The immigration debate has recently heated from a low simmer to a rolling boil. As the primary elections closes in on us, we have the bittersweet experience of watching republican politicians duke it out in effort to prove who hates immigrants the most. In my home state of Florida, Rick Scott has aired a commercial against his republican primary challenger Bill Mccollum- painting him soft on immigration for not supporting the Arizona SB 1070 bill. This type of ad makes sense for states like Kentucky or S. Carolina but will this strategy work in a state like Florida?
Many of our parents(I'm talking about us Hispanic-Americans here) take pride in being Republicans, having strong family values and being conservative. Many of my friends don't share the same views as their parents. Most of us were against both the War in Iraq and the Afghan War. Our parents voted for Bush, twice. Luckily, some of our parents jumped on the Obama bandwagon with us and Grampy Mccain and Caribou Barbie aren't in the White House.
Since the inception of the Tea Bagger "movement" there has been a rift in the Republican party. As a result, many people have found a venue to voice their paranoia and ignorance. About a week ago Tea Bagger Marg Baker, Florida House Rep. candidate, had this to say on the issue of immigration and the loss of jobs:
"I was just a little girl living in Miami, and they built camps for people that snuck into the country because the were illegal... They put them in camps and they shipped them back. We can do that. We can do E-Verify. We must stop them."
Marg Baker was referring to Japanese internment camps the US used during WWII. These people were not held in these camps because they were illegal many of the were US citizens and in 1988 the white prince of the Republican party Ronald Reagan apologized on behalf of the US government for these camps.
Possibly just as troubling several congressmen and senators like Jon Kyl(R-Ariz), are challenging the 14th amendment. Every Hispanic should know what the 14th amendment is and if you don't wikipedia it. The 14th amendment is referred to as the Equal Protection Clause, its the clause that backs the US to the ideal that all men are created equal and guarantees all citizens protection under the laws. As far as I can see Hispanic leadership on these issues is virtually absent. There are some Hispanics like Luis Gutierrez oppose such divisive laws but where are our local leaders on these issues. In a city like Miami where you practically need a Hispanic name to get elected in to local office, no one is actively or vocally challenging these racist rallying calls.
Tea Party candidate Rand Paul, who is running for the Senate in Kentucky has pushed on the issue even further. Claiming the children of undocumented workers who are born in the country should be stripped from their parents and deported.
I think South Floridian have a misperception of what the rest of the state looks like. Living in Tallahassee for a few years I witnessed the spill over from neighboring Southern states, rednecks and hillbillies occupying what they refer to as Flawda. From the Tea Party's "Rally in Tally" to the racist yard signs we'd encounter on road trips driving through Northern and Central Florida and those are just the one's who are vocal about it.
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you think someone campaigning off these issue has a chance of being elected in Florida? Should Hispanics be fearful that some of their rights may be violated if these laws come to Florida?
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