Fear and Loathing in Arizona

What happens when you put xenophobic people in the desert? You get Arizona.

This is the second time I've felt compelled to blog about the state that seems to be our nation's looniest.

There is no way I could ever condone Arizona's recent anti-immigration measures. Arizona does face a serious issue along its border. North Mexico is chaotic and the government needs to take steps to prevent the violence from spilling into our country.

This is not the solution to the border problem. Congratulations to the Democratic Party which has just scored an important political victory. If Hispanics weren't angry enough about the inevitable racial profiling that is headed their way, they're sure to be frustrated by the denial of their cultural heritage. What really frightens me and amuses me about this law is the rationale behind it. "State schools chief Tom Horne, who has pushed the bill for years, said he believes the Tucson school district's Mexican-American studies program teaches Latino students that they are oppressed by white people."

Clearly Mr. Horne doesn't know much about the recent history of his own state. Okay, that was an unfair shot, but since when do ethnic studies programs promote division, and more importantly, since when did America become the country of assimilation? I thought the whole premise of our great nation was that you can come here and work whatever job you want, believe in whichever god you choose, say whatever you want about idiots like the Tea Party, and just be yourself. I guess I missed the part where it's not acceptable to be different in America anymore and that it's now wrong to be proud of your ancestry.

How was it that so many people were infuriated about extending health care to 30 million Americans but people are then fine with denying people the opportunity to study their history. I find that aggressively offensive.

What's the next step Arizona? The elimination of gender studies? Wiping out religious studies? I bet Arizona history isn't on the chopping block. America is better than that. We are better than that.

Let's make America better by showing that we're better than bigotry. Let's secure our borders and our freedoms and let's remember that America's greatness comes from our ability to welcome the world's people, not shun them.