Aunt B. of the very fine Tiny Cat Pants jumps right in to the fray with her inaugural Pith in the Wind post, “I Guess It’s Only ‘Human Trafficking’ When the Bad Guys Do It.”
But it doesn’t matter. The 287(g) program, designed as it is to remove illegal immigrants from our fair city, is racist. And it has to be in order for Nashvillians to know that it’s working. People in town feel anxious because there are all these new folks here, who don’t look like “us” and who don’t sound like “us” and who we suspect sneaked into the country. The person we imagine when we imagine an illegal immigrant is some Hispanic dude. So, in order for us to feel like Hall is doing his job, there needs to be fewer Hispanic dudes. Which means singling out Hispanic dudes because of their race and then subjecting them to different rules than everyone else.
That’s pretty much the textbook definition of racism–singling someone out because of his race and treating him differently than you treat everyone else.
B. was nervous, apparently, about accepting the invitation to write for the “mainstream media” but her final conclusion was that she wants to be heard.
Now, I don’t agree with everything she writes, but major kudos to the powers at Pith for recognizing an independent and unique voice that not only wants to be heard, but needs to be heard.
Aunt B.:
Your quote, “That’s pretty much the textbook definition of racism–singling someone out because of his race and treating him differently than you treat everyone else.” hits the nail on the head!!
Love that!