Seriously, Arizona?

So by and large, I didn't really want to comment on anything particularly political on this blog. I intended to use it as a means of keeping in touch with love ones and updating everyone with photos of Dan's progressively sketchy facial hair. That being said, I am taking this opportunity to abuse my little corner of the internet and get on my soapbox about AZ. Sorry if it's boring/ unreadable. I will update with more farm related things next time. Promise!

It's no secret that I'm a liberal democrat-- I have a dove tattoo (again, very sorry Mom and Dad :) ) and I'm living and working on an organic farm... the signs are all there. So choosing to go to John McCain's home base has been a bit of a fish out of water experience for me(which is I think an apt metaphor seeing as I am living in the Sonoran Desert). NC is generally a moderate conservative state and though there are the occasional bumper stickers that make you cringe-- I'm looking at you truck with the Obama Socialism/anti-Islamic rhetoric stickers-- by and large I feel that NC is filled with mostly loving, mostly tolerant individuals. I've seen compassionate conservative done before. So I've finally got to ask: Arizona.... What's the matter with you? I get that you are conservative, but when did hate become a part of your value system?

I guess it's kind of old news that Arizona made it legal to racial profile individuals who resemble illegal immigrants. That's 30% of the population--at least (30% claim Latino and Hispanic origins on census form.. but with the subjectivity of racial profiling, I imagine that the actual number of individuals who are 'eligible' to be approached by authorities is more than that). I understand the need to secure the borders (or rather I understand why people care to) but at what cost?

We teach our children to look back at the intolerance of White Americans during the first half of the twentieth century (and really anytime before that...and after... generally, we have not had a great record when it comes to racial relations) with the understand that judging the character of individual and his/her place in society based on the color of his/her skin is ABSURD and WRONG. Every February teachers pull out posters of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks and point to them and say: "Remember, racism is wrong. Got it? Take home message, racism... don't do it." You would hope that would be enough-- well no... we hope messages of brotherly love extend well past Black History month within the schools and we further hope that parents are reinforcing that message in their own speech and behaviors within the home. But then Arizona signs off on the most blatantly racist legislation and you have to wonder: who failed the state of Arizona in such a profound way? I understand that as a border state, Arizonans see a higher influx of illegal immigrants in the United States than most Americans, but does that then entitle Arizona to legalize a mass discrimination of its citizens? Can't we all just fast forward ahead to the time to where we look back on this with the appropriate mix of shame and guilt for allowing something like this to happen in 2010 and just skip the actual enforcement of the law. And aside from treating people with suspicion based solely on appearances, can Arizona afford to pay to enforce this law? AZ, you are 49th out of 50 when it comes to the dollar amount spent by the government on a student... and you are now going to arrest people for up to 6 months for not readily producing paperwork... really? You can't think of a better way to spend your money, number 49 ( stock up on MLK and Rosa Park posters, perhaps?) As read on npr.com "the Perryman Group estimates that if all illegal immigrants -- an estimated 460,000 people -- were to leave Arizona, the state would lose more than $26 billion in economic activity." (Catherine Holland, 2010). Wow, good plan Arizona! You've clearly thought this through.

Another thing, and what made me grouchy enough to use my blog as a soapbox, happened recently in Prescott, AZ. A school mural is the subject of huge controversy because, along with white students, there are depictions of black and latino children playing happily at an elementary school. It's important to note that the children depicted in the mural are all students at the school. They are not imagined children... they are real living breathing children whose image is being used. While in progress, motorists passing the artists at work on the mural would yell "Nigger" and "Spic"... Once completed, radio personality and city councilman, Steve Blair, spoke out against the mural stating:


"I am not a racist individual, but I will tell you depicting a black guy [I just want to point out that this isn't a 'black guy' this is a black CHILD] in the middle of that mural, based upon who's President of the United States today and based upon the history of this community, when I grew up we had four black families - who I have been very good friends with for years - to depict the biggest picture on that building as a black person, I would have to ask the question, 'Why?' "

When a conversation is started with "I'm not a racist", you can be sure of a few things: 1) The speaker is probably a racist, 2) Whatever comes after "I'm not a racist" is almost certainly going to be racist in its content 3) Said not racist will once again reinforce his open-mindedness by citing his many ethnically diverse friends at the end of the conversation.

So what was the response to Blair's scathing radio program and drive-by racism? THE SCHOOL DECIDES TO REPAINT THE CHILDREN TO BE WHITE! Right!? Unbelievable! Luckily, enough attention was drawn to the mural that protesters organized and demanded the children remain as the artist and God intended- beautiful and happy.

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The main reason that I have not commented on Arizona legislation before is because-though i disagree with it, I myself had no real solution to offer anyone. However, living at Sleeping Frog Farms has given me a really unique perspective based on my proximity to Mexico as well as the philosophy of the farm.

So, remember NAFTA? Thanks to NAFTA, American companies are allowed to own and operate farms in Mexico. What does that means? Well, most Mexican farms are small-scale subsistence farms who produce enough food to live on and, if available, small quantities of food to take to local markets. So, when a major American corporation comes in and creates a mega farm-- it wipes out all competition in the area. This forces normally rural families to move to larger cities to seek out work, contributing to urban sprawl and slum living. Mexicans, forced out of their normal way of life by American corporate farming, seek financial opportunities in America, in an act of self-preservation (hey, we're back to border control issues already--thanks globalism!) Additionally, food that should normally go to feed Mexicans (as it was produced in Mexico) is imported into America to feed Americans (and probably mostly our livestock).


Don't get too cozy, corporate farming hurts y'all too! Because food is able to be produced at lower cost (read: lower quality, lower safety standards, cheap labor because laws protecting workers aren't enforced) local farms in America cannot compete. Family farms go under because they cannot produce at the same volume. American jobs are lost, economy slumps. Generally speaking, carbohydrates are produced very cheaply (and largely from Corn... hey Mexican farms again) and are the' go to' food source for families in low income situations. Maintaining a largely starchy diet can lead to preventable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Things got grim fast, right?

So, what's my solution? Buy local. Support your local farmers. Research your food's history. You see grapes at the market... are they in season in your area (or even in the US?) No? then they are probably imported, put them down. Find out when a farmer's market is put on in your area and shop what is in season. You don't have to supplement your entire food supply with local agriculture, but by being conscientious consumers and buying local in any amount one can do wonders. Show off your politics in your shopping: Against illegal immigration? Protect American jobs by buying American produced (Local if possible!) fruits and vegetables. Against big corporations? Buy local, buy in season (sorry, mangoes are not indigenous to NC). Want to save the environment? Local (and organic).

So, take home message:

Do: buy local, shop in season.

Don't: Racism.