A message from Raymond Shorter

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Michael D'Andrea

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Jun 14, 2010, 10:09:06 AM6/14/10

to Counselors for Social Justice, nimc national

Aloha:

Mr.Raymond Shorter asked me to send the following message to the members of the NIMC and CSJ.....

Michael D'Andrea

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Raymond Shorter <rshor...@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 3:45 AM
Subject: Re: [NIMC] Digest for ni...@googlegroups.com
To: Michael D'Andrea <michael...@gmail.com>

Although it continues to be no suprise, it is devestating and painful to witness torchure that's being inflicted amongst People of Color in Arizona. As an African American male, who had ancestors that were brought to this country illegally, continues to try to understand the racial hatred that is spreading against a group of people who are "THEE" legal citizens, not illegal. I believe that there is a deeper rationale based on Allen Ivey's comments on June 13, 2010 (see below...which I agree with 100%). The rationale is rooted in Dr. Francis Cress Welsing's book entitled Isis Paper. It focuses on "genetic annihilation." There is no doubt in my mind that the immigration laws are rooted in White Supremacy and Genetic Annihilation. My focus must now become "What conscious knowledge must I develope that will enable me to bring into existence a plan of action that will allow me to strategize and collaborate with others to eliminate this modern form of Cultural Genocide from the worldview of a Multicultural and Social Justice Leadership Paradigm-By Any Means Necessary?"

Ray Shorter

Arizona's Next Immigration Target: Children of Illegals

Demonstrators protest Arizona's illegal-immigration crackdown, outside Dodger Stadium before the Los Angeles Dodgers' baseball series with the Arizona

AP – Demonstrators protest Arizona's illegal-immigration crackdown, outside Dodger Stadium before the Los …

By ADAM KLAWONN / PHOENIX Adam Klawonn / Phoenix – Sat Jun 12, 10:00 am ET

"Anchor babies" isn't a very endearing term, but in Arizona those are the words being used to tag children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants. While not new, the term is increasingly part of the local vernacular because the primary authors of the nation's toughest and most controversial immigration law are targeting these tots - the legal weights that anchor many undocumented aliens in the U.S. - for their next move.

Buoyed by recent public opinion polls suggesting they're on the right track with illegal immigration, Arizona Republicans will likely introduce legislation this fall that would deny birth certificates to children born in Arizona - and thus American citizens according to the U.S. Constitution - to parents who are not legal U.S. citizens. The law largely is the brainchild of state Sen. Russell Pearce, a Republican whose suburban district, Mesa, is considered the conservative bastion of the Phoenix political scene. He is a leading architect of the Arizona law that sparked outrage throughout the country: Senate Bill 1070, which allows law enforcement officers to ask about someone's immigration status during a traffic stop, detainment or arrest if reasonable suspicion exists - things like poor English skills, acting nervous or avoiding eye contact during a traffic stop. (See the battle for Arizona: will a border crackdown work?)

But the likely new bill is for the kids. While SB 1070 essentially requires of-age migrants to have the proper citizenship paperwork, the potential "anchor baby" bill blocks the next generation from ever being able to obtain it. The idea is to make the citizenship process so difficult that illegal immigrants pull up the "anchor" and leave. (See pictures of the Great Wall of America.)

The question is whether that would violate the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment states that "all persons, born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States." It was intended to provide citizenship for freed slaves and served as a final answer to the Dred Scott case, cementing the federal government's control over citizenship.

But that was 1868. Today, Pearce says the 14th Amendment has been "hijacked" by illegal immigrants. "They use it as a wedge," Pearce says. "This is an orchestrated effort by them to come here and have children to gain access to the great welfare state we've created." Pearce says he is aware of the constitutional issues involved with the bill and vows to introduce it nevertheless. "We will write it right." He and other Republicans in the red state Arizona point to popular sympathy: 58% of Americans polled by Rasmussen think illegal immigrants whose children are born here should not receive citizenship; support for that stance is 76% among Republicans.

Those who oppose the bill say it would lead to more discrimination and divide the community. Among them is Phoenix resident Susan Vie, who is leading a citizen group that's behind an opposing ballot initiative. She moved to the U.S. 30 years ago from Argentina, became a naturalized citizen and now works as a client-relations representative for a vaccine company. "I see a lot of hate and racism behind it," Vie says. "Consequently, I believe it will create - and it's creating it now - a separation in our society." She adds, "When people look at me, they will think, 'Is she legal or illegal?' I can already feel it right now." Vie's citizen initiative would prohibit SB 1070 from taking affect, place a three-year moratorium on all related laws - including the anchor baby bill - to buy more time for federal immigration reform. Her group is racing to collect 153,365 signatures by July 1 to qualify for the Nov. 2 general election.

Both sides expect the anchor baby bill to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court before it is enacted. "I think it would be struck down as facially unconstitutional. I can't imagine a federal judge saying this would be OK," says Dan Barr, a longtime Phoenix lawyer and constitutional litigator. Potentially joining the anchor baby bill at the Supreme Court may be SB 1070, which Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed into law in April. It is set to take effect July 29, but at least five courtroom challenges have been filed against it. Pearce says he will win them all.

View this article on Time.com