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Scott Novak: Whose team are you going to be on?
Published 4:13pm Friday, July 30, 2010Back in 1991, Public Enemy released a song called “By The Time I Get To Arizona” and it dealt with the fact that the state refused to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Now, nearly 20 years later Arizona is back in the national spotlight over another racially motivated action.
The state’s new immigration law, which parts of have been put on hold by the court system, seemed aimed at profiling Hispanics.
I understand they have an illegal immigration problem in the state, but the way they are handling it takes us back to another day and time. One I would just soon we not revisit.
The lyrics of Public Enemy’s song were angry and harsh, but they were just what were needed at the time.
Perhaps we should take another look at those lyrics and apply them to the current situation in Arizona.
Within its borders, many residents of that state seem perfectly content with this law, while many around the rest of the country are looking at it through different eyes and they quite frankly don’t like what they see.
Back in 1991, Chuck D wrote:
“Read between the lines
Then you see the lie
Politically planned
But understand that’s all she wrote
When we see the real side
That hide behind the vote”
One has to wonder if the new immigration law in Arizona is really meant to stem illegals from entering the state or another reason.
Even the United States Justice Department has wondered aloud about the motivation of the law.
It took a country to stand up and pressure the State of Arizona, even threaten it, to get them to honor Dr. King.
Now it’s our turn to stand up again and speak out against what appears to be a racially motivate law.
Come on people, it’s 2010 and it’s time to get beyond the color of our skin.
We have too many other problems in this country to continue to fight this ridiculous fight.
It’s time to band together and roll up our sleeves and tackle our problems head on.
As sports writer I get to watch individuals from every walk of life, every religious background and all colors band together for one common purpose.
If we can do it in the sports arena, then we most certainly can do it in our everyday lives.
Public Enemy said it best 19 years ago. It still rings true today:
“Gonna find a way
Make the state pay
Lookin’ for the day
Hard as it seems
This ain’t no damn dream
Gotta know what I mean
It’s team against team
Catch the light beam
So I pray
I pray every day”
Whose team are you going to be on?
Should we all stand back and keep our mouths shut or should be stand up and be counted?
We need to demand more from our government and we need to demand more from our country.
And most definitely, we need to demand more from ourselves.
Every now and then we need to draw a line in the sand. This is our time.
I can only hope by the time we get to Arizona it’s not too late.
Because only we can stop it. We must stop it before it takes hold and begins to spread.
Our country seems to be at a crossroad right now. Which fork it takes is up to all of us.
Don’t be the silent minority. Be the vocal majority.
It’s our time.
Scott Novak is sports editor of Leader Publications.
He can be reached at 687-7702.
Tags: columnist, Niles Daily Star, Scott Novak
Can we be on the side of the American people and the American Taxpayer without being considered racist?
There are significant cost factors regarding illegal immigration that those in Arizona have become weary of.
The cost in three areas have been significantly studied: education; health care; and incarceration. Analysis of census and other data show that Arizonans are paying roughly 1.3 billion annually to support the illegal immigrant population.
The costs may not end there because of the higher cost of food stamp programs and welfare benefits that are being paid to American workers who have been displaced by those illegal aliens.
Is there anyone that finds it unusual that the rights of illegals are placed above the rights of the American Citizens?
The writer suggests that the state of Arizona has some nefarious agenda in enacting legislation that in most ways mirrors federal laws and in other ways extends courtesies that the federal law does not. Is the writer aware that federal immigration laws REQUIRE all aliens to carry with them at all times proof of legality? Federal law also requires that those in this country illegally be immediately deported, yet federal authorities give a wink and nod to so called “sanctuary cities” and excoriate a state that feels-rightfully so-that the federal authorities sworn to uphold federal laws activly choose to ignore them. Up to and including the President of the United States. Not only this one, but the one before him as well, although for different reasons. The state of Arizona has a right under the constitution to enact legislation that aids it in following federal laws. Despite the judges ruling, the state is not impeding federal authority, it is calling on federal authorities to obey THEIR OWN LAWS.
As for not following along with granting Dr. King his own “day,” it should be noted that not all states follow along with many of the declared days granted traditional American heroes. Dr. King certainly deserves recognition for his leadership in the civil rights arena, but let’s not get illegal acts confused with legitimate civil protests. Those individuals, by crossing our borders have committed a crime. Granted it is mitigated by the desire for a better life here, but it is a crime nonetheless. There must be consequences for those crimes, just as Dr. King knew there were consequences for the civil infractions he committed. He was incarcerated numerous times for his beliefs, but today’s illegal immigrants believe that they must be treated as a special group. That cannot be allowed to happen.