05-04-2010, 12:18 AM
How did I discover this wonderful forum? I returned to Arizona after two short years up in Lake County. I had moved to Mundelein in 2007 to be near family, but I couldn't find steady work and, as I discovered, Lake County is one of the most expensive places I could have moved to. Although I didn't have much luck on the work front, I was still able to pastor a small independent Catholic parish in Waukegan in 2008 and part of 2009. We were located at First Congregational there on Grand at Martin Luther King. A friend of mine from the parish passed on the forum's link.
I lived in Mundelein, but I really enjoyed Waukegan. Still, Arizona has been home for more than three decades... and I love it here. The gunfire is sporadic, not constant. I haven't been it yet. The heat is pretty dry, usually. The streets are straight and logical, and I know the neighborhoods like the back of my hand. The people here are libertarian "live and let live" types. Which is ironic, given our reputation for just the opposite.
The reason that illegal immigrants have ignored the border altogether and settled in Arizona is that we have historically been so welcoming, so accepting -- to EVERYONE. Many years ago, a friend from Pennsylvania told me that Phoenix absolutely amazed him. He had noticed white, black and Hispanic kids playing in the street in front of his house -- and he told me that he would never see such a mixed group playing together where he came from in Pennsylvania. I have always been very proud of our diversity and openness down here. I hate to think that people are driving a wedge between us now.
Regarding the immigrants themselves, it is natural for people to move from utter poverty to areas that provide some opportunity until there is no opportunity left. If the rate of immigration increases at the present rate, Arizona will be dominated by illiterate non-English speaking immigrants in just a few years. Arizona will, in every major way, actually become Mexico. We already have little in the way of jobs, a huge deficit, and a massive crime problem -- much of which is due to our appeal to immigrants. We have reached the breaking point... and every right wing and left wing yahoo is coming out of the woodwork to spread hatred.
I am a liberal and a Democrat, but I want to be fair about our Governor. I feel bad for her. Her voice was shaking when she announced that she had signed this legislation and that profiling would under no circumstances be permitted. I'm sure she knew that it was political death for her. I'm sure that she knew that she'd be ridiculed around the country, and that cities and States would boycott us for no good reason. Do you know how much courage that must take? God bless her
Rev. Sharpton is coming to Arizona. He has been very critical of us. I hope and pray that, when the law is explained to him, and he sees that we are not racists, that he will change his mind and speak up for us. We don't deserve to be boycotted. We're hurting plenty as it is.
I lived in Mundelein, but I really enjoyed Waukegan. Still, Arizona has been home for more than three decades... and I love it here. The gunfire is sporadic, not constant. I haven't been it yet. The heat is pretty dry, usually. The streets are straight and logical, and I know the neighborhoods like the back of my hand. The people here are libertarian "live and let live" types. Which is ironic, given our reputation for just the opposite.
The reason that illegal immigrants have ignored the border altogether and settled in Arizona is that we have historically been so welcoming, so accepting -- to EVERYONE. Many years ago, a friend from Pennsylvania told me that Phoenix absolutely amazed him. He had noticed white, black and Hispanic kids playing in the street in front of his house -- and he told me that he would never see such a mixed group playing together where he came from in Pennsylvania. I have always been very proud of our diversity and openness down here. I hate to think that people are driving a wedge between us now.
Regarding the immigrants themselves, it is natural for people to move from utter poverty to areas that provide some opportunity until there is no opportunity left. If the rate of immigration increases at the present rate, Arizona will be dominated by illiterate non-English speaking immigrants in just a few years. Arizona will, in every major way, actually become Mexico. We already have little in the way of jobs, a huge deficit, and a massive crime problem -- much of which is due to our appeal to immigrants. We have reached the breaking point... and every right wing and left wing yahoo is coming out of the woodwork to spread hatred.
I am a liberal and a Democrat, but I want to be fair about our Governor. I feel bad for her. Her voice was shaking when she announced that she had signed this legislation and that profiling would under no circumstances be permitted. I'm sure she knew that it was political death for her. I'm sure that she knew that she'd be ridiculed around the country, and that cities and States would boycott us for no good reason. Do you know how much courage that must take? God bless her
Rev. Sharpton is coming to Arizona. He has been very critical of us. I hope and pray that, when the law is explained to him, and he sees that we are not racists, that he will change his mind and speak up for us. We don't deserve to be boycotted. We're hurting plenty as it is.