Residente (Calle 13) compares Arizona Law with start of Hitler’s Nazi Germany

A growing number of Latin Artists such as Ricky Martin and celebrity figures such as President Obama are showing their discontent and mistrust of the new Immigration Bill recently signed into Law by Governor Jan Brewer of the Arizona State (U.S.A.). The new law effectively encourages racial profiling by state’s Law Enforcement Agencies.

The controversial part of the new Law signed by misses Brewer (Republican Party) on April 23, 2010 reads as follows: 

‘WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE,WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON.’

The bill must help to restrict Illegal (Latino) immigration in Arizona, which now has an estimated 460.000 illegal persons living within its borders. President of the United States Obama immediately called for a Department of Justice investigation into the legality of the laws, and described them as being “misguided”. Eva Longoria Parker used Obama’s words in a Twitter message: "The recent legislation in Arizona threatens to undermine basic notions of fairness." Ricky Martin also turned to Twitter to show his disgust, stating: "Racial profiling should never be tolerated, in the US or anywhere in the world. We’re moving backwards. Scary."

Residente (aka Rene Perez) of Calle 13 took it up a notch while talking to reporters at a press conference in Mexico over the weekend. The Reggaeton Rapper Perez compared the passage of SB 1070 to the start of Hitler's Nazi Germany: “It’s a horrible law. I don't understand where it comes from. If you're going to ask Latinos for documents, then you’re going to have to ask Asians, Europeans, Americans and everyone for their documents. If that's the way it is, then ask everyone for their papers. It's a racist law. To me, this is how things started in Germany years ago with the persecution of the Jewish community."

George Lopez was a bit more cynical in his critique. He tweeted: "ARIZONA .. George Lopez is coming ...Oops... I just got pulled over ... Apparently I fit the profile ... Gacho!!" He tweeted another ‘funny’ message a couple of hours later: "AZ announces the first Spray Tanning Shop that sprays you lighter "the casper." Tougher to Profile."

Earlier that day (April 23), Governor Jan Brewer cited some of the reasons for signing this bill.

“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act.  But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.”

“I believe Arizona, like America, is governed by laws.”

“We cannot delay while the destruction happening south of our international border creeps its way north.

“…I firmly believe it represents what’s best for Arizona.”

The immigration debate in Arizona has always split its populace in two halves. The state has one of the highest Latino populations in the U.S. Some of the ‘anti immigrant’ lobbyists persist in perceiving Latinos as doing nothing except draining community resources, increasing violence and taking away jobs. They seem utterly blind to the fact that Hispanics in Arizona help support the local economy (also by taking on jobs Americans refuse), they hold public office, and many of these original Latin Americans are business owners.

Eric Ramirez, a 29 year old resident of Mesa (Arizona) is an example of the growing sentiment of disgust and disbelieve in the Latino community. He declared to the New York Times: “We were already afraid, and I was thinking of leaving for California,” Ramirez continues:  “We shop in their stores, we clean their yards, but they want us out and the police will be on us.”