Published on Sunday, May 23, 2010 by
CommonDreams.orgWelcome to Arizona: “It’s a Dry Hate...”by Randall Amster
First it was legally-sanctioned racial profiling, with a touch of totalitarian "show me your papers" thrown in for good measure (SB 1070). Next we were delivered a new law banning Ethnic Studies programs or any teaching that promotes "ethnic solidarity" (HB 2281). Then the state's school superintendent announced a policy whereby teachers with "heavy accents" would be prevented from being in classrooms in which instruction was being given in English. Despite all of this, we're continually told by proponents that it's not about race but about upholding the laws and securing our borders. Wrong. Let's be clear and upfront about what's happening here: it's mainly about fear and hatred, and it appears that it's only just begun.
From a peace and conflict studies perspective, these laws promise to deepen divisions, drive a wedge through communities, separate family units, and undermine constructive dialogue. They pit working people against one another, and require neighbors to police one another. In this light, these laws will foster a climate of suspicion and antipathy, in which violence - both rhetorical and physical - can flourish. Indeed, on some level these laws themselves potentially constitute a form of "hate crimes" by persecuting and scapegoating a particular group based on that group's identity, and thus raise the specter of racially motivated violence in our communities. Heartbreakingly, it's more than just a mere specter of violence at this point for Juan Varela's family, as recently reported by the Associated Press:
"Tension surrounding the passage of Arizona's tough new law cracking down on illegal immigration contributed to the slaying of an Hispanic man, allegedly shot by a white neighbor, a representative of the dead man's family said Friday. Police and the family said the arrested man, 50-year-old Gary Thomas Kelley, allegedly directed racial slurs at 44-year-old Juan Daniel Varela before the May 6 shooting near their homes.... ‘When you have talk that becomes aggressive, it escalates the violence,' said Carlos Galindo, a Phoenix radio commentator acting as a spokesman for Varela's relatives at a state Capitol news conference."
A local television report added further details, including a moving call from the family for peace in the face of potential violence likely to surge in the climate created by SB 1070:
"The alleged killer was yelling racial slurs seconds before he fired the shots that killed 44-year-old Juan Varela. Varela was a third-generation American, yet his family claims he was called a "wetback" who was going to be sent back to Mexico by the man who murdered him.... Varela's nephew and namesake says he hopes his uncles death will not be in vain. ‘That's the reason why we're here today is ... to talk about hope and non-violence that we would not turn on one another, that we would not hate one another but that we would turn together with love.' The family feels the hysteria over illegal immigration contributed to Varela's death." ..........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/05/23-0