Arizona SB1070- what labels?

This ring and my other "textie" label rings are my response to the current immigration debate that is plaguing Arizona (my current home) and the US. I wonder, would wearing this ring cause "reasonable suspicion?" and, does it matter where you come from, as long as you are living a peaceful and productive life?

"Alien" textie ring by Cosmo's Moon on Etsy

I live in Tucson, have been here on and off for 18 years. (I'm originally from the East coast)
I love that this community is diverse and has a rich cultural tradition that stems from it's origins as a Mexican outpost. We as a family know many different immigrant families here- most of them are from Mexico- but many are also from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

My husband is a recent immigrant to the US from Italy. He has felt the terror of "la Migra"-immigration patrol-. A few years ago we drove to San Diego from Tucson to attend a conference on Astronomy and Telescopes. Guido was set to present a paper and also had a few key roles to play in the conference as a representative on the University of Arizona.

When we were driving to California we were stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint- when I'm driving they usually just peek into the car and say "have a nice day" and that's it. (it always makes me nervous anyways) Well, at this point in the trip Guido was driving- when we pulled up to the stop they looked at him and asked if he was born in the US. Guido (with his cute Italian accent) said "I was born in Italy" and that's where it all started.... 

They demanded to see his passport- (we were in the US) he showed them his AZ driver's license.Then they asked for his green card (he didn't have it yet- was here on a work visa) and when he told them that his passport was at home (300 miles away in Tucson) the pulled the car over and started to threaten him with deportation. Yes, that's right- deportation. With his American wife and child in the car. A man who has been a key scientist on one of the most important telescopes in the world- they were threatening to deport him. Some divine power came over me and I managed to not lose my temper. After 30 minutes of this discussion with the Border Patrol agent he finally let us go- with the warning that we had better get someone to fed ex us his Passport because if we got stopped again Guido would be taken into custody. It was absolutely ridiculous and terrifying- and we have never driven to the coast since.

2 years ago Guido got his citizenship. He voted for the first time for the US president (Yay!) and he is happy to be a part of our democracy. And then, there came Jan Brewer.

When President Obama tapped our Governor Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security we knew that Arizona would take a hit. When Janet left for Washington  we were saddled with a right wing backwards thinking Governor, Jan Brewer. Since she has been in office our education funding has been slashed to pieces and the state has gone into a financial free fall. The passing of the onerous SB1070 is the final straw.

This whole debate and law in AZ sickens me and many of my friends here in Tucson. I welcome it's repeal and a healthy thoughtful concentrated debate and solution to our immigration policy. We cannot let families be torn apart by a knee jerk , poorly conceived law. Sadly I do believe that things are going to worsen because of the amount of fear that it generates and by the latent racial prejudice that it promotes. We already have had a couple of reports on the news of "illegals" committing violent crimes- only to find out a day or two later that it was no immigrant- it was an idiot meth head.
I can only hope that AZ can find a way to resolve this fear mongering and look ahead to a more thoughtful and humane solution.


One Love one heart, Let's get together and it will be alright.

Dream squashers

Right now Tucson AZ is floating a proposition that would eliminate most of our Parks in Rec department in order to conform to a mandate to increase the numbers of new hires at the police department....

(Here is an explanation of the proposed initiative from Blog for Arizona)

Here is why I am strongly against that mandate-
I don't believe that more police = more security. I have nothing against our law enforcement- I believe that they are necessary to the safety of the people and perform duties that I appreciate and acknowledge as essential to the tranquility of our city life.

I don't think that enforcing laws is the only solution to public security and development-
I believe strongly that Personal Self Worth is our first quality that needs support and care for the development of a peaceful and strong community. And developing this personal Self Worth is an essential part of our community's positive future.

Tucson Underpass and Basket Bridge
(made possible by creative thinking....)

We need to keep the doors to the arts and sport open to all of our community- we need to give a CHANCE to the kids who yearn for something MORE in life...a road that could lead to their dream of being who they dream to be.

Once we shut the door on programs that create possibility we essentially shut out thousands of dreams that will never get a chance to flourish. We shut out possibility for people who are searching for something more out of life than eating sleeping and watching TV....We pull the plug on hope. and I KNOW that is NOT what I voted for!

the classes that are held at Tucson P+R are highly successful-They are filled with people from 6 months to 100 years old- from all walks of life with all sorts of stories. There is no entrance requirement, no grades or expectations, the classes are simply there to offer enrichment to the lives of it's students.

They are also a great entrance to teaching experience- young college students often get valuable training for teaching by assisting in Parks and Rec classes.

Many people start a hobby there that soon turns into a lifelong passion- enriching their lives and creating a much needed oasis of creative thought that most of our lives are lacking.

Many parents bring their children to Parks and Rec classes as an affordable way to introduce the arts and sport to their kid's lives. It is a great way to let your children "sample" new possibilities and meet new friends.

It would be a huge loss to the city if these classes were discontinued due to city mismanagement of money! Can we really live in a city with no regard for the creative spirit? Do we accept the fact that without these programs many children would not have access to quality affordable arts enrichment or introduction to sport?

hell no!
what do we do?
get out the word....
VOTE NO on Prop 200.

thank you- rant over :-)

health care debate

ok- so here I go throwing my hat into the ring..

I believe strongly that we should have a public option for healthcare in the US-
and if that is considered "liberal" or...gasp.."socialist", so be it. I am proud to be someone who cares about living things- be it plants, animals, or even..humans

I would be dead today if Italy didn't have socialized health care- My appendix ruptured while I was living there (actually, right after I returned from a long trip to the US) I was operated on, and stayed in the hospital for 6 days- all without paying a penny.

OK, so, the room wasn't private, and no TV, plus you had to go down the hall for the bathroom..and things weren't super modern.. (after all it WAS the hospital that Leonardo daVinci used to do his anatomical dissections in)

But the point is that I HAD health care in Italy- no questions....

and I Still wonder if my appendix had ruptured one week earlier, while I was visiting the US...and had no insurance (because at that time I was living in Florence)
what would have happened to me? I most likely would have tried to "tough it out" and avoid the ER, because I would have been worried about being saddled with a lifetime of medical bills-

While I was in the hospital a young american girl was admitted to my room.

She had been backpacking in Europe and ended up also with appendicitis while in France..she was operated on there, and decided to join her friends in Italy after they discharged her from the French hospital..

Well, needless to say, not a good idea...she ended up in incredible pain, and came to the Florence hospital straight from the train station...

I became her interpreter- and when her father showed up from the US, he was so grateful to the doctors for helping her...

The only thing I had a hard time translating for the father was when he asked where to pay the hospital bill.. He couldn't believe that his daughter was taken care of by a team of doctors and admitted to the hospital without charge. It was profound for him..

During this time of debate over health coverage in the US, I wonder what he (the father) is thinking about socialized medicine... I'll bet that he isn't out in the packs of demonstrators waving pics of Obama as Hitler.. No-I'll bet that he goes and hugs his daughter

special day

Tears of Joy

My inauguration day celebration... at home with my good friend and my hubby...





Our newest President and First lady




Waving the "terrible Towel" of victory



My son's class spent the day watching the swearing in, building the white house with blocks (grade -k-1 ) and studying presidents past by sorting coins..passing on history to the next generation!


even our cat, Kikka honored Dr King's memory...

"I had a dream"


wonderful.