Fear walks the streets of Phoenix
 

Fear walks the streets of Phoenix - Aug 2010

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/OPI...sing.az.gi.jpg
[LINKHOTNESS]

Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) -- It was an ethnic twist on an American classic, the kind of thing that some people consider appealing and others frightening. Pinto beans, diced tomatoes, salsa and jalapenos top a hot dog that's grilled to perfection. It's 10 o'clock on a Saturday night at ground zero in the immigration debate. The hot dog vendor, a woman from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, would normally be doing a brisk business. Her cart is across the street from a popular Latino dance club that used to be frequented by Mexican-Americans but is now normally crammed with Mexican immigrants.

No mas.

"The city feels abandoned," the woman tells me in Spanish. "Everyone has left."

It sure looks that way during a drive though the city's predominantly Latino west side, with its abandoned buildings, deserted homes and empty parks. Since April, when Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 to punish illegal immigrants for the sins of the employers who hire them, estimates are that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants have left Arizona for a warmer climate in Utah, Colorado, Texas or New Mexico.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton struck down four of the most grotesque and illogical parts of the law, including the requirement that local police attempt to determine the immigration status of individuals they suspect of being in the country illegally and language making it a crime to solicit work. They should have gone back to Mexico, but they'd already put down roots in Phoenix, where the husband could earn at least 10 times what he could make in Mexico. We talked about how some conservatives insist that illegal immigrants take jobs from U.S. workers:

"They're spoiled. They think it's easy to come to the United States legally, and they speak from ignorance."

You've heard how Arizona tried to empower local police to arrest gardeners and housekeepers to crack down on Mexican drug dealers. Baloney. That's just how the state's anti-immigrant efforts are packaged for public consumption. What are nativists supposed to do? Convince Arizonans that the nannies they give their babies to every day are dangerous, that the gardeners to whom they volunteer their security code are a threat. You need drug dealers in this dialogue. Who else are people going to be afraid of?

Not a hot dog vendor. Think about where that woman was from -- Sinaloa. That state is the capital of the Mexican drug trafficking industry. It's quite simple. If you're from Sinaloa and you sell drugs, you can live a luxurious life in Mexico. If you sell hot dogs, you work long, hot nights in the desert. Arizonans are ginning up fear of one to rid their state of the other.

LINK

:2 cents: Arizona: What a nice place to live. :1orglaugh

I am glad we have this law!

Does CNN have newspapers? :helpme

Nope, but its all the same either way. I am sick of the ' news ' , they are making
this look and sound worse then it really is.

"Fear walks the streets of Phoenix" - That's not even remotely true.

It's true illegals walk the streets in fear but not the general populous.

It's SO easy to hate on Arizona if you don't live here, never have lived here, or have only seen it during times like TPF.

I live in a nice enough neighborhood but I'm surrounded by ethnicity. You can definitely tell the difference in lifestyles. Not saying that one is better than the other, but I was born a US citizen, to parents that are US citizens, and LIVING IN ARIZONA I can see the problems others can't.

Fear the police! :BangBang:
(or they'll tase the shit outta you until you grow a new healthy fear.)

All things considered SB1070 has been pretty effective so far.

such a good writer

I lived in Phoenix for 4 years. From North Phoenix to Central & Van Buren, and worked as far down as Broadway. I understand Phoenix perfectly. :)

shut the fuck up! :321GFY j/k :winkwink: dude when dmv and other stuff start shutting down cause there isnt any money dont cry like a bitch. :2 cents: Ive seen the toll illegals have put on the system back in the 90's packed tax places getting tax returns. if they had a soul its gone! :2 cents: :helpme

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup








http://www.nikkilicks.com/pics/fuckmexico_1.jpg

Wow, do something illegal and go to jail, this must be some kind of new idea?

You are all immigrants in the US. It amazes me how some americans simply ignore their heritage.

That law is just plain dumb.

The "illegal immigration issue" is just a tool to keep the population divided and fighting amongst themselves. It keeps the attention off real problems. Wanna keep a moron distracted? Dangle something shiny in front of him (an iPhone will do).... or make up a "problem".

it would be hilarious to see the local economy crumble because all of the illegals have left.

those hot dogs sounds awesome.

Yup, they are great scapegoats:
high unemployment? it's those illegals taking your jobs!
high crime rate? it's all because of those illegals again!
state budget deficits? yup, once again it's those illegals draining the funds!

I love how people think its cool for illegal immigrants to be here, unregistered and not pay taxes.

So you are ok with a bunch of illegal people here that don't contribute to the things they use, like the citizens do?

americans are notoriously ahistorical but it wouldn't hurt to read about the history of nativism and why it appealed at certain times.

Yup. World Cup. NFL. NBA. MLB. NHL. The gladiators of our time.


I agree. While I don't agree with illegal immigration. They are focusing way to much attention on it. Enough illegals get deported each year anyway.

most have low wage jobs, they wouldn't pay taxes anyway, if they were legal they would probably be eligible for more government handouts...

that's funny! like people don't work and illegals are the center of the universe working a minimum wage job!!! :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :error

Yes, we are all immigrants of immigrants that came to America legally, there is a difference.....:2 cents:

Indeed, make them legal and the first thing a lot of them will do is line up for some government cheese.

Well then I'll just be over here shutting the fuck up then.

It has NOTHING to do with immigration and EVERYTHING to do with ILLEGAL immigration.

I don't think anybody cares that people are coming into America to make a better life for themselves.

It's HOW they do it that matters.

Unless your ancestors were slaves, captured in Africa and forced to work in the United States.

Oh, my bad. That was legal so it was all ok. There is a difference between legal slavery and illegal slavery. Legal slavery = ok. illegal slavery = wrong.

jesus :ugone2far

What ever you say.....:1orglaugh:1orglaugh


















http://nikkilicks.com/pics/fuckmexico_1.jpg

I don't ignore my heritage, get off my land pale face

Thats 101 Public Relations tactics used by major corporations(e.g. news outlets) who have an agenda. Distract the public from the real problems in the U.S.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt

Says the idiot......:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

At what point did America go from anybody can escape from Europe to a wonderful new land to being full and needing to restrict who came afterwards?

right around 1875, why?

Never. Anyone can come here legally.....try again.:1orglaugh

Wasn't a dig I was just wondering if there was a definite cutoff point for when you could just get on a boat and get off the other end unrestricted.

Didn't think it was ;)

I have no idea when..........

"punish illegal immigrants for the sins of the employers who hire them"

Once again key word is "illegal"


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