Editor,
This letter is written in response to Andres Saenz. There are multiple misconceptions in his letter published April 27 in the Daily Lobo. I’d like to address just two of them. The first one is regarding Arizona’s new law.
Saenz refers to Cafferty File report, which states that 20 percent of all Mexican illegal immigrants have criminal records and says “all of the border states have the legal right to hunt down these criminals and bring them to justice under the fullest extent of the law.” I have no problem with law enforcement finding criminals. But, the law is illegal according to the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which states “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” This bill allows an officer to order someone to provide legal residency documents from persons detained under “reasonable suspicion.” What do you think the suspicion would be? It would be the color of the person’s skin. That is why it is racist to have immigration laws like this. There has to be a better way.
My second point regards Saenz’s fallacious statements about Islam. Islam is a religion to follow, not a group of people. A group of fanatics claiming to be Muslim does not speak for 1.3 billion Muslims around the world. Islam does not say its followers should blow themselves up to ascend to heaven, just like how Christianity does not say to pray for more dead soldiers (an example of what Westboro Baptist Church members say). I’m not going to address your straw-man arguments against Romero’s letter, but I will address one glaring statement you made. You state “Why is there no outcry from (Muslims) to condemn murders of all forms.” There have been numerous fatwas condemning suicide bombing, terrorism, murders, etc. You are welcome to refer to this website for a comprehensive list: unc.edu/~kurzman/terror.htm. If you’re not paying attention, Saenz, you’re not going to see it.
Fahed Qureshi
UNM student
