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| Arizona's Rep. Eric Descheenie |
I LOVE BASEBALL and I attended Spring Training a couple of to watch the S.F. Giants and the Oakland A's, watching the players up close and relaxing in the warm Arizona sun.
Unfortunately, I haven't gone to Spring Training in recent years because as an Asian/American and with my dark complexion, I feel very uncomfortable in the Sunshine State.
Two recent incidents just reinforced that feeling.
On Thursday, January 25, 2018, several armed Donald Trump supporters, carrying Trump flags, surrounded Arizona state Rep. Pamela Hannley and yelled at her about her “protecting illegals” near the state Capitol in Phoenix.
Representatives Eric Descheenie (D-Chinle) and Wenona Benally (D-Window Rock), were passing by on their way to lunch. Both are Navajo.
Benally recounts the event for Native News Online:
“Rep. Descheenie stepped in between them and Rep. Hannley, in order to protect her from them. As soon as he did so, it drew the attention of the rest of the Trump protesters. The rest of the Trump protestors quickly walked over to us, surrounding us and aggressively yelling at us about our support for ‘'llegals.'
"I quickly walked back into the House of Representatives building to call for a security escort. A security guard came out of the building and proceeded to escort us to the farmer’s market next to the building. The Trump protestors followed behind the security guard and continued to yell at us, until the security guard blocked their entrance into the farmers market. They finally left us alone and headed back to the front of the building. Once we were done making our purchases at the farmer’s market, we had to re-enter the back of the building for our safety.
Benally says the Trump supporters were at the Capitol on Thursday intimidating and verbally assaulting, not only dark-skinned lawmakers and staffers, but young school children who were there to meet with their legislative representatives.
“There was absolutely no need for them to be armed. It was a very intimidating and frightening situation to have a group of armed protestors aggressively following us and screaming at us,” said Benally.
Benally recounts the event for Native News Online:
“Rep. Descheenie stepped in between them and Rep. Hannley, in order to protect her from them. As soon as he did so, it drew the attention of the rest of the Trump protesters. The rest of the Trump protestors quickly walked over to us, surrounding us and aggressively yelling at us about our support for ‘'llegals.'
"I quickly walked back into the House of Representatives building to call for a security escort. A security guard came out of the building and proceeded to escort us to the farmer’s market next to the building. The Trump protestors followed behind the security guard and continued to yell at us, until the security guard blocked their entrance into the farmers market. They finally left us alone and headed back to the front of the building. Once we were done making our purchases at the farmer’s market, we had to re-enter the back of the building for our safety.
Benally says the Trump supporters were at the Capitol on Thursday intimidating and verbally assaulting, not only dark-skinned lawmakers and staffers, but young school children who were there to meet with their legislative representatives.
“There was absolutely no need for them to be armed. It was a very intimidating and frightening situation to have a group of armed protestors aggressively following us and screaming at us,” said Benally.
Two days later, Trump supporters used racist language against dark-skinned public servants while rallying against immigration, the Arizona Capitol Times reported Saturday.
Supporters of Donald Trump singled out dark-skinned lawmakers, legislative staffers and children at the Capitol on Jan. 25 as they protested congressional efforts to pass immigration reform, according to staffers of the Arizona Legislature and two Democratic legislators, AZ Capitol Times reported. “Waving large flags in support of Trump while standing between the House and Senate buildings, the protesters, who were also armed, asked just about anyone who crossed their path if they ‘support illegal immigration.’”
One dark-skinned Arizonian who was asked if he was in the country “illegally” was Descheenie. His response was classic:
“I’m indigenous to these lands,” Descheenie replied. “My ancestors fought and died on these lands. I just told them, ‘Don’t ask me that question.’”
Supporters of Donald Trump singled out dark-skinned lawmakers, legislative staffers and children at the Capitol on Jan. 25 as they protested congressional efforts to pass immigration reform, according to staffers of the Arizona Legislature and two Democratic legislators, AZ Capitol Times reported. “Waving large flags in support of Trump while standing between the House and Senate buildings, the protesters, who were also armed, asked just about anyone who crossed their path if they ‘support illegal immigration.’”
One dark-skinned Arizonian who was asked if he was in the country “illegally” was Descheenie. His response was classic:
“I’m indigenous to these lands,” Descheenie replied. “My ancestors fought and died on these lands. I just told them, ‘Don’t ask me that question.’”
Trump is dividing the people of United States with his racist rhetoric and policies, egging on his supporters. Asking Native Americans if they were in the U.S. illegally would be laughable if the incidents were not indicative of a much more serious problem.
Regular readers who expect an Asian/American angle to this post might be disappointed. When someone attacks a person of color, they are attacking all of us. As we start African American History Month, that's something to keep in mind, especially those new immigrants who can't perceive the commonalities and links we have with each other.
The biggest question raised by this whole incident is how the Navajo legislator, Rep. Descheenie, managed to keep from going berserk when told to go back to his own country.
To Native Americans, we're all illegal immigrants.
Remember the motto: E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One). Trump is chipping away at that most American of values; that which makes the U.S. exceptional among nations of the world.
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Regular readers who expect an Asian/American angle to this post might be disappointed. When someone attacks a person of color, they are attacking all of us. As we start African American History Month, that's something to keep in mind, especially those new immigrants who can't perceive the commonalities and links we have with each other.
The biggest question raised by this whole incident is how the Navajo legislator, Rep. Descheenie, managed to keep from going berserk when told to go back to his own country.
To Native Americans, we're all illegal immigrants.
Remember the motto: E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One). Trump is chipping away at that most American of values; that which makes the U.S. exceptional among nations of the world.
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