I usually don’t get political, so I’m not too good at this.
There were a lot of people voting yesterday here in the Dallas area. One particular hot topic in the news around Dallas is Ordinance 2903. To give you a quick summary, this Ordinance (which passed) says that anyone interested in renting/owning a home in the Farmers Branch area will have to submit proof of citizenship or immigration status.
I’m not from Farmers Branch, and honestly I don’t visit much either, but if it’s anything like Oak Cliff, I know I wouldn’t be the minority there. There was a debate on the radio on Friday afternoon between LULAC member and Farmers Branch resident, Luis de la Garza (no relation) and Farmers Branch City Councilman Tim O’Hare.
You can download the debate on iTunes (search for Ernie and Jay Interviews and KRLD), or you can go here for part I and here for part II. It’s about 40 minutes in length, but it’s really worth it if you want to listen to it.
Well, De La Garza bombed, badly. I wish the debate would have had a better prepared De La Garza or maybe even another representation for the con’s of the Ordinance. He guilelessly admitted on live radio to have not even read the Ordinance, meaning he did not truly know what it was about. He tried to debate something along the lines of, “and what about the children?” And O’Hare said, “The Ordinance clearly states that this does not pertain to children or senior citizens. Have you read the Ordinance?” De La Garza said, “No.”
Now, I understand that when faced with certain things that feel like a slap to your face and you despise the topic you want nothing to do with it. But if you’re going to a debate, you need to know your material. The best way to argue a subject is to research. Sob stories about coming to the United States and driving an expensive car and people thinking you’re a drug dealer because you’re brown and have a nice car, have nothing to do with the topic at hand. He got off the topic so many times.
At times he did make clear statements. But he needed, IMO, to stress how the passage of this would not help the illegal immigration issue here in the United States. Clearly it’s just a law made by a city who wants to throw out the poor and tear down some apartments to build other property to make money. But in the process, they’re kicking out the people who would probably help build this new property that will lift the value up of the city.
I know, from coming from a Mexican family, that a lot of these families will be fine. They will find a home, probably here in Oak Cliff, and it’s just a mountain that they will have to cross again. I doubt they’ll bow their heads in defeat, pack up their things, and go back to Mexico.
My problem with this law that passed is the hate that will come from it. I’ll be honest, to this day, I can’t recall ever being harassed or blamed or called names because of my skin color or because of where my parents are from. Yes, I’ve been racially profiled before. Sometimes even in Mexico, “Esta se cree MUY AMERICANA!” But it’s never been anything that made me cry myself to sleep. A lot of it probably has to do with the people i do and don’t hang around with, and the fact that I live where I’m not the minority. But maybe I just lucked out, because it’s the contrary on the news and everything I’ve come across especially when I worked with the government.
It’s unfortunate that many ignorant people without reading about laws or considering other people’s feelings and seeing them as “human” will hate because of laws as such. They will call people names, one thing will lead to another, and next thing you know, it’s a huge deal on the news. Which just causes more hate and this never ending cycle we’ve all seen in the United States just continues because we can’t seem to live on the same block without respecting one another and each other’s opinions.
I am not for illegal immigration. Not because I hate Mexicans or any other race, but because I’ve seen the really bad side of it, pictures, read stories and cried at how bad the system is. But just because I’m against illegal immigration, it doesnt mean it doesnt exist. It’s like drugs. It’s there. People use them, people sell them, people kill people over them. This can of worms is too huge to control now and everyone is going in different directions that I doubt it will ever be cleaned up.
This law passing in Farmers Branch is not even a dent. They got what they wanted, and like I said, I wish they had better representation on that debate on the radio because Luis really put his foot in his mouth a couple of times and all my mom and I could do was sigh and nod our heads. But the law passed, and illegal immigrants are still here, and they’ll forever be here. Just maybe they’re my neighbors, not theirs.
And I’m okay with that. Like I said. . .it’s home. It’s where I’m NEVER going to be the minority.
I wonder if going now to Farmers Branch I’ll be pulled over and asked to show proof of citizenship. I’ll let you know if that happens. I think I’m going to start to go to the gym that’s over there instead of the one closer to me. 
by cad
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