What IS going on in Arizona?

Kevin posted yesterday about the letter a substitute teacher send to the AZ legislature applauding their work on stopping the “reconquista” of the southwest by Mexicans.  He ended his note with the question–what is going on in AZ?  I have been asking myself that question for five years–searching for an intelligent answer.

At times it has been tempting to agree with Ken Silverstein, who in a Harper’s article said that the legislature is mostly composed of “dimwits, racists, and cranks.”  Other times I have sheltered myself from pursuing an answer by only interacting with my wonderful neighbors and my liberal minded friends, while listening only to NPR on my way to and from places in the state.

But sometimes I have been brave enough to pay attention to my souroundings in search ofthe answer:  Arizona’s culture is one of self-righteous independence. 

They have a tenous relationship with the federal government that goes back a long time.  Arizonans dealt with “illegal immigration” on the own before the border patrol was created in the 20s.  Arizona farmers had established migrant labor arrangements before there were federal laws governming migrant labor.  They have always seen the federal government as outsiders who lack the local knowledge needed to “win the southwest.”

There are also demographical challenges present.  The average white person is above 40.  The average age for Latinos is around 25.  The majority of children in the state are either Latino or Black.  Arizona was the place where old midwesterners moved to retire, but not anymore.  Settled expectations of reproducing the midwest in warmer lands are no longer secured.

There is an educational/knowedlge gap.  My daughter is a freshman Latina in public high school.  There are over 35 studends in each of her classes, despite the fact that she is in the gifted program.  We don’t complain, because the program she’s in is probably the best we can do in this state.  Believe me, I searched.  The state spends very little on education.  I was shocked to learn that all day kindergarden was not mandatory, that fifty percent of Latinos don’t finish high school, that less than a 1/3 of high schoolers take the SAT, and so on.  I’m not saying that only educated people can reach valid policy decisions, but a lack of education leads to lacking the skills needed to question what is fed you.  Statements such as “all immigrants are criminals” which is clearly illogical are accepted at face value.

So what do you get when you combine distrust of outsiders, settled ways, and few factual challeges? Arizona

Just my humble opinion–

EQ