| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Tuesday, January 06 2004 |
| |
| Dear Gov. Schwarzenegger:
First, let me congratulate you on your new job and your new career in politics. I know you have already been in office a few weeks -- although it might seem an eternity to you, with everything you've had to face -- but I figured I would wait until you were settled in to welcome you and give you a bit of unsolicited advice.
Who am I to give advice, you say? Well, first of all, I am a native Californian. Even though I now live on the East Coast, I love my state and will always have an emotional attachment to it. I'm sure you also love your adopted state -- otherwise, you would not have taken on the monumental job of governing it. Now that you're governor, I think it's in the best interests of all Californians that you succeed.
Notice I say "all Californians," including some 11 million Hispanics who live in the state. Many of them are Mexican-American, like me; others come from Central or South America or the Caribbean. It's impressive that about 30 percent of them voted for you in the special election. I believe they supported you not only because you are a big movie star, but because many Latinos -- as well as immigrants from other countries -- see you as an inspiration. Being an immigrant yourself, many feel you might be more sensitive to their needs.
I know you have said that you have nothing against immigrants as long as they are here legally. But let me tell you why you should take a second look at your views and attitudes toward undocumented immigrants.
Let's begin with the use of contemptuous terminology. As the father of four children, you know how youngsters can be affected and influenced by what they hear. The other day, my 9-year-old daughter was watching television with me, and CNN's Lou Dobbs referred to his new favorite target: "illegal aliens." My daughter burst into laughter and said in shock: "Did he say 'aliens'? Isn't that beings from other planets?"
As you know, Mr. Governor, they are not from another planet. They are from another country, just like you. And just like you did 35 years ago, they came here with big dreams to work and succeed. I know that soon after your visa expired, you applied for legal residency because you were discovered by Hollywood. But not all immigrants can be Mr. Universe. Most can't even apply for permanent legal status unless they have family or jobs waiting for them.
This is an election year, and immigration will surely be a huge issue. Since California has always been a trendsetter, I think you can play an important role in what happens to immigrants in the near future. You can either help them gain the respect they deserve as human beings, or you can go back to the divisive, hate-filled days of Proposition 187, fueled by your friend and ally former Gov. Pete Wilson.
Already there is a new anti-
immigrant campaign trying to emulate 187, and its supporters are well on their way to collecting the necessary signatures to put the measure on the November ballot. The initiative would ban undocumented immigrants from most public services, including non-emergency health care and obtaining driver's licenses.
That brings me to the other important issue I wanted to bring up. You were successful in repealing SB60, which would have given thousands of immigrants a chance to get California driver's licenses. As you know, these immigrants are already in the state and are already driving. Allowing them to take a driving test is a good idea. I'm assuming you are a man of your word and will consider a new version of the law this year.
Obviously, Mr. Governor, you have your hands full. I just hope you don't overlook millions of people who help make California the great state that it is. They might not have much political clout for now, but they want the same thing you do: to make California a better and more prosperous place for all of us.
Sincerely,
A native Californian |
