Let’s get our own house in order first
Hopefully I am not the only person, in Washington who is embarrassed and concerned by the actions of the Seattle City Council [“City Council backs Arizona boycott,” News, May 18].
To boycott another state for wanting to enforce a federal and state law is amazing. This is not a liberal or conservative issue. There is a current law that deals with illegal immigrants.
I understand that we live in a liberal city, in a liberal county and in a liberal state. What I do not understand is the lack of support of one state to another on this issue.
This has become a political issue rather than one concerning enforcement of the laws of the land. We do not need the opinion of the City Council unless it is based on a true interpretation of the current law.
People in our state should not be upset when our city, county or state officials continue to pick and choose which laws they want to enforce. (We seem to have these frequently in Washington.) This state, along with Oregon and California, have enough on their plates without telling another state what they should do. Let’s get our own house in order and then — and only then — could we give direction to another state.
— Bill Heimkes, Seattle
We are all immigrants
“City Council backs Arizona boycott” [News, May 18] simply shows the constant discrimination against other races, which has been a constant characteristic of history.
It is incredible that the state of Arizona actually passed such a law. We have just made an incredible accomplishment: Electing an African American man as our president should have set an alarm in the Arizona government.
People seem to forget that we are all immigrants in some way shape or form. This goes against every non-bullying and non-discriminating class held in schools as well as public boycotts, organizations and strikes.
If that law holds, then there is no doubt that every person would be wrongly accused of being an illegal immigrant. We may as well detain every single person in the United States.
— Jessica Tran, Seattle
Do unto Arizona as you would do unto Washington
The Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would like them to do unto yourself,” came to mind following the Seattle City Council’s decision to boycott Arizona.
I strongly urge the City Council to reverse that decision or potentially risk creating justification for another city or state boycotting Seattle or Washington’s businesses and conventions. We are the United States. We need to not pass judgment on our brother and sister states, but support each other economically despite our differences.
Yesterday’s action could start us down a road to a place where Starbucks coffee is not available at the Phoenix airport, Microsoft products are not welcome in Arizona government offices or Arizona employees select Southwest Airlines over Alaska Airlines for travel.
Washington has too much to lose through taking this negative action. Summer is on the horizon and we want the people of Arizona to travel to Seattle for vacations and conventions. Let’s not give them a reason to go somewhere else.
— Gregory Kovsky, Redmond
Preserve the American way of life
Maybe it’s time for illegal immigrants to get it straight: Arizona is not part of Mexico.
When marching and demonstrating, why is the Mexican flag carried? We have our U.S. flag; if you want to be an American, carry it.
In my day, we studied the United States in U.S. history. If we wanted to study about Mexico, we signed up for other classes.
If we wanted to learn to speak Spanish, we took language classes.
I think it is time to side with those of us who have worked hard and saved so we could live comfortably and have a comfortable retirement. We love our country and do not need our language and traditions changed.
— Pat Gee, Federal Way
Arizona has a big problem
I wonder why the Seattle City Council is not boycotting Mexico instead of Arizona. Mexico is the real problem, failing to take care of its citizens.
I just returned from two months in Arizona and am quite sure the average Northwest resident does not have a clue about the problems Arizona faces.
There were weekly reports on the news of “drop houses” close to where I stayed. An average of 150 illegal immigrants would be brought to a home — usually no more than a three-bedroom — and kept there until they could pay for their shipment to other states. Washington was a popular destination.
In Arizona, the Walmart fliers are written in Spanish — despite the fact that Arizona residents had voted a few years back to have English as the state’s official language.
A job-finding spot on one of the news programs was interviewing people looking for work. One woman with a college degree said she was unable to find work, as speaking Spanish fluently was often required.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has specifically stated that no one would be stopped unless some infraction of the law is obvious. It seems totally unfair that illegal immigrants demanding their rights — hospitalization, education, etc. — are listened to more than the majority of legal citizens who are put down for asking that U.S. and Arizona laws by abided by.
— Bernice Malone, Mukilteo
No reason for boycott
Boycotting a state is immature thinking. A boycott hurts the hardworking, legal citizens for doing the right thing.
Arizona is the only state with the backbone to abide by the rules of the Constitution regarding illegal citizens — and now it is being chastised by other U.S. cities.
The term racial profiling is a dramatic and trendy diversion to doing the right thing when moving into our country. All are welcome to the United States, but there are requirements for all who decide to enjoy what is here. Asking to see the paperwork that implies a newcomer is doing what is correct is no different from showing a passport upon entering another country or a legal driver’s license for a traffic violation.
When undocumented newcomers could collect Social Security, receive free medical care, enjoy education and even receive unemployment plus many more U.S. benefits without following the rules that are in our Constitution, there is no reason to support a boycott.
— Gail Hoover, Redmond