Okay Arizona, let me get this straight...
So now it is legal for police officers to profile brown people... pull them over... ask them for their papers... and then if they cannot produce proof of citizenship, you turn them over to ICE?
Yes, I know that the law says "lawful contact". Haha, what a crock of shit. I've been in Law Enforcement for damn near 8 years and can tell you that a cop can pull somebody over or make "lawful contact" with anyone for any reason. In fact, I believe it's a crime in many states to not identify yourself to a LEO. So, a cop asking you who you are is (play the dramatic music) LAWFUL CONTACT!!!
This law is nothing more than a reason to discriminate against a group of people based on the color of their skin.
So what is American? White? Speaks English? Give me a break.
First of all, Arizona was once Mexico... not the border areas... the whole damn State. There are people there who have families dating back hundreds of years. Many, Many years before American settlers decided that conquering a continent, killing its inhabitants, raping its women and land was what god wanted.
Secondly, English is NOT the United States official language, so being discriminated against for speaking ANY language is utterly ridiculous.
Thirdly, this law is unjust. It is a major step backward for civil rights. This law spits in the faces of great Americans who shed their blood, sweat, and tears so that we can enjoy the rights and liberties that we were on the verge of fully understanding. Great AMERICANS like Dr. King, Caesar Chavez, Harvey Milk, and Dolores Huerta among many others. THEY were Americans. Arizona, you are not speaking for the rest of America. In fact what you are doing is not only criminal, it is making sure there is a place for you in hell.
So what are you going to do Arizona? What are you going to do when there is no one to wash your dishes, do your landscape, paint your house? You really think your fat, lazy American teenage kid is going to do it? You, Arizona, are not living in reality.
OK Bobcat, as a LEO there are tell tale signs that any person (regardless of color, sex, etc) give off that might cause you to want to take a closer look. Maybe they are a potential DUI, or whatever. The person will not or cannot provide an immediate, direct answer to a direct question, they refuse to acquire and maintain eye contact. Maybe they do not know the name of the Mayor or the Governor. Oh, they are not from there. Then what is the name of the Mayor or Governor of where they are from originally? Phone it in and have someone google the answer.
ReplyDeleteGet real.
If you say its the law in many states to Id yourself to a cop then whats the big fuss?? its ok in other states but not in AZ? what kind of cop are you?
ReplyDeleteThe point there, Anonymous, is that a cop can use any reason to make "lawful contact" if it feels the need to... which is one reason why this law is unjust. What is "lawful Contact" when it pertains to this racist law? That is too broad of a term and will only lead to racial profiling.
ReplyDeleteAndre, Really? Who is the governor or mayor? Thats the best you could come up with? You made me laugh, thanks I needed it. There are americans in this country who couldn't tell you what state borders theirs or even how many states there are. Yes, it is true. So, if the police in Arizona pull over someone who is Not White, they should just ask them who the mayor is?
ReplyDeleteSo, What is a potential DUI? Maybe your drivers side tire touches the center line... once... is that probable cause for a traffic stop? Not in most cases, but with this law that is all it is going to take for the police to pull over someone who is not white so that they can see if they are an illegal.
This is a blatant attempt to legalize racial profiling. PERIOD.
This is what cops SHOULD be like...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/29/arizona.immigration.lawsuit/index.html?hpt=T2&dsq=47583861#
I agree with you BOBCAT America seems to be going back in times as technology advances. I love how the Gov. looks into the camera and says that there will not be any racial profiling.... who is the law really targetting. God forbid we embrace our differences instead we point them out an punish them. I just don't understand how this is any better.... let's look at the financials how much money will it cost to do this and the law enforcement being taken from more serious work to deal with someone that looks like they don't belong? SO what counts as documentation everyone has to carry a visa, passport or green card??? A US ID id enough to prove who you are so if they don't carry other documentations what does that mean?
ReplyDeleteWhy bring back the idea of segragation, profiling and lets not talk about Virginia with their notion of celebratin Confederate month..... Arizona should be ashamed and need to accept the fact that they are racists.
Pro, if you really want to know what form of ID is sufficient proof, you could read the actual bill, I mean it isn't a secret. I don't care if someone is for or against this bill, what really makes me upset is when people argue for or against something they haven't even looked at themselves and instead repeat garbage they have heard from someone else who hasn't read it. It was the same thing with the healthcare debate.
ReplyDeleteBOBCAT2011 said...
ReplyDelete"This is what cops SHOULD be like..."
Yes that is what police officers who don't want to do their job should do, I agree.
BOBCAT2011 said...
ReplyDelete"This is a blatant attempt to legalize racial profiling. PERIOD."
This is a blatant attempt to curb an unchecked illegal immigration problem that no one else has wanted to touch for years. Maybe if all of the protesters put as much effort into rallying for immigration reform the scope of the problem wouldn't be as large and laws like this wouldn't need to be passed. The point is the federal government has had laws in place to stop illegal immigration for a long time but they have not been enforcing them, so now it is up to the individual state. Stop trying to make everyone else look like prejudice neanderthals because they would like to see things done legally.
Does immigration reform need to take place? Yes, but it does not mean we need to open our borders to everyone; there are non-racially motivated reasons for why that is a bad idea.
So when are we gonna curb the unchecked violence and discrimination faced in this country every day by the white majority and its foot soldiers aka the police?
ReplyDeleteBob, Julia here. I was speaking with one of our professors about this mess in Arizona last week. She brought up a great point that I had not thought about. What if you are "pulled over" in Arizona and cannot prove you are a citizen. You have now been taken into detention. How long will a U.S. citizen have to sit in an immigration detention facility? Will they get lost in there? I have been to an immigration detention facility in Alaska. It is not a nice place to be.
ReplyDeleteThe governor has stated that we must trust the police officers to NOT profile people based on race!!! What a crock. Who are they going to ask for proof of citizenship? I doubt very seriously that ONE WHITE PERSON in Arizona will ever be asked for any sort of proof. Come on people if you cannot see this for what it is then you are blind.
BOBCAT;
ReplyDeleteWTF? Props to you guys for handling such STUPIDITY from IGNORANT (WHITE?) PEOPLE! Lest us not forget, the first "illeagal aliens" were the f-ing white Europeans!
Peace-out....
Stop basing your post on what if and coming down on the State when nothing has happened at all on racial profiling. I can see the argument when after it becomes law and the flood gates have opened up on racial profiling to get the status of a citizen. Has anybody questioned the methods used by ICE or border Patrol on how they determine the legal status of a citizen. No because I haven't seen an out cry of protest on the way they conduct business. Arizona's main focus and time an energy isn't going to be spent determining the status of Illegal Immigrants, there are other crimes being taken place and wrong doing for the cops to just start randomly pulling people over. Another thing people who saying the law breaks civil rights.....give me an example from the law where it states that and where you have seen Arizona come out with what determines probable cause for checking the status of someone. You can't because it has not yet. So you basing all this off what if and the figment of your imagination without any credibility to your claim that it is racial profiling. Once again when they determine what the probable cause is and the procedures that law enforcement will follow and it appears to be unjust then let's start protesting and getting all worked up but until then Shut Up and wait. Maybe this law is very effective, no one knows until it becomes practice.
ReplyDeleteLets start peacefully protesting and creating blogs on how we can get the Federal Government to step their game up on protecting our borders ensuring the only people who can come to this country are LEGAL. Enforce the laws they are in place, make it simpler for some one to get legal status in this country. End the violence, drug smuggling, and human trafficking by illegal immigrants. This should be an eye opener to the government and a slap in the face they are not doing enough and Arizona felt they needed to protect the same laws that are federally in place at a state level.
Nancy Pelosi made a comment that Police need to stop kicking in doors and it needs to stop now! What doors have been kicked in by police and if there is doors kicked solely based on immigration by local police then that is wrong and I'm sure will not get very far but it has not happened yet. Instead of ranting and raving do something about it a federal level you are in a position to enforce federal law and make things better in the country for immigration
Why should we have to wait until Racial profiling is legal before we act on it? It is happening now! And the police get away with it! So what is gonna happen when they are ALLOWED to!!!
ReplyDeleteSB1070 mirrors federal laws long on the books especially Title 8, Section 1304 of US Code which requires aliens to carry and produce proper papers "at all times". Good for Arizona for doing what our federal government should have been doing all along! I'm planning a very expensive trip to Arizona and will be spending several thousand dollars there in celebration of the passing of this law. Oh, I'm of Cuban/Italian decent... 1st generation American on both sides. And 100% legal.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm confused. Are you raciest against white people? I understand that you have a grasp of history and a blog and all, but for someone who wants to be shocking while speaking out against racism you certainly are harsh to the "fat" "lazy" children of people that disagree with you. By the way I am black and know what went on in my families history (but that does not define me, my PhD in Political Studies does) and I support this law because without the aid of the federal government Arizona seems to be doing the best they can with the problem of illegal immigration. Don't worry I am sure that CNN or some other such high profile commercial organization will give you your brief moment in the spotlight if you continue with your mock outrage and outlandishly raciest speech. But here is some advice from someone who decided against the path of bitterness and made his own way in the world. Blaming others for not being someone yourself is a sure way to be a victim for the rest of your days. Do something besides complain and protest. Move to Arizona and become a member of their state's legislature and do real work for your idea of equality. Or post links to your blog on Facebook and keep complaining. Doing something is hard work but complaining is easy, so who are you? Someone that really wants change or someone that wants to sit behind a computer and hope someone important will notice how "outraged" you are and reward you for it.
ReplyDeleteSo by me asking the readers who are responding to this blog what American is… It makes me racist huh? Great insight, Doc.
ReplyDeleteI wrote, “So what is American? White? Speaks English?” Valid questions that no one cared to respond to. But that makes me a racist. Which, I am far from. And great, you caught me. I used two terms that are used as stereotypes for Latin people “Fat” and “Lazy”… but that makes ME Racist.
For all that money you paid for your “P.H.D.” that’s all you could respond to huh?
“Do something besides complain and protest” So, you are saying that protesting or complaining does not work? What about civil disobedience? Does that work Doc? What happened during the civil rights movement? Did Minorities not complain about civil rights violations and protest those violations? I bet if you were standing next to Dr. King in the 1960’s I doubt that you would have told him to stop complaining and protesting. No, he should have went and ran for the legislature in Alabama huh?
“but that does not define me, my PhD in Political Studies does”
In Conclusion to you Doc, to each their own, but it is sad that you would put your whole worth into a piece of paper… Not an easy piece of paper to get… but I’m sure YOU are a lot more than a piece of paper. Its just unfortunate that you do not put your worth into anything else about your identity.
Dr. William Jackson... for someone with a PHD you sure bring up trivial arguments and have not figured out how to use the spell checker...
ReplyDeleteBOBCAT2011: you can continue this ridiculous tirade, but the fact of the matter is that a majority of Americans (you know, the legal one's) support the AZ law. And let's not forget that many Mexican's are of Spanish decent.. you know Spanish as in European. just reminding the people that are posting comments condemning people of European decent. Viva America and secure borders!
ReplyDelete