Saturday, May 1, 2010

A Response

I received this comment on my last post:


balcony39 has left a new comment on your post "Okay. I'm About To Intimidate A Windmill. Again":
As a foreigner, tho' frequent visitor to the USA when I first started to read this I seriously thought the Gov of Arizona had it in for illegal aliens (from Mars etc.) You guys and your politicians are so wacked it seemed utterly feasible. Then I read on and I saw the raw ugly all pervasive face of rising hard right Neo Nazism. Ugly, Ugly, Ugly!!! Think on In Xanadu. Read a bit of history and see how the little stuff, and such a nasty bill is not a small thing, leads to the total erosion of human rights. Good luck!

I thought the observations from balcony 39 deserved more than simply being buried in the comments section of my post.

First of all, I sincerely apologize for the appearance of having “wacked” politicians. The United States of America is a republic, and republics constantly evolve, and sometimes it’s not pretty. If you read our history, you will note that regardless of whatever direction we lurch, eventually – and it could take years – the will of all the people dominates.

To compare the Arizona law to Neo Nazism is to focus on the wrong period of history. (And, respectfully, it’s condescending of you not to look deeper.) Unlike Nazi Germany, this is not a national law, it is a state law, and every civil rights organization in the country is lining up to take a shot at it. They are doing this because they can do this. On the national level, our President has people examining it – closely. Already parts of this law have been revised, and this is before it even goes into effect. This is literally the will of the people in action.

The real problem here is one of attitude. The “aliens” of today are regarded the same way African Americans were regarded in the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s. I suspect that earning respect and equality today will be every bit as difficult as it was 60 tears ago.

But you have to start somewhere.

j

2 comments:

Views from Malmesbury said...

To Balcony 39 - a lot of what's been said on this subject has gone over my head as I'm neither politician nor historian but your terms seemed a little harsh. I've only spent a month or so in Alaska and only seen American visitors to Europe and their television but would describe them mostly as quirky from an English point of view. Yes, I’ve heard ‘oh well, they’re American, what did you expect…’ but generally said with amusement or affection or sometimes exasperation as their ways are different from ours – mostly not said unpleasantly. Certainly, in their own way, their politicians are no more ‘wacky’ than ours or many another country. I agree the law as shown in the blog etc does not seem a good one and I’ve already queried the necessity for it in a previous comment but it also seems clear that it’s not a universally popular idea and their system is already addressing it. So their system works? I do agree that the fact the law was thought of is disturbing but frankly not surprising and I can see it being considered in the UK too. We’ve been invaded by goodness knows how many peoples over the centuries, Romans, Vikings, French – not necessarily in that order! – and each time I believe the indigenous folk have suffered. That’s what people fear, and they are right to fear it. Newcomers are to be welcomed in any society; despite the traumas at the time I think we are richer for our history, but let’s learn from history and control the influx, not only for the sake of the indigenous people but for the sake of the immigrants as well. To my mind it’s the lack of control that’s fuelling aggression in the US, UK and many other countries. If people don’t like the methods being taken then suggest alternatives. Lower voices so we can all be heard or the violent tendencies are likely to escalate.
To In Xanadu – sorry for getting on my soapbox on your blog – it touched a nerve!

Jack Petersen said...

To Malmesbury and Balcony39.
Gentlemen,
For the record, I have invited your comments, and am delighted to have them. Other than an occasional snide from a friend in Canada, I rarely get a perspective on anything from anyone who doesn't live here. Thank you