By Lola

I live in Arizona. You know, where I will soon apparently need to keep my passport in my glove box, just in case. I thought about strapping it to my back for quick access–so they’d see it in their search for “wetbacks”—until I remembered that just happens when the illegals cross the Río Grande. Here, they’re more like “charred-backs” and it’s bound to get worse as the temperatures rise.

Those who know me will say I sound like a broken record, but if these illegal immigrants weren’t employed by Arizonans in search of (very) cheap labor, they wouldn’t have a reason to cross over. Unless they were on their way to sell drugs to Americans who are eager to buy them. Oh, wait, no one on this side of the border is at fault. My bad…

But I digress. The main topic of the day was going to be Rocky Point. Apparently some overly patriotic mexicanos decided it would be a good idea to set up fake road blocks and harass the gringos for papers (reports are still unconfirmed, but it’s nonetheless on the Travel Alerts). Smart idea, pendejos. Now you’re in the same league with the bunch of zealots that live on this side. Seriously: don’t you think that’s a case of cutting off your nariz to spite your cara? Did it occur to you that these blanquitos are on their way to spend a lot of dinero in your restaurants, marketplaces and bars (especially bars)? So they’re a nuisance, but they pay cash.

Which, by the way, should be something Arizonans need to keep in mind as well: Mexicans spend A LOT OF MONEY IN ARIZONA. According to a U of A study sponsored by the AZ tourism office, at least 23,400 jobs in Arizona depend on the more than $7.35 million that Mexican visitors spend every day in stores, restaurants, hotels and other businesses.

Really? So money flows both ways? Not just OUT?

I know I’m probably naive and getting all kinds of people living at the very opposite ends of the spectrum all riled up. But we need to start somewhere: don’t hire that gardener unless he has papers, stop doing drugs, and for Pete’s sake, stop foaming at the mouth.

The government (yes, I voted for you, Obama, please live up to all the love we gave you) seems to be severely handicapping its own bad self (Dems hate Reps, Reps hate Dems, everybody else gets screwed) so we, the people, can and should do something at a grass roots level.

So how ’bout it? Start with yourself and watch the ripples spread…