DENNIS DURBAND

Arizona Republic Nervous About Success of PAN
 

An online poll by GOPUSA/Arizona drawing more than 700 responses showed 96-percent support for the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) Initiative. Border invasion polls regularly draw the highest rates of participation in GOPUSA/Arizona surveys.

A ProjectUSA poll was right behind with 95-percent support for PAN, as was the News/Insight Magazine poll.

The scientific ROPER Poll and a CNN poll both showed 85-percent support for the initiative aimed at enforcement of immigration laws.

KAET-TV pollster Bruce Merrill found widespread support for PAN extending beyond political allegiances. Seventy percent of those interviewed indicated either support or strong support for the initiative that would deny state and local social and welfare services to illegal aliens and require individuals to show proof of citizenship when they vote. Just 20 percent said they would strongly oppose (6%) or generally oppose (14%) the measure and 10% had no opinion. Merrill said, "Among those with an opinion, 78% said they would support the measure and 22% said they would oppose it. Rural voters (83%), self-identified conservatives (85%), independents (83%) and Republicans (82%) were most supportive of the measure."

State Rep. Russell Pearce, one of the leaders of the PAN initiative said he has never found anyone unwilling to sign their name on a petition sheet.

Now let's transport ourselves to the land of make believe in downtown Phoenix, the office of the Arizona Republic. It's no secret that the newspaper's editorial position is to support the border invasion and to oppose PAN. Liberal columnist Richard Ruelas took the latest potshot with a Thanksgiving Day hit piece: "Protect Arizona Now needs immigrants' support."

According to Ruelas, the initiative cannot succeed without more Hispanic support, despite the overwhelming public approval it has gained.

Invoking the race card, Ruelas wrote, "The folks behind Protect Arizona Now say that the measure is not anti-immigrant or anti-Hispanic. They also say many Hispanic citizens support the effort to prevent people here illegally from receiving state services and voting. Those Hispanics must be busy whenever the PAN folks hold a press event. Last week, the main backers of the initiative stood outside the state Capitol and announced support of more legislators. The diversity of this new group was encompassed entirely by Rep. Sylvia Laughter, an independent from Kayenta who represents northern Arizona, including the Navajo Nation. The other two-dozen legislators were all White. Each one Whiter than the next. And, although I'm sure some of their best friends are Hispanic, the list of names doesn't do anything to dispel the notion that this proposed ballot initiative is simply White people angry at all the Mexicans here illegally."

Ruelas then goes on to say correctly that PAN is not anti-immigrant, and he claims that if passed, it would help illegals already in Arizona. Ruelas ends his column by asserting that illegals are hard workers who don't require many breaks. I would love to see him try that line on the witness stand in front of Perry Mason. "Objection, your honor. Irrelevant." To which the judge wholeheartedly agrees with Mr. Mason: "Objection sustained. Stick to the subject, Mr. Ruelas."

Citing the KAET poll, Ruelas circles around for another ammo-lacking attack: "if the initiative is going to pass, it will need broader support." Broader than 70-96 percent? Like a grain of sand on a beach defying the relentless pounding of ocean waves, Ruelas insists, "The PAN folks need to find help from the immigrant community, the people who will benefit the most from this initiative. They won't be able to collect signatures -- unless backers find some of the thousands they believe are illegally registered to vote."

Ruelas disagrees with Elvia Díaz, the Arizona Republic reporter who covered the Nov. 20 PAN press conference in Phoenix. Diaz wrote in her lead paragraph that PAN is anti-immigration: "Twenty-three state lawmakers on Thursday lined up behind a ballot measure that would cut social assistance to undocumented immigrants and set stricter rules to prevent voter fraud."

Diaz also writes that PAN "has sparked strong reaction." Begrudgingly, she reveals near the end of her short story that the strong reaction is against the pandemic breaking of the border laws.

No doubt about it, the Arizona Republic is getting very nervous about the overwhelming support for PAN.

Dennis Durband is publisher and editor of The Arizona Conservative, and is also a freelance writer and webmaster. The longtime newspaper editor serves as media watchdog for The Arizona Conservative. He welcomes reader submissions about examples of liberal media bias among Arizona's media.

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