Hey Arizona, Can't We All Just Get Along?

As a political-moderate, arguments that take place solidly within party-lines always seem like a serious waste of time. Almost as much of a waste of time as surfing Facebook for hours on end. So naturally, I disconnect somewhat when someone toes a hard-line on an issue and am content to sit back and nod in agreement.

But my boyfriend, Joe, who spends a lot of time hurling things at the T.V. set and crying foul at the lack of Republicans in office, doesn't really like when I do this.

It really makes his blood boil, since he cares more about politics and this country than the both us combined.

Lately, an issue has come up that has had a huge impact on our relationship. You guessed it: the pending Arizona immigration Law.

Although I never get into these things, this story piqued my interest. Being a Spanish major, as well as a first-generation American, I'm well-aware of the trials and tribulations of legal immigration into this country and have to say--the system is broken.

Although I don't believe people should be able to come here illegally, I can understand the desperation a lot of immigrants feel in trying to get away from their home countries. Why should someone have to wait nearly a decade for approval on some immigration papers?

Of course, my boyfriend feels differently. Joe supports the Arizona Law, and he also argues that  fewer illegal immigrants coming into this country would benefit our economy in the long run.

This small tiff I'm having with my boyfriend really just represents the sharp divide that exists in American politics right now. While the people against the law are portrayed as screaming protesters holding bed-sheets with things written on them in Spanish, the people who support the law are called out as openly bigoted racists.

The problem is, both sides are being misconstrued. The media is doing what it does best, trying to conjure up drama by making it all about race. But the truth is, a number of Americans who are in support of the Arizona Law simply want to discourage illegal immigration from happening in the first place.

The Arizona Law has been in place for years, it just hasn't been enforced. Current federal laws allow for identification and deportation of those who are found to be illegal. So the Arizona immigration law is really just a vehicle to enforce already existing federal law.

'So why is it so controversial?' you ask. It's because the law could be used as an excuse for pulling over anyone who "looks" illegal. My boyfriend would say that the law doesn't discriminate based on race, but there's a big difference between what a law states and how it's enforced. Anyone, illegal or not, could potentially be searched, or forced to relinquish their papers.

But this still doesn't prove that people who support the law are racist. My own father, who came to the United States from the Philippines, supports the law. He says there needs to be better border control. I can understand how someone who waited 15 years to immigrate to this country legally might have something against someone who jumps the line by crossing the border.

The fact is, the issue here shouldn't be about race or the spectre of discrimination. The Arizona law should really call attention to the long, laborious and expensive process of legal immigration into this country. People need to realize that the whole process takes way too long. This is the real reason people immigrate here illegally, right or not.

So let's be careful not to throw the "race card" around so carelessly. Consider the other side, stop with the knee-jerk reactions and do your homework--the legal immigration process is harrowing.