Arizona: A Time and Decade of Betrayal
by Roberto Rodriguez / October
28th, 2010
When people the world over think of Arizona,
nowadays, they
generally think of Gov. Jan Brewer, Sheriff Joe Arapio or state rep.
Russell Pearce – the poster children of the state’s move toward
legalized discrimination and racial profiling. If they are closely
following the politics of the sun state, they also think of state
superintendent of schools, Tom Horne, the architect of the state’s move
to abolish Ethnic/Raza Studies.
Here, we think of the human toll.
Combined, these Arizona measures are becoming the modern version of
Indian Removal and the colonial policy of “reducciones” – a policy aimed
at civilizing the “savages.”
To those outside of this insane asylum – this state is being
described as the New South. It may indeed be that, including a
laboratory for setting the stage for apartheid governance in a part of
the country that is browning daily. Politically, this is all about the
clash of civilizations; one civilization Indigenous to this continent,
the other, seemingly hell-bent on continuing the policies of manifest
destiny.
Yet there is something more taking place here. In a sense, to
understand Arizona, read “Brown Tide Rising” by Otto Santa Ana. In it,
the author poignantly observes that in this society: “Only humans have
human rights.” There can be no doubt that the red-brown peoples of this
state are being treated as less than human.
Also, read “A Decade of Betrayal” by Francisco Balderrama and Raymond
Rodriguez. In it, they write about this nation’s obsession with
targeting Mexicans during times of economic crises, going back to the
period between 1910-1920. And yet, what they point out is that the
numerous campaigns that deported hundreds of thousands and even millions
of Mexicans, including U.S. citizens, were not indiscriminate,
particularly the one conducted in the 1930s, but rather, targeted. Who
were targeted were not criminals, but rather, anyone resembling a
leader, in particular, community, educational and labor organizers.
In Arizona, there are numerous policies and programs in place
(Operation Streamline) to criminalize migrants – which not
coincidentally line the pockets of the private prison industry. But
beyond that, an array of law enforcement agencies, continue to become
extensions of the U.S. Border Patrol – operating as though SB 1070 was
already the law of the land.
In Tucson, these draconian measures have now begun to affect the
parents of our top students and top student organizers. In the summer,
the father of a young high school activist DREAM Student, was picked up
by a Sheriff’s deputy while a passenger in a truck. Even though SB 1070
was not in effect, as happens regularly, he was handed over to the
Border Patrol. This happened during the middle of the annual Raza
Studies Transformative Education Conference this summer.
As a community, we rallied to the support of the family, successfully
getting him out on bail. I’ve written about her previously as she has
publicly identified herself, long before several DREAM Students
identified themselves publicly while occupying the offices of Sen. John
McCain this past summer. As a proud community organizer, she publicly
identifies herself, but I don’t identify her, not even identifying her
school, because I still feel the government has the potential to target
their families.
For example, this past weekend, the father of one of our top students
at the University of Arizona, Michelle Rascon – who is an incredible
poet, a Raza Studies alumni, a U.S. citizen and a prospective law
student – was picked up at his own home in what appears to have been an
elaborate ruse by the FBI. After luring Jesus Gilberto Rascon outside,
they proceeded to call the U.S. Border Patrol. As we speak, he is
undergoing criminal proceedings that may keep him incarcerated for at
least several months – until his final disposition — which could result
in a lengthy prison sentence. Of course, there are legal details
involved, which will be litigated in court, but suffice to say, that
cases such as these point to the absurdity of what the government is
doing to divide up families; neither are criminals in any sense of the
word.
The federal government claims to no longer be targeting students or
their families and that its policies are designed instead to primarily
go after “criminal aliens.” The draconian enforcement measures seen
around the country, especially in Arizona, belie this so-called new
policy. Apparently, if the nation criminalizes non-violent migrants
through its various operations and 287(g) agreements, including Secure
Communities, then once criminalized, they now become “criminal aliens,”
thus primary targets. Circular logic at its best.
We appear to be in the midst of another decade of betrayal.
Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez, Ph.D., is an
assistant professor at the University of Arizona and can be reached at:
[email protected]. Read other articles by Roberto.
http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/10/arizona-a-time-and-decade-of-betrayal/#more-24037
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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