Jackson Free Press

Mississippi has a golden opportunity to become a nationwide leader, while putting to rest some of its not-too-distant hateful past.

Conservatives are having a field day with the country's latest hot-button wedge issue: immigration. In the face of mountains of evidence to the contrary, right-leaning politicians and pundits have targeted immigrants—specifically Latinos—and hatefully dumped on them all kinds of national problems. Immigrants don't pay taxes, they say, and they don't contribute to the common weal. "Illegals" are criminals, they spout, and besides, they're dirty and stupid. They would like us to believe that if only we could get rid of all those "undesirables" that everything will be OK. We keep waiting for someone to say that all they really want is our women folk.

Truth be told, Americans are, as a whole, no more xenophobic than other people across the globe. Historically, every new group of immigrants have been the target of our national ire. From the Germans to the Italians, from the Chinese to the Irish, and from the Jews to those damn communists, some Americans have dehumanized immigrants, painting rhetorical bull's eyes on their backs. It's understandable that the bad economy has Americans afraid, and it's human nature to look for scapegoats. But that's not how life works.

We would be wise to understand the context of the current near-fanatic nativist outrage. The highly controversial Arizona law, for example, was admittedly authored by members of FAIR, founded in 1979 by John Tanton, a radical anti-Latino. FAIR is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which states that much of the group's funding comes from an "infamous, racist eugenics foundation," and employs people associated with white supremacists.

Shades of 1964.

America's immigration laws are far from perfect, but we should know better than to make them worse. Mississippi legislators are currently debating whether to bring a bill to the floor mirroring the Arizona law, much of which the judiciary has already found unconstitutional. The bill's advocates admit that even if the bill becomes law, it will face considerable legal challenges before it can be enacted. Essentially, that means they know the bill is an empty political ploy designed to get the votes of people conservatives have managed to scare witless. It's also a waste of taxpayer money, something that can't be overstated these days.

The copy-cat Mississippi law goes one further, making it OK for citizens to sue police if they do not uphold its mandates. Such a law would turn every citizen into a police informant, harkening back to America's Red Scare and to certain European fascist regimes.

Jackson City Council got it right when it enacted an ordinance that makes it illegal to demand documentation during routine police engagements, in part because compliance is onerous for citizens. We don't need more fear. Let's show America that Mississippi can be the voice of reason in this latest wedge battle.

Previous Comments

ID

160197

Comment

I'm surprised at the naivety of this editorial. Do you fully understand what is going on with illegal immigrants in this country? They are coming in and finding ways to work, not pay taxes, send a lot of money home, and/or have an 'anchor baby'. At some point in time Congress (in their own selfish interest) will give them 'amnesty' and we will have a voting block second only to the white block with the majority not speaking English. Sure, for the most part they are taking jobs most Americans don't want but what does that really mean? More people doing nothing rather than less. Illegal immigration will not be turned back by the federal government and the states are going to have to do it if they want to protect themselves from being over-run with non-English speaking people. We have laws that Washington will not enforce -- maybe we should ask ourselves who really needs to be thrown out in November.

Author

Mr Fat Back

Date

2010-10-04T21:30:21-06:00

ID

160200

Comment

Mr. Fat Back, we are fully aware of what is going on with immigration in this country. We have done our homework and not just passed on hateful rhetoric without checking. Many of our stories about the myths and realities are collected on this Jackpedia page. You are passing along some of the worse myths about immigration in that short post, and clearly have not done your homework. This rhetoric is very similar to what we heard here in Mississippi about black people for so many years -- rhetoric that justified trying to keep the power (voting and otherwise) in the state in white hands, which is clearly what FAIR is all about, not to mention at some of the tea-party leaders in our state who are using similar immigration rhetoric. In our state, people didn't call it out for what it is nearly enough during our childhoods, ensuring a place in the history books under "hate." A new generation of Mississippians do not want our state to be tarred with our unwillingness to speak out against rhetoric such as yours once again. I also note that you do not contest that a "white power" organization wrote the language in Arizona that Sen. Joey Fillangane and others here readily admit that they copied. You seem to think that if you can justify it with your false stereotypes about immigrants (and "anchor babies" who are as much a U.S. citizen as you and I are). Therefore, using your logic, it's OK if a white-power organization writes the legislation. You know what? It's not.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2010-10-05T08:58:18-06:00

ID

160206

Comment

Well if this guy doesn't make the point for his "opponents," I'm not sure what else could. The "white block" (sic) of voters? Sheesh.

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2010-10-06T10:13:47-06:00

ID

160230

Comment

"Well if this guy doesn't make the point for his "opponents," I'm not sure what else could. The "white block" (sic) of voters? Sheesh." Todd, keep drinking the Kool Aid. Ever talk to people from other states or countries? I do. ILLEGAL immigration is a worldwide concern on an unprecedented scale. My comments aren't about white power politics but the overall conversion of a nation of laws into a Multicultural Babel without the legally required due processes.

Author

Mr Fat Back

Date

2010-10-07T13:17:44-06:00

ID

160268

Comment

FatBack, this is what I find hillarious! "America’s immigration laws are far from perfect, but we should know better than to make them worse." As if our immigration laws could get any worse! I'm not certain about the organization that crafted the Arizona legislation, but I will be looking into it from all angles. The statements made in regards to taxes, sending most of the earnings home, and outdated "anchor baby" laws are not myths people! Should we continue to allow people pathways to citizenship, yes! That's what has made our country what it is today, but with record unemployment, it's time for some of our legal citizens to take over some of these jobs!

Author

js1976

Date

2010-10-11T09:38:41-06:00

ID

160274

Comment

We have truly seen the return of Know Nothing politics in this country, as these posts attest. I just hope that our nativist friends understand that those of us with faith in America's better angels will fight them on this to the end.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2010-10-11T21:15:38-06:00

ID

160276

Comment

I suppose America's "better angels" would prefer to associate themselves with Do Nothing Politics? You can classify me as a nativist all you want, but I have no quarrels with LEGAL immigration! Now Donna, in response to your claim regarding a "white power organization" crafting this bill. I did see that this was written by an attorney that represents one of these organizations and will not contest that. Contrary to what you may believe, all of us supporting immigration reform are not a bunch of skinheads looking to craft a supreme race. I am happy that Arizona passed this legislation only because it got the wheels spinning. Otherwise, I'm afraid our goverment (Republican and Democrats) would have continued with the same failing policies.

Author

js1976

Date

2010-10-12T10:08:57-06:00

ID

160288

Comment

I am happy that Arizona passed this legislation only because it got the wheels spinning. JS, that's like arguing that Jim Crow laws got the wheels spinning on civil rights legislation. You say you support "reform" but you do not specify what such reform would entail. And you seem to claim that undocumented workers are a tax burden, that they send the majority of their earnings home, that they increase unemployment among citizens, and that they deliberately have babies in the United States to secure documentation. Each of these claims is factually incorrect, as has been discussed at length here. Obviously, many people believe them, but you should at least try to present evidence instead of simply assuring us that you know the truth. Your suggestion that we must choose between Arizona-style "reform" or the status quo is a pointless straw-man argument. As Todd, Donna, and others have articulated at some length, we support humane, practical immigration reform that would look something like the failed McCain-Kennedy legislation. Among other things, such reform must include a path to citizenship for the millions of people who live here now, which the right decries as "amnesty." Would you support such legislation, or do you think we should deport 12 million people?

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2010-10-12T15:44:34-06:00

ID

160302

Comment

but with record unemployment, it's time for some of our legal citizens to take over some of these jobs! If you're talking about picking fruit on a California farm, why aren't native-born Americans working those jobs? At the same times, are these farms purposely not hiring native-born Americans? That will be discrimination if they are, but I'm just saying.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2010-10-13T09:40:02-06:00

ID

160303

Comment

Despite Economy, Americans Don't Want Farm Work. Take Our Jobs campaign by United Farm Workers was designed to highlight the fact that citizens simply don't sign up for these jobs.

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2010-10-13T09:48:49-06:00