Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland cast the decisive vote on a resolution opposing Arizona’s egregious and “racially-insensitive” Immigration Law, but exactly what does all of this mean? Every State is an independent, autonomous legislative and governmental entity with the rights guaranteed under the Constitution to enact Laws that each one deems appropriate according to their respective State Charter and with the consent of their citizens as represented through their elected officials. What’s next? Will this action of Washington and dozens of other States who oppose this policy result in some type of economic retaliation and intrastate protectionism? Will a given State oppose another one by refusing to do business with it just because it disagrees with the way some of its laws are written? If one State executes more Death Row inmates than anyone else or if another one doesn’t legalize Gay Marriage, should those offending States not receive Washington-grown produce, salmon, wines and beer, lumber, Boeing aircraft, Biotechnology, other goods and services, or resource management and emergency assistance in a national disaster? While any American citizen has the right to voice their disagreement with any policy matter that they believe is offensive, unfair, or in violation of the Constitution of the United States, one would think that the City of Tacoma or the Pierce County Council, as well as the Washington State Legislature have more important things to be concerned about than what Arizona lawmakers do.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 26, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
