They say there is nothing like Southern hospitality in making folks feel welcomed and included. But lately for immigrants of all stripes, this hasn't been the general feeling from states like Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The sentiment towards immigrants and Latinos in general has been anything but Southern Comfort; despite the millions of dollars these groups contribute to the economies of these states. Now North Carolina is considering similar local immigration enforcement laws that will disrupt business, tear families apart, and generally try to stop the growth of Latinos in the state. But even as Republican state legislators meet in a special committee to plot their move against unauthorized immigrants specifically, and Latinos in general, a different view is emerging.
Perhaps it's because North Carolina has always been seen as the "Upper South," the intelligentsia of the South, and has worked hard not to be seen as too kin to that other Carolina, let's remember North Carolina went blue in the last election, a new campaign was launched this week to welcome immigrants and change the sentiment, which seems so prevalent in the South.
Uniting NC this week unveiled new billboards featuring smiling, comfortable immigrant families across the state with the idea to put a human face on immigrants and immigration. Standing in front of the first billboard of a Muslim family in downtown Raleigh, Kristin Collins, the executive director of Uniting NC said, "We want to tie this with what is happening in Alabama and other states, the laws they have passed, and the effect that has divided the community. We didn't want to see North Carolina go down that same path."
WATCH: Promotional Video for Uniting NC
The campaign is statewide and will feature three billboards, two in Raleigh, one in Durham and four digital billboards across the state showing happy Latino and Muslim families. The group raised $3,500 from 250 people who donated their money towards creating the billboards. Collins said they participated in "crowdfunding" online where people could make contributions to meet their goals. Much of the funding came from faith-based groups in the area to counter the negative rhetoric of immigrants in America today, including unauthorized immigrants.
Uniting NC is one of 19 state affiliates and is part of a national movement led by Atlanta-based Welcoming America, that works to build understanding between natives and new immigrants.
"We've watched states like Alabama and Arizona be torn apart by fear and anger about immigrants," said Rabbi Eric Solomon of Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh. "Here in North Carolina we have an opportunity to do better than that."
Solomon was joined by Rev. Diane Faires of St. Paul's Christian Church in Raleigh and Fiaz Fareed, outreach coordinator at the Islamic Association of Raleigh to "welcome the stranger" during this holiday season.
But even as Uniting NC was unveiling the new billboards, a special committee of Republican state legislators was meeting to decide what kind of state laws they could pass that would match their colleagues in other Southern states. This despite the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court decided this week to take up the constitutionality of Arizona's controversial SB 1070 law. It might be wise to wait until the Court has made a determination on the legality of that law in June. That would make sense but you never know.
Collins said that Uniting NC is not a lobbying group and doesn't want to engage in the political fight over local laws aimed at unauthorized immigrants and others. "There are a lot of other groups that work on lobbying," she said. "We try to work on the human side, on presenting immigrants as human beings."
That comes through the smiling faces on the billboards but doesn't show what immigrants in North Carolina do or how they really live. Why not present what immigrants, Latino immigrants in particular are doing in North Carolina? Images of stooped workers in the fields picking tomatoes, blueberries, or cucumbers might have a greater impact. At least a more honest one. Or, an image of workers in the many poultry processing plants that dot the landscape might also humanize these immigrant workers. Collins said that they are looking to do something more edgy in the future with the billboards. But for now, for the holidays they wanted to present a welcoming image of immigrants.
Emilio Vicente agrees. A college student, Vicente came out to see the billboard. "The South is known for its hospitality. I think this is great because it shows North Carolina is welcoming to immigrants."
That's true at least until someone takes out his paintball gun. Collins said she's not worried about that and will face that issue if it happens. "The billboards are pretty high up," she said. "It would be hard to do."
I just created a petition entitled The President of the United States: Investigate Consular Bias and Discrimination in Africa , because I care deeply about this very important issue.
I'm trying to collect 100 signatures, and I could really use your help.
To read more about what I'm trying to do and to sign my petition, click here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-president-of-the-united-states-investigate-consular-bias-and-discrimination-in-africa?share_id=CYTmUFpscW&
It'll just take a minute!
Once you're done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word!
Helen
You know what we all need to do is renounce our citizian ship, become Hispanic and live the American dream promised to us by our government.
Frederick Bronson NC
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2011/11/23/tragedy-leads-to-controversial-legislation-fear-among-ma-immigrants/#ixzz1eZHb09UU
http://www.ojjpac.org/memorial.asp
Or is that just a note you'll get around to one day?
So are you saying you would feel better if the illegal aliens came in, killed Americans, and pushed them into reservations and made themselves legal just like your grandparents did it? Times change and you can't relate something that happened hundreds of years ago to something that is happening today.
You are so offensive with your remarks. Just state your opinion and move on. No one has accused you of anything. Our complaints are with ILLEGALS only, so why are you tied in a knot?? It's a little confusing unless maybe you or someone living with you are not. Otherwise, what's with the crazy talk?
Amen to that!
Don Rhyne
Absolutely, correct. I along with millions are fed up with the government's attitude of look the other way. Let them live in a state that is being overwhelmed with mexicans who are raping our systems such as our schools, medical, welfare, jobs, food stamps etc. It goes on every day, all day long. So the next time someone you know cannot get a job; think about who has that job. It was the sherrif in AZ who first begged for help from the Federal government to help rid his state of the illegals, but they did nothing for almost 10 years. It was then this sherrif started to take it upon himself to keep them in enclosures with pink stripped jail uniforms on to humiliate them to going back. Some did and some did not, thus the rules got tougher and the climb over to AZ slowed down, but now the other states that turned their eye are now suffering just like AZ did years ago. People need to wake up!
Illegal immigration costs the US tax payers 100 billion a year according to ABC News.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/illegal-immigrants-cost-us-100-billion-year-group/story?id=10699317”
Correct. We all come from an immigrant family. I agree that millions of people are fed up with all the illegals in this country who are now making sure they get here so the women can have their babies here for citizenship. Now if an illegal dies crossing over to here from lack of water or food, USA can expect to be sued. This has gotten WAY out of hand and the government needs to stop turning a blind eye as they have for decades. These illegals get free school (god forbid they learn English), free medical treatment, free food help, free housing etc. It is a burden on all US citizens.
Correct and so.....................true!
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2011/04/most-illegal-immigrant-families-collect-welfare/