6.10.2010

Arizona Comes to Orange!

I try not to get into too many "touchy" areas or topics with my blog. Mostly because I own a store, and I don't want to offend my customers.But from time to time there are things that happen I just can't ignore, I can't turn my head. The City of Orange has all of it's offices in Old Towne Orange on E. Chapman. My store, Country Roads, is on W.Chapman. So, as you can see above, we had a "big" protest of five the other day in support of our City Council's decision to support Arizona's new "view" on immigration. It's interesting that four people out of our five member Council that are supposed to represent the entire City of Orange can make this decision all on their own! What is even more frustrating for me, is I own (or should I say the bank owns)my building in Old Towne which means I am a property owner, but since I do not "live" in Orange, I have no say in the politics, no voice, no votes in how I feel about this little Old Towne area that I love so much. My voice, my opinion can't be heard when it's time to elect the City Council members that represent us! But I "can" support our candiates with posters in my window, talk to my customers, and there is ONE member of the City Council I will ALWAYS campaign for!!I was really stunned when I read that Orange City Council made this decision. How can you not call Arizona's spin on all of this racial profiling? I have a very difficult time seeing it any other way. Right now there is a law enforcement officer in Arizona that opposes this proposal of Arizona's. I could go on and on about this, but I won't. I think what is happening is sad, really sad and hurtful to so many. I just want everyone to know, especially my customers that come to Old Towne Orange to shop at Country Roads, that you are welcomed always! You see, Country Roads believes "Good People Come In All Colors". And to the Orange City Council, well, you should be disappointed in yourselves. How do we explain your actions to our little Latino children that were born right here in California, legally???

6 comments:

Tallulah's Antique Closet said...

Hi Sue, Great post today! I have always felt welcome in your store the times we had gone in. But a couple others were not as nice as your staff there in town. I do see that the protesters seem to be all the same color. I find that odd and Orange is so full of Latinos American born and illegal. I do find this new law racial profileing becuase thre are a lot of Anglo illegals here in America from the north of the border and Europe also. But this new law seem to target anyone who has some color to there skin. I dont have an idea what a illegal alien is supposed to look like. Really I dont. Well have a great day and keep putting out your great post...........Julian

Vintage Market Place said...

My BLOOD IS BOILING on this topic
Being part of a Latino family myself it is a day by day process to have to explain that Brooklyn is my child and getting the looks and whispers when we are out as a family. My husbands family is Mexican but all have been born in AMERICA down to his grandmother, legally. I was raised not identify people by color but by themselves as a person. This just makes me worry for my son and what he will have to endure in this world as he grows.
I feel it is a battle the the U.S. feels they can win, unlike the current war going on, this is just another act to make us forget what is really happening behind the curtain.

Deb said...

it's nice that we live in America and can state our opions openly...but illegal...means not legal...no matter what color you are...but that's just my opion....

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

There is so much misinformation about the process involved in becoming legal, information that many times even the law enforcement doesn't have! How does an illegal person look like? The problem is that everybody says "illegal" when they really want to say "Mexican", because trust me, no blond person with blue eyes will be stopped and I have news for the Arizona Governor: there is a lot of white, pretty, blue eyed people with no legal papers in the States. Is it right? NO. However, the way the law's been enforced in Arizona is wrong. I also try to stay away from blogging about politics, but sometimes I just can't!

Sue said...

What I LOVE about you Marcela is that you KNOW when it's important to "say" something when it needs to be said!! You rock girlfriend, thank you!
Sue

Malisa said...

I am so proud that you have the courage to post your feelings, my friend! What people don't get or refuse to acknowledge is that no one is FOR illegal immigrants! However, we are FOR equality for all citizens! Come on people, quit using lame rhetoric to cover your racism!