Racism In Our Communities

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: A TONE OF HATE

Migrant workers at a Immigration rally. Washintong DC 2006

In recent years the debate on immigration has developed a tone of hate and punishment. A generation or

so ago, people could openly be racist in America, but today most Americans recognize the need to treat

others with respect and dignity. Why then is it now acceptable to treat immigrants with disrespect and

even discrimination, particularly in our public policies? Has 'antiterrorism' become an excuse to bring back hate? What does this indicate about the kind of society we are?

In the last several years, we have seen a number of politicians propose new laws which seek to punish

immigrants for trying to provide for their families, particularly through hidden single-issue

amendments to other bills. These politicians are catering to the hate and fears of a small segment of the people in the U.S., without considering why immigrants have come in the first place or the significant contributions that immigrants make to our economy and communities. Our question is not why such hate exists, but rather:

Why are state and federal politicians supporting these hate positions?

These politicians certainly do not reflect the views of their constituencies. A survey by the National

Immigration Forum indicates that 75% of American voters believe there should be a comprehensive

reform of the whole immigration system, including legal residency for undocumented immigrants.

For those of us who believe in civil rights, what can be done to bring the focus on immigration to a

comprehensive and humane perspective?

Some elected officials have told us that they overwhelmingly hear from people who have anti-immigrant

views. Why are the vast majority of Americans not voicing their views? We do not have an answer to this question. We believe that most Americans are decent people and have strong values about treating others with respect and kindness. We also believe most Americans oppose hate and discrimination. For example, when a handful of neoNazis came to Indianapolis in 2002 to protest against immigrants, a thousand people from the community came together a few blocks away to hold a Celebration of Diversity.

Some things people can do to make sure our society lives up to our better ideals are:

Become more informed about immigrants and immigration issues. Ask the critical questions
to better understand why immigrants are here, how they are being treated, and what our actions regarding immigrants tell us about ourselves. One way to do this is to sign up for our Immigrant Rights Network list to receive information about events, legislation, and actions regarding immigrant rights.
Talk with your religious, community, and other organizations about immigrant issues. You can organize discussions to help people understand the issues and to explore solutions that are just for all concerned. We can provide materials and speakers, if you wish. If your group wants to become a part of the Immigrant Rights Network, please contact us.
Contact your elected officials. Let them know that you want our government to take a more comprehensive and just approach to immigration issues, and that you do not support repressive measures that seek only to punish immigrants for seeking ways to escape oppression and to support their families. We need to let our government know that the voices of hate are very few, even though they may be loud, and that most Americans support fair and humane policies regarding immigrants. Anyone can voice their opinions to elected officials.

RELATED LINKS:

Hate Mail, BlueLatinos

http://www.bluelatinos.org/hatemail.htm

Hate Groups Map, Southern Poverty Law Center

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

Hatewatch, Southern Poverty Law Center

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/hatewatch/hatewatch.jsp

Immigration Restrictionist Groups, National Immigration Forum

http://www.immigrationforum.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=152

Understanding AntiImmigrant Movements, American Friends Service Committee

http://www.afsc.org/immigrantsrights/learn/antiimmigrant.htm

National Survey of Voter Attitudes on Immigration, National Immigration Forum

http://www.immigrationforum.org/documents/PressRoom/VoterAttitudesOnImmigration.pdf

Farm Labor Organizing Committee FLOC, AFL-CIO

...called upon to challenge the deplorable conditions of the broader workforce that remains voiceless, powerless, and invisible to mainstream America...