IS THE ARIZONA LAW RACIST?

by R J Shulman

Which one of the above is more likely to get asked for citizenship papers after a police stop under Arizona SB 1070?

Defenders of the law claim it's colorblind and that the converstion might go something like this - "Well Mr James Horn III (hint- the guy on the left), we need to see your papers and you, Mr. Jose Manuel Celistino de la Vega y Garcia y no esta Gringo, we don't need to see yours. Yeah, right. The law is not racist, just like separate but equal was not racist.

For those of you who think this "sudden" immigrant crisis (we'll get to the "sudden" part a bit later) warrants us to go to a warrentless nation where the phrase "let me see your papers," (imagine a bad German accent here) by local authorities is just as American as apple pie, baseball and Chevrolet, ponder this: Since the same law you cherish so much also makes it illegal to hire undocumented workers, imagine you and your white friends consistently pulled over by the cops who demand you prove you have not hired an "illegal" immigrant and if you can't offer such proof, you would be wisked away to one of those privitized jails in Arizona run by Gov. Brewer's friends in CCA Corp (some of her staff actually lobbies for them) who make their fortune based upon how many people are sent and are retained in their lock-up.

Change your mind yet? Didn't think so. Logic and today's conservative seem to be complete strangers. I promised to discuss the timing of this illegal alien issue hitting above the fold. First question, where were all you Republican law makers who pushed this law through and all of you supporters screaming for its immediate implementation when more "illegals" were crossing the boarder under Bush? (it's the economy, stupid and now that the economy is stupid, less are crossing the border now - even so, this current administration is deporting more that the previous one - this of course, not Fox Newsworthy) I guess back during the blissful Bush years you were enjoying your lawn maintained by an illegal gardener, with drinks prepared and brought to you by an illegal maid, calling your illegal nanny to see if see got the car repaired by an illegal mechanic so she could drop the kids off at the a day care staffed by illegals.

Simply, the timing of this law is 100% political. The Republicans who have no ideas on how to fix America that they broke with their 30 years of reverse Robin Hood economics of redistributing th wealth from the poor to the rich and from the rich to the richest, bring out an old tried and true idea - race baiting. And you supporters of SB 1070 have taken the bait.

Now let's address the Fox fed hysteria that illegal Mexican drug lords and their minions are crossing the boarder to kill rancers. (Note: there were more men killed on the Deepwater Horizon than ranchers killed, but you all still want to keep drilling) Wake up. This is not an illegal immigrant problem this is an illegal drug problem. Maybe it would be more effective to stop drug violence by revisiting the insane prohibition on drugs that is a failed as the prohibition on liquor was in the 1920s. Or would you rather continue to close your eyes and feel comfortable with your support of the current drug laws where people who use "illegal" drugs go to jail except for Rush Limbaugh.

Yes, you are right there is a big bad problem with securing our borders, but shooting at people who look "Messikan" might be a tad outside the bounds of the Constitution you all seem to want to get back to. Here are a few suggestions to starting an honest and hopefully fruitful converstation of comprehensive immigration reform:

1) We should all take responsibility and change a government and econimic system which for almost a century has wanted the cheap labor but hates the laborer.(An old bumper sticker that was once popular sums it up best "Welcome to California, no go home")

2) Harsh penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers (hey you righties who like the death penalty, how about frying these lawbreakers? - not that would be an effective deterrant)

3) A fair discussion on what to do about the millions of people who are here illegally (no easy solution here, but lets stop screaming at each other about whether Gestapo tactics are Constitutional, so we can come up with something fair that actually works)

4) Tell Mexico and its ruling oligarchy to shape up and take responsibility to provide work for its people or there will be serious consequesce for them (economic, not nukes for those of you on the right who might get a little excited here)

5) Remember there are other borders, coasts and airports to deal with where illegals enter the country. They may not look Mexican, but they are sure enough just as illegal.

5) Repeal NAFTA, CAFTA, SHAFTA, WTO and all the other pro-multi national corporations, anti-American middle class unconsionable agreements and make American Economic Patriotism fasionable again. (Remember being pro-big business is not the equivalent as being pro-democracy, or pro-Constitution)

6) Take the Rodney King seminar called - "Why Can't We Just All Get Along?"

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