Jose, Can You See???

I want to post my thoughts on whats going on here in Arizona.

I'm a big believer in your opinion is worth shit if you have no knowledge of or experience with what you are talking about. This is something I actually know about. So here goes.

First of all, as you know, I actually live here in Arizona, and have my whole life. So I actually see the issues. They are literally in my backyard.

Janet Napolitano was my govenor. And Arpaio is my dumb-ass sheriff.

Second, I've worked in healthcare for 12 years, and in a hospital, specifically the labor and delivery unit at Maricopa County Hospital here, of which 90% or more of the patients there are illegal from Mexico. They are why I had a job. It's where I learned my Spanish - cause I had to.

Thirdly, many people often joke that I am Mexican on the inside. I have 5 kids, a chihuahua, a minivan, and my front door used to be blue. You might only understand that if you live here. I grew up in a Hispanic neighborhood, still live there, and would much rather live in a Hispanic or black neighborhood, than a snotty Scottsdale white neighborhood. The bar I go to, which is home, is very non-white. Sometimes we are the only white people in there. Lots of Hispanics, Blacks, Somalis, and Natives. And this is the bar I prefer to be in. I actually feel safer there. I respect them. They respect me. No issues. The Cantina is a half a mile down the road, the drinks are cheap, but it is a white, Republican, right-wing, military, "god, country, and my pick-up" bar. Yeah - no thanks. They actually shun me in there - even quit serving me, ignoring me. Because I open my mouth. Especially when I'm drinking. I would much rather sit and visit and socialize with non-whites. Its just me. Blacks are so much fun, and Hispanics are so colorful and vibrant. And besides, white people just shouldn't do karaoke. Just shouldn't.

Ok. To the issue.

I have mixed feelings about the 1070 bill. I do agree that there is a huge problem here with illegals. It has gotten out of control, for various reasons, and needs to be dealt with. I have issues with both side of it.

Argument 1: "They are taking our jobs." They do have alot of the jobs here. However, these are jobs that most Americans would refuse to do because it is beneath them. Is some Scottsdale bitch who is looking for a job really going to be a housekeeper at the local Hilton? Don't think so. Is Johnny Unemployed who used to work in an office and got downsized really going to go work as a landscaper? Yeah, would love to see that. They are working, but at jobs we don't want. And trust me, if our state is rid of all the mexicans, there will be alot of white people bitching and moaning about the jobs they now have to do. Just sayin.

Argument 2: "They cause the crime rate to go up." Okay, yeah, but thats just a statistical thing because there are so many of them. What about all the fucking child molesters that are "undocumented" and not kept track of, who break probation cause no one cares, and then go and murder some little girl? Why aren't we keeping track of them too? I will agree that there is more crime because they are here. Just like there is more crime whenever there is poverty.

Argument 3: "Why are we concerned about them unless they are committing a crime". Okay, they are already committing a crime by being here.

Argument 4: "It will break up families." Those parents chose to put their families in a position of potential breakup when they decided to live here illegally. Its like saying that the justice system is breaking up the family of some mommy who shoplifts and goes to jail - away from her child. SHE is the one who broke up the family by making the decision to do something illegal. Just like them.

Argument 5: "We have rights!!!!", Ummmmmmmmm, no ya don't, if you aren't legal. Rights go with belonging to a country. You have rights in Mexico.

Argument 6: "We will not tolerate racial profiling." Seriously???? Like they are really going to look at me, and Miss Paris Hilton wanna-be and ask us to show our papers. They will not look at me, and have the be the sole reason for pulling me over, or stopping me, or throwing me to the ground. And trust me, those white Nazi Mesa Mormon cops WILL do this. And they will love it. Fuck, they do it now.

Argument 7: "Requiring someone to 'show their papers' is fascist and Nazi-like." But why? Everyone else from any other country, Somalia, Guana, South Africa, China, they all have to have documentation to prove they can be here. And they aren't bitching.

Argument 8: "This is like how the blacks were treated back during abolition and during the civil rights movement of the 60's". Bullshit, don't even insult any black person that way. The blacks were taken from their country against their will, tortured, enslaved, raped, beaten, and belittled. In the 60s they were citizens that were born here, treated like second class citizens. They were fighting for rights that were technically already theirs that were already paid for in human American blood. The illegals are not citizens, don't have rights, and are being asked to not commit a crime or deal with the consequences.

Argument 9: "Our economy would collapse with out them." Yeah, this is probably true. It would. And its our own fault here in Arizona. Check out the movie "A Day Without A Mexican."

Basically this is how I feel. Simply put, if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to be worried about. Just like in any other scenario in life. If I'm driving sober with a valid liscence, I don't have to worry when I get pulled over. If I'm legal, and can prove it, there is nothing to worry about. If grandma and Tia and Uncle Jose aren't, maybe they need to get legal or get the fuck out.

On the upside of the bill: Up till now, they have been able to cross the border and get everything for free. Not only are they doing something against the law, but we reward them for it. The illegals at County got "Federal Emergency Serice". AKA = your entire bill, for popping out yet another child you can't afford even formula and diapers for, is completely paid for just because you are illegal. I've seen legit patients with insurance go without an epidural because they couldn't afford it. Solution - cross the border. Its paid for. They run up million dollar bills, that tax payers (you and me) pay for, and my dad who was a citizen, born here, served in the military, never committed a crime, worked honestly his whole life, adopted two children, one from another country, had to pay $800 a month on a very small monthly budget and do without other things because he could barely afford his medicine for a disease that he did not bring on himself (unlike 80% of patients who have abused their bodies their whole lives and then are upset and angry that their bodies mysteriously shut down when they are old). And if Abdul who has been here for 2 years can speak perfect English, then the Medozas who have been here for 20 years can too.
Wow that was a mouthful. Taking a breath.

Still on the upside: Not only do we pay their medical bills, we put every god-damned bill board and ATM in Spanish, we give them free education and food stamps, they get all the benefits of our taxes, drive on our well maintained roads, use our resourses without paying any taxes, I have to pay taxes, alot of them. I think its ridiculous that I can't order fast food, and open up the bag when I get home and have a correct order, because I don't speak Spanish. I don't know how many times I've gotten Sprite when I ordered fries, and someone goes without their food. But has lots of Sprite. It is not a crime for them to steal someones social security number and use it here - they are not prosecuted. If I did that it would be called fraud and I would go to jail. I heard that something like 40 billion dollars were Western Unioned to Mexico last year. Can you imagine the taxes on that shit? We might actually be able to pay our teachers here with that money.

On the downside of the bill: I think it is impossible to enforce it without profiling, with out being unconstitutional. Profiling is when you detain someone simply because of how they look. And that is what is going to happen. It already does. Now they are required to do it. And don't we have more important things to worry about? Like getting the hell out of the middle east, like child molestors and rapists? Like the fucking oil spill? And earthquakes? I think everyone is going to boycott us, good luck ever getting a decent concert or sporting event after the bill becomes law. Do you know how many athletes and musicians are black and mexican? How soon we forget the boycott in 1990 after we failed to pass the Martin Luther King holiday. Already kids have left the school where my girls go. Their friends went back to Mexico. And this will just keep happening. I don't like that for my kids. There are good people, who have lived here and worked here for twenty plus years. That just want to be here because it is a better and safe place to be. There is not just principle involved, there are faces and families. And if in order to enforce the law, we fail the Constitution, we are going against everything this country has ever stood for. The Constitution is of the utmost importance. It is who we are. It has been paid for in lives. And will be defended with lives. It is who we are. To thine own self be true. If we do not uphold the constitution, everything we ever fought for and believe in as Americans is gone. This is why it is so important. Its not just about illegals, its about the integrity of our actions. Our founding fathers believed that all men are created equal, that we all have human rights, that we all have the right to pursue happiness. That we all have the right to leave a homeland where we don't have rights and to come here to the Land of the Free. Not just Americans. But everyone. We used to be the beacon of hope for the whole world. They came and were met by our Statue of Liberty.

What ever happened to:
"Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me-
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Are we just complacent now? Now that we are comfortable? Do we even know what the Constitution says? Is this bill actually unconstitutional? Or are we just trying to keep the law?

Its just a very complicated issue.

I would love to hear what Carlos Mencia has to say about it.

Like I said, I don't know how I feel about it. Very mixed feelings. The whole country is coming down on our state for being fascist. Well, you live here and deal with the problems. You are all safe and happy in your white neighborhoods in New England and Minnesota. Would you move to South Phoenix? Walk the streets at night? And those of you who are illegal and oppose it, do you have any idea how another country would deal with this? Hell, if I try to cross into Mexico they are allowed to shoot me.

There you go. That's how I feel.

No one ever accused me of not having an opinion.

And lastly, I am just thankful they are not targeting me.