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| Image courtesy Joe.My.God. |
In southern Arizona some people are so unhappy with the direction the state has taken that they want to create their own state. And they already have a state motto: 'Not Everybody In Arizona Is Crazy'
At the Shanty, a favorite bar for Tucson Democrats, there is a major petition drive going for people who don't much care for the Republican-controlled Arizona government. David Euchner has set up a table just inside the door to catch patrons before they have a drink after work: "Hi, would you like to sign a petition?" And he's having no trouble getting people to sign a petition declaring Baja Arizona the 51st state.
Yup, Arizona hates Arizona so much it wants to split off from itself.
Now, that's not an easy task. Organizers need 48,000 signatures to put it on the local ballot in Pima County, and, if it passes there, statehood for Baja Arizona will have to be approved by, well, Arizona. And if Arizona del Norte approves--highly unlikely--it will then head to the US Congress for approval. A fairly iinsurmountable task.
Still, Paul Eckerstron, co-chairman of Start Our State, says he'd be happy if the initiative made the local ballot: "If we do this vote, at least we can send a message not only to the state Legislature but also to the rest of the nation to tell the rest of the nation that not everybody in Arizona is crazy."
Politically, the Tucson metro area is far more moderate than the northern bits of the state, and since southern Arizona was actually part of Mexico until 1854, it's more culturally integrated than say, those lily white spots up north.
And those this seems more like a joke than an actual issue, residents of Baja Arizona say there's a serious side to their quest to create a new state. They say Arizona is headed in the wrong direction--with its cuts to education and health care funding, and hurting the state's reputation and business climate with laws like their new immigration policy [SB 1070].
And because Baja Arizona doesn't agree with Arizona del Norte, they Republicans in the Legislature are punishing Pima County for its opposition. In fact, the state legislature--the state's Republican dominated legislature--has tried to deny money to Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik because he doesn't support SB 1070. It also passed a law trying to change the way Tucson holds city elections, and another bill dictating how the city can bid public works projects.
Republican state Representative, and Goosestepper, John Kavanagh helped pass many of those laws because he says the Legislature is doing what it thinks is right. "We pass laws based upon what we believe the people of Arizona want."
But not, apparently, the laws that the people of Baja Arizona want, eh, John?
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Eastern WA has, from time to time, longed to join Idaho and leave the Seattle folks to themselves, their Starbucks and their Bill Gates. We'll keep our apples, our wheat and our nuclear waste, thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to hear this
ReplyDeleteThere are times the Flemish part of Belgium wants to be part of the Netherlands again [we split in 1830].
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine that the people of AZ voted for such a racist law. Until 1848 it was part of Mexico, and since December 30, 1853 "Baja Arizona" aka 'Gadsden Purchase'is part of the state.
You could ask yourself who was there first, the GOP or the Mexican/Latino's who are treated like second-rate people.
If you lived in a border state like I do you would understand why it is a necessary law. The illegals here are a drain on the state's economy and add to the crime rate. The are ILLEGAL and shouldn't be allowed in anyways. It's the legal resident that suffers. Wait until your state is invaded and see what it is like.
ReplyDeleteOh, TB, you're such a good little goosestepper.
ReplyDeleteThere are lillegal immigrants, of every race, in nearly every state, so this isn't a border state issue.
And just how do you think 20 million illegal immigrants got into this country? On one big boat? In the back of one big truck? Or, have they been coming here for decades while the US turned a blind eye? And then now, we say go home. Guess what wingnut, they are home.
Plus, Arizona's racist law only targets immigrants of a ceratin skin color, when, we all know, immigrants come in every color.
The immigrants drain the economy how? By working for miniscule wages and being paid under the table?
And check your crime stats. I bet crime in Arizona, or any state with its share of illegal immigrants, isn't just Mexican criminals, it's Black, and Yellow and Red and, yes, even White.
Great post Bob. You are one of the few that picked this up.
ReplyDelete