HB 1023 and the Terrorist Boogeyman

Today I went to orientation at my new school, the University of Colorado Denver. In between learning where to park and who to see about financial aid issues, we had to do something that was completely new and different - we had to sign affadavits swearing that we are legal residents of the United States. This is in compliance with House Bill 1023, the new immigration law that went into effect in Colorado. I totally don't understand it. The purpose of this law is to deny state-funded services to illegal immigrants, but it sounds like a lot of the cost-savings will be negated by the volume of paperwork needed to verify citizenship, and the new positions needed to enforce this law. And really, didn't I supply enough information during the university application process and the financial aid process for them to determine that I am a citizen? This all seemed unnecessary.

As far as illegal immigration goes, I stand by what I wrote a few days ago. I believe the best way to solve the problem of illegal immigration is to change our immigration policies. Offer amnesty and expedited citizenship to any illegal immigrants who have clean criminal backgrounds and are gainfully employed in a legal occupation. Get them naturalized and paying taxes ASAP! It is becoming clear that our economy would suffer dearly without these people who are willing to do the jobs that few Americans want, and our economy would benefit further by a sudden and massive increase in the taxpayer rolls. In return these people would be able to sleep soundly without fearing that knock on their door and the shout of "Immigration!"

This whole affadavit thing wasn't the school's happy thought - they are now required to do this by the state. I'm sure the school would much rather spend time on things like, I dunno, teaching?

This law is symptomatic of the paranoia which has gripped this country since 9/11, with the generous assistance of our very own government. Why must the propaganda... er, news... insist that we must watch over our shoulders at all times, or the terrorists will win? If that's the kind of world we're trying to preserve, then maybe we need to reconsider this whole thing. At some point (NOW would be a good time) people must take a stand and declare "I will no longer live in fear!" You see, fear has been the current administration's primary method of keeping us in line, of keeping us cowed and cowering in our homes, instead of marching in the streets to demand reasonable and accountable government. If they keep us afraid they can keep us under their thumbs. So I for one resolve not to live in fear. I'm tired of our government threatening me with the Terrorist Boogeyman, and I'm not having any more of it.

Look at it this way: If the terrorists are going to attack us again, no amount of worry or fear on our parts will affect those plans. Fear is a waste of energy and emotion that could be used in many more productive ways, such as to educate oneself about the workings of the government, to talk and think about ways we can change the world, and to make plans and put them into action. Just a thought...

"All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume." - Noam Chomsky

Later,
AuntieM