Astro-Turf Right-Wing Fringe And Connections to Immigration Policy

As I noted in previous blogs, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has long been the face of the right-wing immigration control lobby. Similarly, we see offshoot organizations in Washington State that have paired with conservative groups to sponsor anti-immigrant state initiatives every year since at least 2005 (failing to gather the necessary signatures each year).

In Arizona, SB 1070 and SB 2281 (anti-Ethnic Studies Legislation) are two of the more recent concrete examples of draconian legislation at the state level that seeks to question nationality based on one's outward appearance (in other words, racial profiling). Likewise, both were promoted and backed by FAIR-organized sub-groups.

To get a better idea of FAIR's relevance and it's history, one need only look at the organization's founder, John Tanton and the subsequent anti-immigrant empire he's built since the late 1970s. Below are two videos that give a visual narrative of Tanton and FAIR.



Below is yet another video, courtesy of the Rachel Maddow Show.

"Frontiers of Racism" Video

As a change of pace (and to make the blog a little more user friendly) I will post a link to a video that makes the connection between institutional racism and hyper-nativism. More to come as time allows.

Comida For Thought

Lately, it's been quite the challenge keeping the blog active. Perhaps one reason could be in how as writer-organizers, we tend to come unhinged in one way or another as one component of who we are takes more time. This said, upon reflecting to the last post in March of 2009, now, more than a year later, we see conditions largely the same (albeit more drastic in Arizona).

In sum, over the last year we've seen the dissolution of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and the evolution of right-wing formations such as the tea party and "patriot" movements. Likewise, we also see state governments pandering to said constituencies, thus promoting legislation such as HB 1070 in Arizona which by and large uses visual and cultural distinction to interrogate one's nationality.

Needless to say, there is also a strong push back in communities nation-wide as far as organizing and directly confronting xenophobia and crude nationalist sentiment. Especially so with mobilization nation-wide that echoed the rumblings of the 2006 Strikes and Boycotts.

As always, it is a visual binary metaphor that reflects the present state of the movement.

Top-down as opposed to bottom-up, local, as opposed to national, students, as opposed to workers, compromise packages, as opposed to just legislation. The question we must ask is what will work best.

The backlash in late 2006 in wake of the movement demonstrated that we are still at a crossroads.

Is it worthwhile to posit electoral politics into the mix considering that mass raids and continued repression ensued even after electoral victories by the Democrats in 2006 and 2008? To what extent is it viable to favor legislation as opposed to local organizing?

When all is said and done, it's a question of what comes first. Sadly, we see the enforcement component trumping the humanitarian component (which also has economics firmly enmeshed within).

The struggle continues.