogance will be a contributing factor.
Then, where will freedom loving people live?
What happened to America, the melting pot? Where people were proud to be just,”Americans”- as my great grandparents were when they legally immigrated?
Or are you suggesting that all schools should offer a Filipino, Italian, German,Polish, Chinese,Russian,Taiwan ethnic study, each of which teach the students to hate America? And of course the studies would only be taught by those teachers of those nationalitiesðnic backgrounds.
Yes, that’s not racist in the least.
I’m only a racist and ignorant because I object.
Cristi,
I appreciate your response back to me though it seems its not logged here.
you said, “What is Journalism but reporting on the news of the day so that others have an opportunity to reflect upon the presentation made by others reporting.”
You didn’t just report, you also posted opinion, which you are entitled to do as a blogger.
You also said,”It would appear that I’m in the minority and I have not joined the “in-crowd” but instead wrote an objective and well reasoned post, so one may stop, think and consider a different view of Arizona’s New Laws.”
You might be in the minority of opinions as far as conservative bloggers go, but you are right in line with all the national media. ABC; NBC; CBS; MSNBC” CNN, as well as the first reports from FOX News.
I encourage you to research the “ethnic” study classes being taught in Southern Arizona. I encourage you to interview Tom Horne the former superintendent of schools. I also encourage you to interview the teachers who applied for positions to teach the La Raza Studies but were denied because their Race disqualified them.
Where is your piece on La Raza; Derechos de los Humanos; County employees of Hispanic descent openly targeting those in authority with violence; If Isabella Garcia were white and Sheriff Joe was Hispanic or an African American you would be all over the story. What if the decapitation of the sheriff’s effigy had happened at a tea party rally?”
Where are your reports on these things?
Is it possible that you, yourself justify Isabella’s behavior, because you disagree with Sheriff Joe?
As a humanitarian, where is your piece on the rapes and murders of all foreigners,especially South Americans, who cross into Mexico illegally? In Mexico, it’s open season on Guatemalans.
The Guatemalans are guilty of the same crime many of the people coming to us from Mexico are guilty of – crossing the United States border illegally.
To get to the United States Border they must cross through Mexico, which has a zero tolerance policy toward illegal aliens. In Mexico, individual citizens are authorized to detain “Illegal entrants.”
They are raped, tortured, and killed at the hands of the Mexican government, the cartels, and even by some of the citizenry.
Mexico denies to Guatemalans what she demands for herself, free and unfettered access to the wealth and riches of the United States. In her hypocrisy, Mexico even denies the Guatemalans safe passage through Mexico.
Where is your story on this? Where are your labels of ignorance and racist on this?
Where is there any sign that you did any research other than viewing and reading the popular media, and the rhetoric put out by the socialist/communist groups that trying destroy America?
The majority of Hispanics taking to the streets, especially the kids, have not read the Bill. They only know what their teachers and the media are telling them.
Many of the parents of the students who are in La Raza don’t know what’s being taught. When they find out, they are appalled.
Where is your reporting on all of the Mexican-Americans here legally, who support this Bill and the legislation to end the hate filled La Raza studies?
Are they also Racist and ignorant? Are the African-Americans who support these things racist?
Mexico kills their “illegal immigrants”.
All we want to do is to return those who cross our borders illegally back to their native countries.
All we are asking for is that our schools teach that “it is not the color of a man’s skin that should be judged, but the content of his character;” in addition to respect for our Flag, our laws, and Constitution, and for our Nation.
For these things you label me ignorant and racist.
You bet I think you took the easy road.
Dear Joy:
You may have noticed that I generally write about the news of the day, politics and many Chinese Human Interest posts.
In your comment posted on 13 May, you claim that I have labeled you a racist, I deny that allegation.
I find it appalling that you believe, every school which offers ethnic diversity programs, are teaching children to hate America. How could you possibly know this?
For one to have a complete and well rounded education, it is an important value for children to have studied the rich ethnic heritage and cultures of persons within our communities. These programs help students to recognize the commonalities between individuals while ignoring group differences.
Americans benefit when there is real integration of different backgrounds and cultures, making for a much more peaceable society.
As to your suggestions that I write, publish and post news items about Mexican-Americans and Guatemala, while this may be important to you, my passions and interests are elsewhere.
There is nothing preventing you however from writing as much as you want on such subjects and reporting on materials that are significant to you and may interest others.
Cordially,
Cristy Li
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