An HB1205 Introspective
Last week I wrote about our group’s experience at the State Capitol. If you haven’t read it, go to last week’s entry and check it out before you move forward with this entry. Representative Joe Harrison left a distinct impression on us that I have since reflected on further and want to share with you as we look towards mobilizing again for next week’s battle.
It still amazes me how a public servant, a man elected by the people and for the people, in the 21st century, would still dare behave as if he were in the 19th or early 20th century. Folks, if you haven’t realized, the day of putting (supposedly) ignorant constituents in place is long gone. In fact, the entire concept of constituency has changed so dramatically that it must be re-evaluated and redefined by our finest scholars (I’m still waiting for this to happen, and for the training to roll out into the halls of government power).
Today, we are better educated. We are diverse. We are better informed. We demand an open government. We know that our best interest is not always upheld. We’ve been through a lot, that is, any of us from the outside, from the low side, from the dark side, from the “other” side. We are fed up. We demand a change in politics. What sort of change? A change that reflects our diversity, that reflects our differences, and that does its very best (and I mean very best in the most serious sense possible) to build consensus and provide policies that are good for the common good, not just the few who supposedly speak for the rest of us.
So when Mr. Harrison derided us, chided us, insulted us last week, we were stunned. But we are not stunned now. We spoke on WBOK 1230AM last Friday and shared our views with the general public about HB1205. We blasted our concerns to anyone who listen. We listened to Mr. Harrison yesterday afternoon when he, too, shared his views on WBOK 1230 AM. We called in after him to share our opposition view. Basically, what we have done from the beginning until now is exercise our constitutionally given right to participate in democracy. It was set up for us to do what we have done, and we’re darned glad that it’s there for us (many of us know that we have little to no similar say in our own countries sometimes).
What I continue to be fascinated by is Mr. Harrison’s accusation that we are not working with him, that we have not researched our information, and that we are swayed by the media. More importantly, which was clear to me last week, Mr. Harrison doesn’t seem to like our participation in the democratic process at all. I guess in the old days a stern look, a stern speech, and a stern hidden threat of some sore would have sufficed to put the “constituents” in place. Or if not, maybe some free turkey would have been enough. Well, Mr. Harrison, that doesn’t cut it these days. We would love to work on a solution with you, only if that solution upholds basic human rights, respects the complexity of the immigration situation and addresses some of the real problems in our federal immigration policy (such as big business and worker visa enforcement and compliance, opportunities to become legal, and a fairer policy for determining who comes into this country and who doesn’t). If the state of Louisiana can provide some leadership on these issues, particularly through your effort, Mr. Harrison, then by all means, let’s sit down and talk about some new policy ideas. In the meantime, please discontinue insulting us when we are better educated on this issue than you appear to be.
Now, as a final statement, I urge you (the reader) to join us next week in House Judiciary Committee, which is most likely to take place on Thursday, in the State Capitol, at 9am, to be ready to oppose HB1205 if it shows up on the agenda. Stay tuned to our news blasts!
Tags: hb1205, immigration law, joe harrison, louisiana legislature, lucas diaz, puentes director, wbok 1230am