ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Illegal immigration is finally being seriously addressed due to the new Arizona law. Anxious rant of course finds its voice pandering to false ideals for political gain. There is chatter and there are opinions. Very strong opinions in most cases. If the proper questions are asked and a real answer is sought after, we could possibly steer clear of talk of racism, ethnic profiling, oppression and abuse of power. The comments of President Calderon of Mexico are particularly interesting. The focus of the Arizona Immigration reform law, sb 1070 is targeted at the south of the border illegals, because that is Arizona's particular problem. It shares the largest border with Mexico. California built a wall and the crossings in Arizona increased.

President Calderon may consider the question of why his country men and women are so anxious to cross into the United States. Mexico is a country of tremendous Natural resources and a country of great disparity between those of wealth and those desperately poor . Mr. Calderon chastised the drafters of the new law and made strong remarks about racial profiling and the targeting of Mexicans. But we must question the Mexican leader and ask what is being done on his part to offer a better life to his own people who would surely not be taking large risks for economic betterment. There are many questions about the circumstances of those who come to the US without legal rights to do so. The first and fundamental question is why they need to come here. The second: does Arizona have a right to protect its border from those who would take jobs from legal residents, utilize the taxpayer funded education system and abuse emergency health care? Talk about racism, profiling and the negative repercussions that could come of the law are merely talk at the present. This could and will happen probably in rare cases because human beings are fallible and poor enforcement by poor officers has occurred. But in sticking to fact, illegal immigration has occurred and is occurring.

If we offer an amnesty program to those entering the country with out legal benefit, then it makes sense to those seeking to come to enter this way and pay the price which will eventually lead to a legal resident status. Should the rules be the same for all or not? Do those who would take up residence as new citizens, legal or not, have responsibilities as well as rights? Should they learn to be fluent in the language of the United States, which is English? Should they bring children into the world that they can not afford to provide for? It has become increasingly the responsibility of the tax payer to provide services for those who cannot provide for themselves, most of whom are here legally. So do we increase this burden with those not legal. Are we creating a welfare state by enabling those who cannot sustain their basic needs to demand more provisions?

The state California and the city of Los Angeles has chosen to boycott the state of Arizona. Both are in budget crises and cannot meet payments and are being forced to take drastic measures laying of workers and cutting benefits. Much of this is due to their own problems with illegals, so the stance is hypocritical and politically motivated. California ballots are in many different languages. How can a voter make decisions without learning the language of the country they want to participate in? Another cost of immigration without responsibility from those choosing to live here?

These questions will not be answered by grandstanding on weak issues of human rights. The United States, though imperfect on this issue has a history of evolving toward a better and more just way of addressing human rights. The question again is; if rights are accorded, is responsibility for proper citizenry to be expected? The full story includes both. The United States is thought of as the land of opportunity. But can opportunity continue with fearful claims, stretched budgets, limiting resources, political correctness rather than attempting to reveal the whole story. Everybody wants to be the "nice" guy, the upstanding humanitarian on the right side of history, but deeper personal questions must be asked by every individual who weighs in so heavily against Arizona. If increasingly human rights are a rare commodity in countries outside the United States, then this limited part of the world is destined to be either the example or on the path to destroy the American dream of prosperity for all. This is the question President Calderon of Mexico must consider along with the rest of us. A limited planet has limited resources and rights must absolutely be balanced with responsibility. Nature dictates this. If we all decide to ask the right questions and get to a more logical understanding of our collective human condition we may make some progress. Logic is not anti- human but rhetoric without higher intent will do nothing but enable our weaknesses.