Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Prop. 187’s Impact Upon Race Relations

The fervor surrounding the Tuesday’s election has stirred up a wide range of emotions on both sides of the more closely contested races this year. In particular, the arguments for Proposition 187, which would deny many public benefits to illegal immigrants, have engendered a degree of resentment that has been regarded by some as racially motivated.

Those opposed to the measure have charged proponents with using illegal immigrants as scapegoats for larger economic problems. Opponents also point to the potential that people of color could be unduly discriminated against.

Meanwhile, some Proposition 187 supporters claim that American values are being overrun by an uncontrolled influx of Third World citizens, while others insist that frustrations over an overloaded economic and social system are the true meat of their cause.

How has Proposition 187 affected race relations in California?

Guy Weddington McCreary, member of The Voice of Citizens Together, an immigration-reform group headquartered in Sherman Oaks:

“People are using the stigma of racism to destroy the opposition. What we see here is that if you tell a lie big and long enough, people will believe it. If there is racial tension, it’s being caused by those who are here illegally at the expense of the tax-paying citizen. It’s not a racial issue; it’s an economic issue and an enforcement of our laws. It will control illegal immigration. Our society has to face this problem.”

Juana Mora, chairman of the Chicano Studies Department, Cal State Northridge:

“The most dangerous and racist implications of Proposition 187 are that all Latinos will be targets and considered suspects just because of how they look. It doesn’t outline carefully how a person will be identified. Many of us, even if we have lived in this country for years, will be targeted by the school system or the community. The initiative is supposed to reduce illegal immigration. But the racism underlying the measure targets Latinos.”

Leticia Quezada, member, Los Angeles Board of Education:

“The proposition states that those ‘suspected’ of not being legally documented will be questioned. That means anyone who looks foreign, speaks with an accent or doesn’t fit into the stereotype of a blond, blue-eyed, red-blooded American. This would create conflict, paranoia and controversy in a city still trying to recuperate from the 1992 riots. If this measure passes, the aftermath will be horrendous. We are already racially divided. It’s our responsibility to come together and help our young people deal with that fear and anxiety.”

Kian Kwan, professor of sociology, Cal State Northridge:

‘It’s a much larger issue than just a proposition. What’s happening here is a form of displaced aggression. In the last five to 10 years, people have not been doing well. Many are experiencing a loss in income, while others are experiencing a social and moral crisis. This includes the breaking up of the family structure and, because we live in a pluralistic society, the lack of sharing values and mores with others. These developments breed a great deal of distress and frustration, which leads to a kind of mass discontent. With that, resentment and anger build up and you see such things as scapegoating and hate crimes come to surface. The resentment displayed by people discussing the proposition has, thus far, been mostly artful and not so overt.”