Photo Credit: Washington Post
Recently 300 war refugees from Afghanistan were housed in a hotel in Scottsdale in order to escape their dystopian situation at home. It seems as though many of them will begin a new life in Scottsdale and settle into our neighborhoods and no doubt contributing to them via hard work and the chase of the American Dream.
This is a fantastic opportunity for our world-class city to demonstrate that it is more than just a playground for tourists and the wealthy; that it is a community that values inclusion, hard work and decency. To position ourselves as a “shining light on the hill”, a model for what a true community looks like.
That would be the best case scenario, but unfortunately if the past is any predictor of the future, it is a highly unlikely one. The past year has seen Scottsdale turn into a magnet for nativism and extremist behavior. In fact, many already showed up to protest their presence in the hotel (no doubt that many of the protestors didn’t even live in that area). And we have already spoken about how SUSD meetings have been bombarded with loud and angry folks protesting non-existent Critical Race Theory teachings in the district, as well as mask policies.
Unfortunately, some leaders have taken the opportunity to fan the flames instead of showing decency. While we have been a big fan of Rep. John Kavanagh’s fight against short term rentals, he went to Twitter to spread falsehoods about the nature of the refugees coming here, no doubt an attempt to throw red meat at his base. And as to be expected, Rep. Joseph Chaplik is harnessing the nativism inherent in much of the political right to fan flames.
We know that xenophobia is an effective political strategy. We know that fear is a big motivator at the ballot box, and bringing in people from an area known for terrorism is a strong potential catalyst for fear. But it’s also necessary to remember that these people are trying to escape a wa, one which we obviously played a large role in, and perhaps we should feel some moral obligation to help. If you tend to agree with a “you break it you bought it” philosophy, bringing in 300 people seems like a relatively small ask.
This is an opportunity for Scottsdale to defy its reputation as the place for tourists and the wealthy, and to show itself as the most welcoming place in Arizona. We hope that people of Scottsdale will step up and outside forces won’t use it as a political tool. Unfortunately as for the latter, in an election year, it’s difficult to see that as a strong possibility.