The Arizona War Duck

A couple of days back, the Arizona Star newspaper published a fairly dramatic front page photo. In the foreground, a man is shouting while holding his empty but clenched fist in the air. The motivation for his pose was simple: He was one of 2,800 reported protesters shouting against SB 1070, Arizona's new law which underscores and reinforces the federal anti-illegal immigration law at the state level. Presumably, a high percentage of the protesters were themselves illegals, but they also had plenty of emotional support from U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva.

Grijalva made two striking statements in his presentation that bear remembering: He swore vehemently that "we" (meaning he and all others who support outlaws, it would seem) are going to

"...overthrow this law, and then we're going to overthrow the power structure...."

He also claimed that "they" (meaning those behind SB 1070)

"...underestimated us very, very badly...."

Let's take that last part first. Mr. Grijalva, We the People, in the form of the Arizona State Legislature and the Governor of Arizona, did not underestimate you. You are an invading army, apparently (considering the words from your own mouth) led by one General Godfather Grijalva. We did not underestimate the damage you would do to our beloved America if left to run amok. Quite the opposite.

Ah. You object to being categorized as Senior Thug in an Army of Outlaws? Then, Raul, you would be wise to choose a word other than "overthrow". Those of us who work within the system by legal means prefer a civilized term like "repeal", the word used proudly by those commonsense conservatives dedicated to the repeal and replacement of Obamasnake's Hell Care. Your efforts to keep our borders open to Mexican drug cartels and other criminal elements must indeed make you the patron saint of the cartels. Or, even if you are not on any cartel payrolls (and I make no such accusation), you definitely qualify as their Santa Claus.

However, it was your choice of that word which, along with a bit of doodling, made something crystal clear: This really is a war, and not just a war of words. That photo kept making me think. Here's a snapshot of the original:

As an artist, let's just say I've got limitations. For example, my Sarah Palin caricature leaves much to be desired. Doodles, though? Hey, doodles don't care! Since the earliest grades of public school, I've scribbled little cartoons here and there and everywhere to keep from falling asleep in those classes designed to nurture the slowest students. Something was bugging me about that photo. It seemed like it must involve that guy in the foreground, so I started there....

It didn't take long after that for the truth to hit me: I'd seen this picture before. That's what had been bothering me--I'd seen it a thousand times. On television, in newspaper articles, even in books packing hardcore illustrations. Sometimes the image came from an event in Iraq, or Afghanistan, or one of the Banana Republics, but always it was the same image: A man ready to go to war....no, a man already fighting a war.

The photo taken in Phoenix, Arizona, lacked only one thing to make it complete, to make it the spitting image of every other portrayal of struggle and violence by people willing to kill without a thought of remorse.

So I took my doodle, and I added that "one thing". Look at it now, take a good look, and try to convince yourself that the illegal immigrants--including the career criminals, the drug lords, and all the other less than savory elements flooding northward endlessly with those who simply seek a better life--convince yourself they are not already at war with the United States of America in every grim sense of the word.

I dare you.

Many of Arizona's Hispanic people are legal immigrants who went through the necessary steps to come here on the up-and-up and who contribute greatly to our society. Not only that, but you who are in that category do not appreciate the inrushing mob of those wishing to circumvent the law. We know this because 70 percent of Arizona's voters approve of SB 1070. With Arizona's population being 34% Hispanic, it's clear that a great number of you fully understand the situation and want to keep America from becoming a third world country in its turn.

Where I grew up, the small grocery in our one horse town had a sign posted that read, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck." To the voters in Arizona's District 7, I say that Raul Grijalva looks like a proponent of illegal behavior, talks in favor of illegal behavior, and takes every action possible to assist the invading army from the south. In sum, he appears to have elected himself The Arizona War Duck.

Regardless of the ethnic mix in a given area, I have complete faith in the American people. Thus I hope to see District 7 retire General Godfather Grijalva in November.

For my part, I'll be casting my vote in District 8 to do the same for Gabrielle Giffords, to Give Giffords the Gaff.

Gee! That's a lot of G's!!