AZ Immigration Law Is Un-American

This Fox article was in today's "The New Media Journal." Below is my response to the superintendent Mr. Ramon C. Cortinez.

 

L.A. Students to Be Taught That AZ Immigration Law Is Un-American
Source: | FOX News

The Los Angeles Unified School District school board wants all public school students in the city to be taught that Arizona's new immigration law is un-American.

The school board president made the announcement Tuesday night after the district's Board of Education passed a resolution to oppose the controversial law, which gives law enforcement officials in Arizona the power to question and detain people they suspect are in the US illegally when they are stopped in relation to a crime or infraction.

Critics of the law say it will result in racial profiling.

The school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to "express outrage" and "condemnation" of the law, and it called on the school superintendent to look into curtailing economic support to the Grand Canyon State. About 73 percent of the students in the school district are Latino.

But supporters of the law say the school board is way out of bounds and that the measure will just distract from the children's education.

"This is ridiculous, it's ridiculous for us to be involved in Arizona law," said Jane Barnett, Chairman, Los Angeles County Republican Party. "There is a 50 percent dropout rate in some parts of the school district—is this going to keep kids in school?"

According to its press release, "The Los Angeles Board of Education also requested that Superintendent Ramon Cortines ensure that civics and history classes discuss the recent laws with students in the context of the American values of unity, diversity and equal protection for all people."

"America must stand for tolerance, inclusiveness and equality," said Board President Monica García, according to the release. "In our civics classes and in our hallways, we must give life to these values by teaching our students to value themselves; to respect others; and to demand fairness and justice for all who live within our borders. Any law which violates civil rights is un-American."

In an e-mail to FOXNews.com, school district spokesman Robert Alaniz elaborated:

"The Board of Education directed the Superintendent to ensure that LAUSD civics and history classes discuss the recent laws enacted in Arizona in the context of the American values of unity, diversity, and Equal Protection for all. Much like a number of controversial periods and laws that are part of our history and are currently taught including: Slavery; Jim Crowe laws and segregation; Native American reservations; Residential schools (for Native Americans); The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882; Anti-Irish racism in the 19th century; Racism against immigrants from; Southern and Eastern Europe in the 20th century; Anti-Semitism; Internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II; The Mexican Repatriation Program (1929-1939)."

The school district resolution also opposed another new Arizona law that bans schools from teaching classes that promote the overthrow of the government or advocate ethnic solidarity.

 

 

Dear Mr. Cortinez,

 

As I read in today's "The New Media Journal" you plan to teach students in LA public schools that the law which was passed in Arizona on immigration is un-American. Mr. Cortinez, let me ask you something. Do you know what an immigrant is? An immigrant is someone who comes from another country to live in yours. He has to do it by legal means i.e. visa, petition for alien residence, etc. I happen to be one of these. Truly, I would give anything to be a Hispanic right now, but unfortunately I am a Caucasian, to be particular, from Germany. So I guess that disqualifies me automatically to speak on this issue because I'm deemed a white supremacist? Sorry that I can't do better.

 

First of all, do me a favor and actually read the law that Arizona passed and don't go by the common mantra. Then you would know that all it does is to enforce the laws on the books on immigration that the federal government is unwilling to do so for decades. Second, please, take a note that a great number of the 70 % of Arizonans that have supported that law are Americans of MEXICAN origin. They themselves do not want to deal with criminals that put people living along the border in jeopardy. We're not talking about the poor Mexican peasant worker seeking a better live. Today we deal with DRUG CARTELS and mercenaries shooting whoever is in their way. Did you never hear of that?  And no matter how justified someone's attention may be to come illegally across, being illegal is a criminal offense. Which part is hard to get?

 

But in Europe they have the same problem. First we had guest workers. Those became permanent. Later on, especially a few years before Germany's reunion, East Germany thought they are being smart and funneled foreigners, mostly coming from Muslim countries, through their country in order to enter West-Germany. West-Germany didn't want to close the border to so called "Asylum seekers" because it would have violated Germany's none recognition status of the sovereignty of East-Germany in fear that it may negate any future chances of reunification. I lived during these pre-dawn months, years, before the Reunification in Germany. We're talking about 150,000 to 200,000 annually in a country of 60 million.

 

You see, Europe is quite different from the Americas north AND south. The problem is that Europe never has been a country of immigrants. Instead, those that migrated to Europe centuries ago, developed into different peoples that were unified by their language, ethnicity, racial/ethnic characteristics, and culture. There was no such thing as a diversified country. Germans were Germans in everything, so were the French, Dutch, Italians, Spaniards and all the other European countries as well. However, the ending of the colonial period opened up Europe to some of their former subjects and today we have millions living on its continent that adhere to Islam. There is a great wish to revert that because it is one thing allowing people from other parts of the world to live amongst you, it is a total different scenario all together if those same people do not want to assimilate to the culture of the country they are living within.

 

America (United States in particular) is a country of immigrants. Yet, throughout the centuries every wave of immigrants tried their hardest to become part of what makes Americans, Americans. Often by the third generation these distinctions were all but gone except for some left over traditions. And Americans never closed their borders to immigrants, but it wants it to keep it controlled in order to absorb them easier into American society. But what you and your kind ascribe to is a takeover of the United States by immigrants that came here illegally. Given, some may have very real needs in order to help their families south of the border, but whatever demise these countries are in, isn't that their own fault? Aren't their leaders responsible? Mexico especially is one of the most corrupt countries in existence. Let's not kid ourselves! I would not want to set a foot in Mexico since not even the police can be trusted. Not to speak of abhorable conditions in cities like Juarez, Nogales, and Tijuana. Again, why should Americans make up for the sad conditions in these communities. And isn't it the Mexican government who is tough on immigration?

 

Lastly what really rattles my boat. I hear the statement being made that Americans should go back to Europe and leave the Southwest to the Mexicans since Mexicans are the genuine natives to this region. Am I missing something? Do Mexican people truly not know their history? Wasn't it the Spanish conquistadores who invaded and conquered what we know now as Mexico and the American Southwest? Aren't Mexican ancestors of Native American and Spanish origin? Wasn't it the Spaniards who brutally slaughtered the Aztecs, who themselves were just as brutal to their neighboring tribes, and enslaved them for work in mines? So why should White Americans go back to Europe when Mexican's ancestry is made up of European origin as well?

 

I could end this on a really bad note, and yes, I'm angry at the moment. But I'm also a Christian and try to follow my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as much as I can. And just as I love him, I love his chosen people the Jews for they are the apple of His eye. Therefore, I close with this note. If Jesus Christ would come back today, what would he say about people who turn right and wrong upside down but themselves live by double standards. God condemns very heavily hypocrisy. If you have a bible, open it up to the book of revelation. God doesn't even stop from judging the churches if they have erred of the way. I'm not perfect but if I do something wrong, I try whatever I can do to make it right. So before we call Americans bigots why don't we all look at ourselves to see if we don't have something within us that might make us bigots as well. I always try to respect and admire ones culture. But I never expect to force down the acceptance of my own on someone else. And this is exactly what it is all about on the illegal immigration issue.

 

Respectfully,

 

Andy Bendzin