Interesting Op-Ed re: Arizona SB1070 and its effects on the voting habits of Latinos

[TomCat84]

Robert Creamer: Evidence Arizona Immigration Law May Be Fatal Mistake for GOP

 

[B_VinylBoy]

Anyone could have seen this one coming a mile away.
Except for, of course, the GOP.

It's gonna be one hell of a November.

 

[midlifebear]

Okay, so since the "show me your papers" law was passed (and still has yet to go into effect) in Arizona, it's been a lot easier finding construction and ranch help in Nevada. According to the Las Vegas Sun, there has been a noticeable increase in the "Hispanic" population into North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson. But they've been bringing money with them and have been putting a small, but welcome, dent in the bankrupt housing market. Nothing like being able to pay cash for a new home. It is "presumed" that this new influx of people are Hispanics from Arizona. Though no one has yet mounted an inquisition to find out for certain. But it's plausible.

So, yesterday I'm in Albertsons Supermarket in Elko. The only check out stand open is for "20 items or less." I've got a lot more than just 20 items. I ask the cashier if it's OK to have her ring up my purchases. She responded in perfect, yet heavily Spanish accented English, "Of course. I promise not to call the police."

I responded, "Por favor, ¡no llama la policia!"

The cashier laughed and asked, "¿Hay problema? ¿No tienes documentos?" and we both laughed. Note: I'm a gabacho: white as the driven snow, except for a fading tan.

Instead of the Hispanic cashier who offered to ring up my purchases, another cashier stepped in who wasn't Hispanic. As she rings up my groceries I'm reading the display on the card swipe which displays everything in both English and Spanish. As the cash register computer verifies my credit card I read the display aloud: "Please wait/Espere, por favor." The "white" cashier asks me, "You speak Spanish?" as if it were a treasonable offense.

"Claro, que sí. Doesn't everyone?"

The "white" cashier stopped scanning stuff and just walked away without saying anything to me. About three to five minutes later a different cashier shows up, apologizes, and quickly finishes checking and bagging my groceries. This new cashier is just as nice as the first Hispanic woman. And she goes out of her way to make certain I'm not pissed off. Actually, I'm well beyond realizing that some folks in the good ol' US of A are so xenophobic/bigoted/racist-whatever that even admitting that you speak another language to them is enough for them to refuse you service in this Grand Free Country of ours. This doesn't happen to me in other countries where I live the majority of the year. And that, apparently, is what had happened with the "white" cashier.

I expect that particular "white" cashier is not going to last much longer at her job, considering at least 50% of Albertson's shoppers are third and fourth generation Hispanic natives to Elko; and those without such long family legacies are relative newcomers who at least speak survival English.

But the Republican faction of the Nevada Assembly is thinking they need to copy Arizona's idea of the fair and equitable new "papers please" legislation. And before anyone challenges me with "Have you read the new Arizona law?", well, as a matter of fact I have -- in both English and Spanish. Seems Arizona found it necessary to provide a Spanish version for the residents of its State. Ironic? Not really. However, I will be very amused if Nevada's assembly does pass a similar illegal immigration law. The majority of the Nevada Assembly is white. But that's not true of the State's Highway Patrol and most of the city's and small town's police departments. For those of you into racial profiling, about 60% of all law enforcement officers in The Great Silver State are while, the other 40% are Hispanic or "other."

Besides, we've got much bigger problems to deal with such as all the Arizona trailer trash that overflows the jail in Laughlin, the upscale "professionals" from California zooming into Las Vegas at 100+ mpg cavalierly bringing more than the legal allowable amount of weed (not to mention magic mushrooms, acid, and cocaine), who more often than not are sucking down Coronas as they weave between the lanes in hot desert until they get pulled over by the Highway Patrol and are marched off to jail. And, of course, we still have a problem with cattle rustlers. Really. Cattle rustling is a big problem in these parts. Maybe if we taught the cattle to speak Spanish the the rustlers would avoid them and the problem would subside?

 

[B_talltpaguy]

Anyone could have seen this one coming a mile away.
Except for, of course, the GOP.

It's gonna be one hell of a November.

Yeah, this one is beyond obvious... Like I've been saying since the teabaggers started crawling out of the woodwork last year, they might do fairly well in elections this year, but not as good as they think they will, and after 2012, it will be all downhill unless the Republicans change their tune, big time.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

Great post, midlifebear. :biggrin:

 

[D_Martin van Burden]

Who just gets up and quits serving a customer like that, and since when is that ever okay? You handled that situation beautifully, midlifebear. It's just as I suspected. I think a lot of the political discourse in our country right now is really revealing the mirror that reflects what would otherwise be subtle and hidden homophobia, misogyny, and racism. I find it highly ironic that the "wedge issues" that bring certain populations out of vote are so heavily and almost obviously rooted in real, deep-seated issues of fairness. We would like to think of ourselves as a country of fairness and equality, but if you're just that much different than someone else -- racially, by sexual orientation, what have you -- then the deal is off.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

I think a lot of the political discourse in our country right now is really revealing the mirror that reflects what would otherwise be subtle and hidden homophobia, misogyny, and racism. I find it highly ironic that the "wedge issues" that bring certain populations out of vote are so heavily and almost obviously rooted in real, deep-seated issues of fairness. We would like to think of ourselves as a country of fairness and equality, but if you're just that much different than someone else -- racially, by sexual orientation, what have you -- then the deal is off.

In certain ways, many people view the world solely through ideology and belief. They believe in equality. They believe in treating people the same. But when it comes to actually living up to the very words they believe in, they're the first ones to walk away.

 

[Dave NoCal]

Being more and more the angy old white men's party really doesn't seem like a long-term winning strategy.
Dave

 

[Bbucko]

Who just gets up and quits serving a customer like that, and since when is that ever okay? You handled that situation beautifully, midlifebear. It's just as I suspected. I think a lot of the political discourse in our country right now is really revealing the mirror that reflects what would otherwise be subtle and hidden homophobia, misogyny, and racism. I find it highly ironic that the "wedge issues" that bring certain populations out of vote are so heavily and almost obviously rooted in real, deep-seated issues of fairness. We would like to think of ourselves as a country of fairness and equality, but if you're just that much different than someone else -- racially, by sexual orientation, what have you -- then the deal is off.

Total conjecture on my part, but she must have felt justified either through a conversation with a supervisor or else she's brand-fucking-new to the job. No other explanation fits.

 

[b.c.]

Anyone could have seen this one coming a mile away.
Except for, of course, the GOP.

It's gonna be one hell of a November.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends if voters remember. I've always found it curious the degree of Latino support the GOP seemed to garner in Florida, for example, because I've always held that the GOP couldn't give a flyin' about Latinos, or any other minority for that matter.

Now they've made that fact quite clear.

 

[Bbucko]

Maybe, maybe not. Depends if voters remember. I've always found it curious the degree of Latino support the GOP seemed to garner in Florida, for example, because I've always held that the GOP couldn't give a flyin' about Latinos, or any other minority for that matter.

Now they've made that fact quite clear.

The overwhelming majority of Latinos in Florida is Cuban, and at least among the older voters, have always seen Dems as lefty Castro apologists.

Plus, don't forget that they were very conservative back in Cuba before the revolution. Their support for the GOP is logical, though much less a sure thing among younger Cubans, most of whom really are American.

Another thing to remember is that Cubans don't suffer from any of the stigma that other Latinos do. If they can swim here, they're automatically granted asylum.

 

[Pitbull]

Another thing to remember is that Cubans don't suffer from any of the stigma that other Latinos do. If they can swim here, they're automatically granted asylum.

Except for Elian Gonzalez

 

[gymfresh]

Elián the Alien never made it to shore on his own, the requirement for asylum. He was floating in the open ocean in an inner tube, and brought to shore by the US Coast Guard. Too bad.

Arizona is playing with fire. If all they seek is a clarification of federal law, fine. But it looks like they're trying to trump federal law with state law, and that's not kosher, even under federalism. Note to TeaBaggers -- This Is America; Love It or Leave It.

Time Magazine and others recognized more than 10 years ago that the Right's battle cry of the 1960's was coming around to bite them hard on the ass if they kept on this course of trying to shape a dynamic America to their stubborn views.

 

[justasimpleguy]

Just wait, in 10 years all these jerkoff retired old white people will be dead or dying and the rest of us can get on with it. Thanks for everything Boomers (obviously I mean the demographic in general terms, not specific people).

 

[TomCat84]

Except for Elian Gonzalez

Elian was taken here by his mother who subsequently died. His rightful place was with his dad once that happened.

 

[Industrialsize]

Except for Elian Gonzalez

His FATHER exercised his parental rights and took him home to Cuba. I thought the repubs were all about "family Values"