Arizona has taken matters into its own hands to stem the tide of illegal immigration, in the process galvanizing the public and mobilizing the talking heads to bemoan the potential impact of their actions.

Apparently kidnapping and other crimes are running rampant, perpetrated by those here "illegally." So the state legislature has jumped into the fray, hoping to provide their police an additional tool to help while at the same time forcing the hand of a federal government unable or unwilling to do anything about it.

Fighting for Favor

The battle lines are drawn over a new state law that embodies a federal statute that requires non-citizens to carry with them papers evidencing that their presence in the country is "legal" (that they are here under a valid entry visa). Those that don't/can't are subject to arrest and being turned over to INS.

Understand first that this is an effort to solve a problem that Arizonans are facing every day, one they perceive that was caused or at least contributed to by ineffective immigration enforcement by the federal government. And behind that government inaction are a whole host of policies and interests that go undiscussed.

Of course, the law raises the specter of "racial profiling," where members of a particular group are subjected to excessive police attention and suspicion of crimes. In this case, all who "look Mexican" are potentially going to be subjected to being stopped and locked up if they don't provide the proper papers -- even citizens who can't prove it.

Make no mistake -- anything that encourages or facilitates unequal treatment of our citizens is an anathema to all we stand for, and should be opposed if we are to remain consistent with our principles.

And in this instance, such abuses are certainly possible by biased or over-zealous officers who fail to abide by standards of reasonable suspicion established by the U.S. Supreme Court -- a subjective standard that in practice is often abused anyway.

Yet, those very principles sway in the breeze, in one moment propped up for public consumption to serve arguments like these, and in another pushed aside by the continual expansion of the powers of our federal government that has occurred since Marbury vs. Madison.

But when it involves the suspension of habeas corpus for those accused of terrorist involvement or denial of travel privileges to those of Middle-eastern descent who look cross-eyed at an attendant, those very same people don't hesitate to make their principles take a back seat to expediency and public concern for safety.

Now, though, that safety threat is localized to Arizona, and they turn a blind eye to dealing with it.

Instead, the talking heads never fail to suggest that Arizona's codification of an existing federal law will turn Arizona into a police state that punishes people for being Latino or Latino descent. And of course, they dutifully trot out past instances designed to shock our conscience and tweak deep-seated guilt, like those taken against blacks here or Jews in Nazi Germany.

They blast their opponents for being uncaring racists, then spout the term "comprehensive immigration reform" and move on to advance their core issues like amnesty and naturalized citizenship, without ever addressing the problem at hand that real, law-abiding people -- citizens and "aliens" (non-citizens) alike -- are being victimized by hordes of people who don't follow the law, immigration or otherwise.

On the other hand, I also question the motives of those who rally to support the Arizona legislature, for it raises strong suspicions in me that they are using this issue as a platform to draw attention to the expanding federal government that seems powerless to do anything about illegal immigration -- and in their own way resist addressing the underlying problem in a more substantive manner. Then again, it doesn't seem they'd oppose expanding the forces they'd use to enforce our borders -- at least, if we could afford it.

Still, for all the rhetoric, nothing stated by either side has anything to with restoring the peace or insuring the security of those who live in Arizona (other than what little benefit they think this law may afford). Their only concern is gaining benefit from the issues of illegal immigration per se, regardless of its involvement in Arizona's shocking crime rate or how it might better be dealt with.

Justice demands more of us.

Where Hideth Thou, Lady Justice?

Unfortunately, justice is the last thing on the minds of those who make the rules and selectively enforce them. As a result, porous borders invite not only those seeking jobs to flee here, but also criminal influences and potential terrorists who also take advantage of the opening.

And all the while, the people of the U.S. wonder what's going on?

Yet the public debate ignores the fundamental cause underlying the entire situation -- here we sit, in a shining city on the hill, dangling before the poor and disadvantaged of other countries our continually-expanding smörgåsbord of benefits like opportunity and freedom, not to mention livelihood, education, health care, and all the other perks that they can have if they can make their way here.

Then we tell them (with a wink) they have to stay out unless you jump through this hoop or that. Unless, of course, we turn our backs so you can sneak across the border at night to do the jobs others won't.

Who can blame them for coming? Give us your poor, your huddled masses, right?

Trying to enforce our borders seems like we're the little Dutch boy trying to stick our fingers in the dike. Nevertheless, our government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, and therefore must do whatever it can toward that end.

However, no matter what they do, it will remain a problem that future generations will have to deal with as well until we address the causal factors that give rise to the never-ending flow of immigrants and workers into this "promised land."

What We Don't Want to Hear

The only way to relieve this pressure permanently is to make the U.S. a less attractive place to be. One side of that process is certainly underway through our deteriorating economy and high cost of being here (though by comparison to where they come from such a deterioration is probably unnoticeable). The other -- increasing opportunity in their home lands and reducing their reasons to leave -- seems beyond our influence. Even NAFTA didn't move enough jobs to Mexico to make a dent in the problem, only hurting us.

Perhaps there are other things, however, that we can do to alleviate some of the problems of illegal immigration that are being suffered by Arizona, Texas and other states. That means putting our own house in order, and removing anything we might be doing that is inadvertently exacerbating the situation and setting the stage for its occurrence.

A good place to start is with our government policies. Many of them make the situation worse -- like financial, trade and foreign aid policies that benefit corrupt regimes and corporate interests that make it hard for people to survive. To boot, many of the same policies appear to foment discontent in faraway lands and give rise to support for terrorists around the globe.

But do we discuss whether those policies really serve us? No.

As for the crime, our positions on marijuana and other drugs don't help. Mexican cartels fight for supremacy, exporting their violence to the U.S.. And lest we forget, those same policies fill our prisons with thousands of felons that might otherwise live productive lives, costing the rest of us billions in the process.

But do we ever consider changing the policies in order to allieviate their influence and the unintended consequences that rebound back at us? No. Instead, we bend over backwards to try to put a band aid on it, using the fallout as a political football to kick back and forth while they play their games of musical chairs over who will sit in the seat of power.

Some of the best solutions are often found by those closest to the situation. Open discussions by the people who live in the area might help, if nothing more than to establish a spirit of cooperation to share perspectives and institute local actions that are less intrusive than the proposed Arizona law. Then again, there doesn't seem to be much productive discussion even among us, much less between local Mexicans and Arizonans to see what they can come up with.

As it is now, however, all of those seem beyond reach. For our own political processes are exacerbating the problem as they try to advance the many political interests involved in allowing the "illegals" to come here and then permitting them to remain.

After all, these people are seen as a potential boon to the Democrats, a voting block they think they can count on for generations to come. So they certainly don't have any interest in solving the Arizona problem now.

And the Republicans, well, they want to keep these immigrants from either getting here or becoming part of that Democratic coalition. But they're in a quandry since many of the businesses who support them need the cheap labor.

So both sides get on the news and fight for our support. And we dutifully give it to them, not knowing any different. It therefore may be difficult to take effective and lasting action where so many have so much to gain from continuing the condition that allows them to perpetuate their policies and political battles.

Thus if we really wanted to solve the problem, we'd probably insist they both go sit in the corner and start a dialog at many levels on all these issues. And most of all, try to free ourselves of the emotional triggers that are making it so hard to deal with now. Then perhaps we could rationally weigh the alternatives free of all the emotional baggage that's being thrown at us now.

My Two Cents' Worth

My own suggestions? Perhaps instead of resisting their flow, combining increased border enforcement with steering immigrants to transitional locations (NOT detention camps!) that could be established to process them and provide work papers and connect them with employers and communities where they could find the opportunities they seek. In short, give them a means and incentive to be here legally, both those who are coming and the others who are already here.

As for citizenship? Perhaps we need to revisit our requirements and procedures for that, too. But we must do so without triggering the deep emotions and politically-charged interests that now arise as the parties try to spread or weaken their differing views on how our common affairs should be conducted.

Otherwise, just open the borders and let them in -- and quit providing ourselves with so many perks that we aren't willing to offer them as well (at least, unless we're willing to say they can come but not feed at the public trough).

As for the Arizona legislative effort, when were local police denied the opportunity to detain and arrest those who break the law? Why do we need more laws to do so simply because they cannot prove immigration status? Is it the fact of their supposed illegality that's the problem, or the crime they're accused of committing?

If it's the crime, then focus on the crime, not the color or condition.

If it's the fact they can't afford benefits or services (like police) because of their being here, then that's another problem. In that case, maybe they need to find other ways to hold the feds' feet to the fire, or else welcome the law-abiding illegals and get them to help deal with/pay for their law-breaking cohorts.

There are probably a host of other things we can try as well, given the chance. But we can't bury our heads in the sand any longer and pretend there isn't a problem, hoping against hope it goes away on its own.

Where Do We Go From Here

Efforts like those being tried in Arizona now may work; they may not. But they so inflame the passions that they do nothing to bring us together. Instead, they drive us farther apart, giving greater voice to the extremes while those in the center (or not in their game at all) are unable to even come to the table.

If we're to build a better world, it has to start by how we go about addressing the problems that rear their heads for our attention.

The object isn't to fix one and create ten more. It's to lay a base on which we can build a lasting peace with freedom, equality and opportunity for all.

Taking action like Arizona is may put a Band-Aid on the problem, but it so inflames those sensitive to racial prejudices and the possibility for abuse that it is probably not a viable answer at the moment. Instead, perhaps they should look for other ways that can enlist the help of both sides, rather than set them to fighting over the differences at their core.

The idea is to focus on practicality and fairness while avoiding the areas where emotions run high. Right now we need to solve this in a way that can best suit all, and continued in-fighting just isn't doing it.

Until we can, the chances of us finding a solution are slim, because so long as we all cling to our narrow views and interests, reasoned analysis and discussion are impossible.

My hope is that you will begin to recognize that if you want to build a better world, it starts by letting go of the beliefs and defusing the hot buttons we allow to be pushed at every turn that give rise to such policies and their unintended consequences. Once we do, we just might find that we can call forth a new wave of leaders who can move beyond these petty battles to find solutions that better serve us all.

God bless you indeed.