Comic: The White Star State
Reflecting public sentiment, Arizona changes state flag
There's a lot to admire in the American federal system of government. The United States of America is a big country, diverse geographically and in many other ways, and the devolution of a significant amount of power to the state level allows Americans to live under governments that (in an ideal world) reflect their specific interests perhaps better than a more centralized system would permit.
The other good news is that our elected officials have to stand for re-election periodically, allowing us to kick the idiots to the curb (the system isn't fool-proof, obviously, given that George W. Bush won re-election).
This week's actions by the Arizona Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer show, however, that the American system – like nearly all political systems – depends for its success on the commitment of our elected officials to find solutions that fairly represent the interests of all community stakeholders, not just those who voted them into office.
Shame on you, Governor, shame on you, legislators, and shame on the fear-mongers who have embraced and celebrated this nasty bit of legislation.
Roberto De Vido is a communications consultant, writer, cartoonist and jack of many trades. The former chief of Tucson Sentinel’s East Asia Bureau, he now lives in California (make of that what you will).
“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war.”
— Emperor Haile Selassie I
2
