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| Fanning the flames of imigraphobia |
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A polemical battle in the state legislature has just begun. It takes front and center in the next couple of weeks as legislators haggle over in state tuition for illegal children of undocumented workers. Initially shaped as educational salvation for children of all colors, imigraphobia has invaded and reshaped the debate. The roots of fear expressed by the dominant culture persist. They fester in the collective unconscious of the American public, as fear mongers in many forms including media paranoids, fan the flames of imigraphobia.
The humanization/dehumanization dichotomy of immigrants hangs by a thread on the constitution, an abyss in contemporary society written by this country’s forefathers, couched in arguments centering on classical economics and pragmatism. Written as a safeguard for all with respect to creed or color, constitutional semanticists twist and turn this document to justify human exploitation. Pragmatists want what will keep the economy afloat. Economists have lost the battle about the public charge immigrants have been accused of. The reality is Mexicano labor built the infrastructure of the Southwest and their labor is a functional part of this economy. Immigrants pay taxes in equal proportion to other groups; however, their dollars are fattening someone else’s coffers that have yet to be revealed.
Imigraphobes don’t really want to send children home. They want to make sure they have plenty of fungible commodities to continue the military industrial complex and a supply of workers for the new permanent underclass being developed in the new millennium. Detention centers are now big business, creating jobs and wealth at the expense of the powerless. Let’s see what provisions are argued as greed enters the fray.
This newly developed underclass will be composed of those children pounding at the front doors of policy makers and institutions that historically have dismissed them as intellectual inferiors. The power structure cannot handle an educated populace destroying the myth of Mexican inferiority.
Fear is the real villain; fear of losing power as Raza numbers grows exponentially. Hidden fears of cultural imposition by a “minority” transforming into a majority leading to the destruction of western civilization is another bogus argument igniting hidden prejudices. The Denver Post’s selective avoidance of historicity fans the flames even more. Its lackadaisical memory naps in the vestiges of an ego without a social conscience.
Read “Immigrants put on ICE,” in March 7th Saturday morning’s front page. The paper lambasted immigrants, many who had committed petty crimes. It did not point out the positive contributions made by immigrants. It did not mention immigrants who toil day in and day out for a pittance, their hard work ethic, or humanistic values such as loyalty and dedication. It didn’t mention immigrants as part of the military machine in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for “democracy.”
Meanwhile a terrorist organization known as ICE without soul is melting away dreams, hopes, and aspirations of a generation of young brown children.
Let’s see if the Post will write an article on human rights violations practiced by ICE employees against undocumented workers. Will mainstream media investigate tactics used by local governments in Arizona? My guess is the sole surviving paper in Denver will pander to the right. It has nothing to lose. Remnants of the Old Wild West were clearly visible as Marshall Randy Ford of Green Mountain Fall, with cowboy hat and holster proudly guarded the gates. The old “Injun” scapegoat has changed. The new enemy is the Mexicana/o being ballyhooed as a lawless, lazy, thief taking advantage of America’s false generosity.
I participated in a group telephone conversation with President Obama prior to his election where he found common ground to criticize ICE Agents without tipping over the apple cart. He didn’t call them terrorists. He stated that they were “committing terrorist acts.” Let me see, if you commit terrorist acts, are you a terrorist? I think so. It is logically consistent.
The aftermath of ICE raids has become a reign of psychological terror in Greeley, Colorado where masked marauders raided Swift’s Packing Company a couple of years ago. Remember it took place on December 12th La Virgen de Guadalupe’s birthday. The sheriff and his posse were relentless in their attack against immigrants, filling detention centers and jails. Operation Wetback had come back to life.
Remember La Virgen? She is la mujer who mysteriously appeared in the 15th century to Juan Diego, an indigena off to visit his tio in the mountains of Tepeyac. She spoke to him in Nahuatl and reaffirmed his humanity at a time when philosophers of the time had debated whether or not Indians possessed souls. ICE as the oppressive arm of the government with no controls has essentially dehumanized los indigenas in the same manner nuestros antepasados were dehumanized in the 15th century.
What can you do? March in solidarity with the César Chávez Peace and Justice Committee of Denver on Saturday, March 28th beginning at St. Cajetan’s Church located at 299 S. Raleigh to Sandos Hall to celebrate César Chávez’ birthday.
Dr. Ramón Del Castillo is an Independent Journalist.
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