By now everyone know what’s going on in Arizona. SB 1070 has not only cause Arizona to be in the limelight at home but it has caused the state to be a talking point all over the world. Highly controversial it may be, but it will be implemented in a few days. The fact is not lost on many people. In fact the Latino community has reacted very strongly on two fronts.
First there is the mass exodus. The exodus itself is split into two – the legal Latino inhabitants of Arizona and the illegal Latino inhabitants. The illegals know that this law means curtains for them and therefore they have no choice but to leave the state. But the legal citizens are the ones facing the bitterest truth of all – leave your home behind or be discriminated for the race you belong to. For them it seems to be an unjust law as they have done everything right to be a part of the system and have committed no crime. Yet, they could be treated as second class citizens in the eyes of the law. A variety of businesses belonging to Latinos have shut down and yard sales in Latino neighborhoods have suddenly bloomed.
The second reaction from the community is in the form of a lawsuit. However, this lawsuit does not fight the law; in fact it supports the law. The Arizona Latino Republican Association has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department’s lawsuit (which challenges SB 1070). They claim that the true meaning of the law has been distorted by those who want to create fear in the public. Whether they are correct will soon become evident when the law is implemented and enforced in the coming days.
