Fear. Immigrants. Confusion.

So when immigrants primarily looked like the folks in this picture, no one had an issue.

Hmmmm.

It's totally a race thing, even though people don't want to admit they have race issues. It's ok. We all do. We all have our secret discussions among friends or around the dinner table. But... we all are, or should, be working on thinking and being better in our opinions. And the concept of "race" isn't even real, if you ask most college professors of the ethnic studies or anthropology or sociology type. "Race" is totally created. A whole 'nother subject.

Once again, I am surprised and confused at the amount of hate and fear I'm hearing from fellow black folks on the issue of immigration. Front Page. Callers into Dominique DiPrima's show. My goodness. The patience one must have to do progressive talk radio.

Again, maybe it's just a SoCali thing... the hate and fear... because black folks are not the "majority-minority" anymore in SoCali. What a historical crown and prize to cling to. But whatever. We still have a decent amount of political and social pull, a critical mass of something, that can at least put our issues on the table. Something like that. Still trying to figure out the right word to describe. Maybe I'm off? I'm not above being reflective on my opinions.

It's conservative wedge politics at its best... immigration... much like the gay marriage wedge issue of 2004 that cost good people elections. A year ago, immigration wasn't on anyone's mind. Today, it's dividing folks... especially black and brown folks who really do need each other to make a difference in our communities. Because neither of our communities, as a whole, created or run the institutions that make the policies that affect our communities as a whole.

All I gotta say is think about it. Why are certain issues non-issues until they're convenient? It's an election year folks. Certain folks want to win elections because they can't do it based on what they've actually done, soooooooooo... They can do it by dividing folks and carving out new constituencies of voters who traditionally wouldn't think of jumping into the conservative band camp.

Hello.

Put the thinking cap on and think about how the powers that be are trying to manipulate the masses with non-issues... when we've still got Iraq, poor kids being sent over to fight for oil, rising gas prices, crumbling public schools and roads, and corrupt people leading us at all levels of leadership. And those have nothing to do with new folks who want to come to the U.S. to be part of the "American Dream."

And for my SoCali friends... the majority of people we think are immigrants -- because in error people lump all people of Mexican descent into the immigrant category -- were actually born in the United States and actually speak English fluently. Another media myth some of us buy into. So... how does one look at or listen to someone and say they belong in the U.S. or not? Hmmm...
fs