The Blog of Champions Part of a Nutritious Breakfast

Where Do We Stand?

The state of Arizona recently passed a law that would, among other things, make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and require police to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally. How do you suspect someone is here illegally? You racially profile.

In this country, you are promised certain inalienable rights: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That's what we've been built on. That's what's made us successful. These rights are sometimes taken for granted. But, they are there upon birth.

But, what happens if someone, unable to embark on the pursuit of happiness elsewhere, wants to take that quest here, to America? In my mind, they should be able. This nation of immigrants shouldn't prohibit others from experience what we experience, what we're born with. But, because of draconian and complicated immigration laws, and fear of being persecuted in their own country, these immigrants are forced to emigrate through back channels, crossing a border and hoping no one catches them. Once they do that, they are free to embark on their pursuit of happiness.

But, are they? Not in Arizona. Because Arizona has decided that if you look suspicious, you can be arrested. If you look like you don't belong, you can be arrested. If you have an ounce of fear on your face because you look different and because you were pulled over, you can be arrested. If you don't speak English, you can be arrested. If you're different, you can be arrested.

The state of Arizona has decided that they don't want these "different people" invading their space. Because, as they must think, they are better. They are better than any other people, any other country. My father always says, "No one's better than you, but you're not better than anyone." In Arizona, if you live in the state legally, you're better than everyone.

This country was built on people sacrificing their lives to escape the tyranny of their homes. That's how my ancestors came here. That's how your ancestors probably came here. Yet, this ideal, this search for happiness and equality is being hampered by the very people that offer it. Equality and happiness is good enough for us. It's not good enough for you.

I don't care if you're here illegally. There. I said it. Because I know that illegal immigrants want to be here, and they're willing to do the worst jobs in America to make it. I admire them.

If opponents of illegal immigrations want a solution, how about allowing a path to citizenship, where they can learn basic skills? Or what about letting people come in here without fear, and create more legal immigration points? These things are easy. These things fix a problem that some see. And these things are in line with our ideals.

We can sit here and pretend that what Arizona is doing is limited to Arizona, that they have elected radical representatives, and the agenda of a few has become the law of the state. We can sit here and pretend that racism is gone in America, because Obama is President. We can sit here and pretend that we're all equal. We could do that. Or, we could realize that this new law is representative of the Tea Party movement, representative of people that are scared that minorities are in charge, and that minorities will soon become majorities. We could realize that racism isn't gone in America, that opposition to Obama's agenda is rooted in racism, a hatred brought upon us by our ancestors. We could realize that this new law is the new Jim Crow laws, that, just because your skin is a different color, you're not welcome. We can realize that we won't be equal until gays and lesbians can marry each other, and serve openly in the military, until women get equal pay for equal work, until immigrants are offered a helping hand, and not a closed fist, until we realize that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the bedrock of this nation, not a sense of entitlement because we were born here first. Yes, until we end American exceptionalism ,until it's okay to criticize your country, and admire Europe, until it's no longer ludicrous to scale down the defense budget, until I feel comfortable walking to that side of town at 3 in the morning, until we all stand up and say that we are all immigrants, and we aren't going to let Arizona tell us otherwise, until we do that, we are not free. Until we do that, then those living in fear will be fearful of coming to the Land of The Free. Just because a piece of paper says we are free, does not mean we are free. We are not free. We are not free until we fix these problems, until we realize that, in addition to a budget deficit, we are facing a moral deficit. Until we fix that, we are shackled by our own ignorance. Repeal this bill. Let's get our nation back on a course of true equality.

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Thinking About Nuclear Proliferation

With the Nuclear Security Summit going on in Washington, it brings up a critical, and important question: What is the role of nuclear weapons?

When first created, it was to help the US win the war. And it worked. But the devastation caused by a bomb (the effects are so frightening, that I won't write them here. Just know that your life will never be the same if a bomb is detonated) and the geopolitical ramifications lead to the conclusion that nuclear weapons must be wiped off the face of the Earth, before human kind is.

Nuclear weapons should not exist. Because they can literally wipe nations off the face of the Earth, nuclear weapons are the greatest threat to human life. It's a human rights issue. No nation, no matter how small or what their economic situation is, should have to live under the fear of a nuclear attack. No nation should have to live with the fear of nuclear weapons getting into the hands of terrorists. And no nation should live under the iron fist of a nuclear weapon, making it impossible to get out of its reach. Once a nation becomes a nuclear state, it has the power.

With nuclear proliferation, there are three areas to watch: Terrorists, regional powers, and rogue regimes. While terrorists can not make a bomb, they sure as hell can buy one. Regional powers, like India, have weapons and aren't afraid to use them in regional conflict. Rogue Regimes, like Iran and North Korea, probably have the most power, because they won't succumb to international pressure, and they will continue with their nuclear ways.

The idea of stopping nuclear proliferation is stop the spread of nuclear materials. You can't build a bomb with out highly enriched uranium and/or plutonium. If you get rid of the material, bombs can't be made.

It's clear that President Obama is doing the right thing by a) calling this summit) and b) by bringing this issue to the forefront. People are focused on the economy, and rightly so, but stopping terrorists, regional powers and rogue regimes are so much more important, in the grand scheme.

I'd recommend that any shipments of nuclear materials be inspected by the IAEA and taken away if deemed to be used for weapons. This containment strategy is designed to ensure no new bombs are built. It doesn't take the existing ones away. If anything, it puts the world on notice that nuclear states are unacceptable, and states will be punished if they don't remove their weapons.

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