It is ironic that a nation founded, populated, and built by
immigrants has raging xenophobia in a large segment of the population to
the point that American citizens distrust, discriminate against, and
hate human beings who emigrate to America for its promise of liberty,
opportunity and open arms for freedom loving people. In fact, throughout
American history, there has always been suspicion and discrimination
against immigrants regardless of their nation of origin or race, but
non-whites are targeted as interlopers based primarily on their skin
color. It is no different today, and despite the fact there were no
indigenous white people in America, the idea of racial minorities,
especially immigrants, still strikes fear in a specific demographic that
portends perpetual disunity and prevents America from progressing
beyond tribal sensibilities. The election of an African American as
President resurrected contempt and
hatred for minorities, but Hispanics have been singled out as targets of conservatives’ rage and deep-seated, irrational hatred of “
foreigners” who are “
not like us” and certainly not “
real Americans.”
President Obama’s
announcement yesterday that his administration would
no longer seek deportation of undocumented immigrants’ children was the result of the
Senate’s refusal
to act on passing the Dream Act that gives a path to citizenship to
immigrant children who came to America through no fault of their own.
Senate Republicans held up passage of the Dream Act that could not
garner the new 60 vote minimum required to pass any legislation. Of
course, the announcement enraged the right who accused the President of
overstepping his Constitutional authority, but as
noted here,
President Obama did not change or make a law, grant amnesty or immunity
to undocumented aliens, but no thinking human being expects anything
less from Republicans. The President’s decision is, for one thing, the
type of compassion that such notable conservative heroes as Ronald
Reagan,
Rick Perry,
John McCain, and
George W. Bush espoused in treating Latino immigrants with a modicum of humanity. In fact, the only president to
grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants was conservative icon, and man-turned-god, Ronald Reagan.
The President’s announcement incurred the wrath of right-wing pundits
and legislators alike who have used Americans’ xenophobia as a tool to
pass discriminatory laws such as Arizona’s “
papers please”
laws and various state laws targeting undocumented Mexican immigrants.
The Republican push to purge America of Hispanics has a long history
that predates Obama’s Presidency, and reveals a long-held view among
many that maintaining racial purity is paramount to America’s survival.
Indeed, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate turned heads
during the Republican primary when he proposed that undocumented
immigrants self-deport to their native country and that he would
veto the Dream Act. He also pledged to
make life so miserable for undocumented immigrants that they would “
self-deport.”
Romney’s racist tendencies are rooted in his cult’s belief system that
proffered dark-skinned people were cursed by god and therefore not
deserving of equal rights, and his use of a
Ku Klux Klan slogan, “
Keep America American,”
in his campaign was not coincidental and primarily aimed at Southern
state voters. The slogan was also used during the 1850s by the
anti-immigrant movement known as the “
Know Nothing Party.”
One can hardly blame poor Willard for his
racist tendencies, because “
white supremacy is very inherent in the Book of Mormon. The books of Nephi and Moroni state the inherent supremacy of the white male. Women and blacks are far inferior in their view,”
which after a lifetime of indoctrination must certainly inform
Willard’s contempt for dark-skinned immigrants. In fact, Mormons in Utah
are still discriminating against immigrants, especially if they speak
out about the history of racism in LDS literature. An immigrant in Utah
on a student visa from an African nation felt the wrath of Mormon
judges, prosecutors, and ICE agents after openly questioning the church
practices of discrimination against dark-skinned people. The immigrant,
who remains in hiding, shared court documents, immigration proceedings,
and University records that clearly show prejudice on the part of
elected officials and ICE officers (all Mormons) that were initiated
after expressing dismay at the racial policies of the church. It is
important to remember that up until 1978, Mormons held the belief that
dark skin was a “
curse from god,” and their almighty founder, Brigham young
referred to “
African American slavery as a religious necessity.”
After 125 years of discrimination and theories used to justify their
policies impugning dark-skinned people as cursed, the LDS church has
neither formally apologized nor repudiated their position. After the
federal Civil Rights Act, church leaders received a corresponding, and
very convenient, new revelation that dark skin was no longer a curse
from their god.
There is no reasonable excuse for discrimination against any race
except pure unadulterated bigotry. President Obama’s decision was not
based on race, but the response from the right is inherently racist and
little else. The President’s decision to not pursue deportation of
undocumented immigrants’ children between the ages of 16 and 30 takes
into account that children who were relocated to America by their
parents had little choice in the decision and had assimilated, learned
English, attended school, and for all intents and purposes, became
Americans. The President’s decision is in stark contrast to Willard
Romney’s proposal that Mexican immigrants “
self deport,”
and whether he was pandering to racists, or following ingrained church
doctrine, his position is clear; dark skinned undocumented immigrants
must vacate the United States. Romney’s stance on immigration, although
nectar to racists and bigots, does not sit well with the increasing
numbers of Mexican Americans who are part of the fabric of this country
and within a generation, will be a majority of a truly diverse
population.
The President’s critics claim his decision was for political expediency in an election year, but he has been a
strong advocate
for passing the Dream Act throughout his term. Republicans ratcheted up
the pressure on Hispanics to garner support from the racial purity
crowd shortly after the President took office, and the rise of the
teabaggers and the 2010 midterm elections gave Republicans majorities
they needed to target Mexican Americans whether they were documented
citizens or not. Immigrants built this country into the once-great
nation it was, and Mexican Americans had no small part in defending our
freedoms throughout the nation’s history. One would think that after
their sacrifices and incredibly hard work harvesting America’s crops,
building roads and bridges, and toiling to build a decent life in a free
society, Republicans would cherish their contributions and at the least
offer a path to citizenship that Republicans once thought was just.
However, if Americans have learned anything in the past three years, it
is that justice and equality are not the purview of Republicans, and the
defining moment was the election of the first non-white President that
has inspired them to new heights of discrimination, contempt and hatred
of Americans with dark skin. President Obama made the only determination
available to a fair-minded, decent human being who shows compassion
that Willard Romney wouldn’t know if it hit him in his wealthy,
lily-white,
son of a Mexican immigrant, face.
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