Cherny: Arizona could learn lesson from Lincoln

Great Op-Ed today in the Arizona Republic from Andrei Cherny on the 14th Amendment:

Illegal immigration is wrong, and we need tough measures to stop the smuggling rings. As a former Arizona prosecutor, I was on the front line of that fight. But birthright citizenship isn't the problem; it's at the heart of what makes America the greatest nation in the world.

One could be born in China and never be Chinese; one could be born in Turkey and never be a Turk. But all children born in America are as American as anyone else - no matter who their parents are or where they came from or the color of their skin. That is the "proposition" that Lincoln enunciated at Gettysburg and that so many gave "the last full measure of devotion" to defend.

What is particularly good about this Op-Ed is that while it is critical of the 14th Amendment legislation, it is also forward looking in its vision of a place that rewards the positive side of immigration:

Just as Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, let's create new Arizona Enterprise Zones to help entrepreneurs and innovators start up the new companies that will create jobs for the future.

Just as Lincoln signed the Land-Grant College Act, let's create a 21st-century education system for Arizona by reforming our public schools and refashioning our higher-education system so that schools prepare kids for a competitive economy.

And just as Lincoln provided businesses with the incentives to build the transcontinental railroad, let's make Arizona "the Solar State" by working with cutting-edge companies that are searching for a home.

As the debate over the 14th Amendment continues, informed thinking on the issue will make all the difference moving forward.

Lets hope that the Arizona legislature, included State Senator Russell Pearce get back to the real issue affecting the people in his state, the economy.

The full editorial can be read here