Zonie Invasion

I lived in San Diego in the late 80's and experienced first-hand a wave of immigration that threatened the jobs of local San Diegans and had the city on edge.

Let me say we lived in a very optimistic city - we called it 'America's Finest City', and we believed it. The city was also growing, and the county had room yet to accommodate new residents.

And, steeped in a rich, hispanic heritage, San Diego welcomed migrants from south of the border. We seldom thought of their competition for our jobs.

But we were terrified of the other invaders - the 'Zonies', the vanguard of which was already driving about the city and county, looking for our jobs, taking up our affordable apartments, and bringing their peculiar culture to mess with our SoCal borderland vibe.

These 'Zonies' of which I speak came, as you likely have guessed, from Arizona. Mostly from Phoenix, which was undergoing an inexplicable economic bust. San Diego was a straight shot West for them, and seemed more hopeful than, say, Albuquerque, or flight north to Las Vegas (some of both of which happened, I am sure).

The invasion didn't last long. The Phoenix economy turned around, and so did many of the Zonies, heading right back to their beloved swamp coolers and cacti. Others saw the light and became solid south coastal Californians, of indeterminate politics and open minds.

I thought of this when musing on the Arizona Immigration Bill. The image of those Arizona licensed cars loaded with families and their belongings driving about San Diego desperately searching for jobs and a welcome, just doesn't mesh with my new image of Arizonans, engendered by that thoughtless legislation.