Thanks to Lisa Hughes for calling attention to a recent WEB article on
Proposition 200 as one of several issues that currently affect migrants in
the state of Arizona. The effect and impact of La 200 boil down to what has
been closed to migrants and what complicates life for others such as
citizens moving to Arizona, who must show more identification (effect), and
what no longer is sought as public services, given the inconvenience and
"The Wave of Fear' (called La Ola de Miedo) toward discovery and
deportation (impact). What the article that has been made available to a
wider audience does not mention is that the Governor of Arizona vetoed one
initiative that would have expanded La 200: It remains to be seen how many
other "bills" mentioned in the WEB article make it to her desk. As
suggested, various groups in Arizona continue to campaign "against"
anti-immigration sentiments and activities.
The article cites references from major sources of information on Arizona -
but once each. From another Spanish-written newspaper in Arizona (La Prensa
Hispana was listed in Endnote #10), for June 8, 2005, in 'La Voz' (fifth
year, number 284), I can read an article on La 200 on the front page
(providing notice of the Governor's veto), where below there's an article
on the pro's and con's of day laborers, according to a public forum in
Chandler, AZ [one of ten fastest growing cities in America - two others of
the ten are located in Arizona]; and to one side there's an short article
on the McCain-Kennedy proposal to reform the immigration system. When I
turn to page two, I find a full page devoted to years of violence against
women in Ciudad Juarez, a city across the border two states away in Texas
(El Paso).
I continue turning pages and find a human interest story on page 7 de La
Mujer Embarazada who gave birth inside a helicopter over the Arizona
desert, after her son went for help when her contractions started. She
wisely insisted that her husband remain with her, which he (wisely) did.
She will be permitted to remain in Arizona for a month (the article tells
us), until she and the newborn are able to return to Mexico. Page 17 I find
a story on how the Minuteman Project is moving to Texas -- if they are not
already there. Somewhere there's another count of deaths in the desert. And
so on…
Yesterday I retrieved the recent list of Top Ten Cities for Hispanics to
Live In (released annually by Hispanic Magazine) and find that Tucson AZ,
one hour from the border, is again ranked Number Seven, as it has been over
the years we've lived in Arizona. That same list shows cities of Austin -
Miami - San Diego - San Antonio - El Paso/Las Cruces ranking
first-second-third-fourth-fifth. Interestingly, three of the five are Ports
of Entry into this country for persons from Latin America. Mixed with
rejoicing is somber knowledge that some of these cities face serious
problems: low per capita, school dropout, etc.
This morning, I listened to a corrido that compared "Esta gran nacion" to
"una prision" ("Tengo miedo de salir de la casa... que me van a deportar").
Some may recall the song 'La Aula de Oro' a few years back. Conditions
shift; lyrics change from references to persons who feel enjauladas to
feeling that one esta encarcelada. Must the theme remain the same?

Keith V Bletzer
Medical Anthropologist