In April, our school year came to a quick and unexpected end when tornadoes ravaged much of the state. In the months since, we have been inspired at the outpouring of sympathy The University of Alabama and the city of Tuscaloosa have received from people all across the state and nation. Friends from distant universities have called to check on us, ask how they can contribute to the relief effort and offer their prayers and support.
For a brief moment, we began to see opportunity in the devastation around us. The tragedy unified our campus, our community and our state. If we could only apply the same determination we felt to overcome the injustices of the tornado to other injustices, like racial inequality and educational opportunity, we could emerge from the disaster much stronger than we were before. We had seen proof of the compassionate spirit of the people of Alabama, and we had weathered a great storm that brought us together in purpose and mission.
Unfortunately, less than two months after the tornado hit, political leaders in Montgomery left that spirit of unity and compassion behind. Earlier this summer, the legislature passed and the governor signed what he called the nation’s toughest law against illegal immigration. It makes giving an illegal immigrant a ride illegal, forces employers and landlords to verify the immigration status of their workers and tenants and requires schools to certify the immigration status of their students. It also bars illegal immigrants from attending colleges and universities.
These draconian measures may make sense in a state like Arizona, which is the estimated home of over 400,000 illegal immigrants. However, the costs of defending this law in court and enforcing it on the streets is not worth it in Alabama, where illegal immigration doesn’t pose much of a threat to the daily lives of our citizens.
We wholeheartedly agree that the federal government should do more to secure our borders. But in the absence of federal action, teachers, business owners and landlords should not be required to serve as immigration officers. That is a poor substitute for comprehensive immigration reform, and it requires schools and businesses to go through yet another bureaucratic hoop: one that will further isolate our Hispanic neighbors and open the door to more divisions in our communities without having a significant impact on the flow of illegal immigration.
Our communities and our people still need help. Homes and businesses no longer occupy the ground where they once stood; families still grieve the loss of their loved ones. Our state leaders in Montgomery should be providing leadership in this challenging time, and the tornado recovery should remain their top priority.
It is regrettable that they instead decided to return to divisive politics that have wounded us in the eyes of the nation and tainted the shared resolve of our own communities.
Thankfully, the heart of our state is not in the capital. It is in the towns and cities that house ordinary, caring Alabamians. And it is still in our power as Alabamians to seize this moment for the good of our state and give those who have suffered so much some purpose for their sacrifice.
When the fall semester begins next month, let’s make the most of our opportunity to rebuild in Tuscaloosa not just a stronger physical infrastructure, but a stronger sense of community. Let’s show that Alabama can overcome the divisions our politicians have needlessly exacerbated and remain united in recovery.
Tray Smith, a rising junior, is the opinions editor of the Crimson White. Ryan Flamerich, also a rising junior, is speaker of the SGA Senate.
