Racial profiling a-ok in Arizona
Arizona has just passed a law which creates a 'reasonable suspicion' standard that allows law enforcement to stop those they belive may be undocumented immigrants. That means law enforcement can stop anyone who, on sight, is possibly an irregular migrant.
It is now a misdemeanour to lack proper immigration documentation. So even if you are legal, not having proof of that could land you in hot water. Making this a misdemeanour is what allows the 'reasonable suspicion', as otherwise, the 'suspect' would have to be implicated in another crime before law enforcement could demand immigration papers.
It's a beautiful example of cirular legislation. Can't stop latinos on the supicion that they are illegal if they're not doing anything wrong, so let's make not having papers about your person illegal!
An addition to the bill makes it impossible to ignore the law, and empowers citizens to ask for an order that the law be enforced.
Don't worry though, if you're an irregular migrant with white skin, you'll probably be okay.
Behind The Arizona Immigration Law
Stirring up hatred is always a useful tool for the elite.
I am waiting for them to start demanding ID from white Canadians snow birds. Maybe if a cop hears "eh" it will be what they need to check for their papers.
I wonder what all our american apologists and Cuba haters have to say about a law that makes it a crime for a citizen not to carry their papers. I'll bet more American Latinos get asked than white Canadians.
Not all americans are fascist of course so there is also a Congressman from Arizona calling for a boycott of his own state. Something Canadians should keep in mind since the snow birds are a big part of its economy.
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12379315
I can't support it, neither in Arizona nor Cuba.
But if Cuba instituted such a policy -- y'know, to safeguard The Revolution from Uncle Sam and his tricksters -- I wonder how many Cuba supporters would openly criticize it? Seems all Cuba has to do, if it wants to get a little dodgy on some human rights, is say "Oh, but without this, Capitalism and the Enemies of the State would run rampant!!" and that's enough for a pass.
Mexico issues travel advisory and warning on trips to Arizona.
The tables are turned.
Still bashing the oppressed as your favorite passtime Snert?
US Aggression and Propaganda Against Cuba
You see Snert, the people of Cuba have been under siege for 50 years by a well armed gang of murderous thieving bandits, the same ones you support when you place the onus on the victims to change their ways, in order to render themselves acceptable to said thieving bandits, and to the way of life that you find acceptable as you gaze down your nose at them.
Settlers... You're ALL illegal! White, Hispanic, Chinese etc etc etc. Many of you state how Jewish settlers must leave the Palestinian Territories for peace, but then conveniently fail to make the same demands of yourselves in Turtle Island. Shameful!
This thread is soooo not about Cuba, thanks. Unless you're discussing Cubans getting stopped on suspicion of being illegal.
"But if Cuba instituted such a policy..."
...they'd be as bad as the USA?
That's a big "if."
Not that the bigots are going to care...they'll just holler 'hooray, less Mexicans!'.
I was married to a latino for nearly 11 years. Travelling in the US was a constant head-ache for us, even though all we ever did was go THROUGH the States to get elsewhere. Post 9/11 it did get a little easier, since they were focusing more on anyone who looked Arabic, rather than the traditional pastime of targetting hispanics. Still, being stuck in Houston during a layover was a very unpleasant experience, and if we could ever get direct flights so we wouldn't have to stop in the US, we did.
My only point with this little anecdote is that USian policies and attitudes towards latinos already pisses would-be travellers off. I'm hoping this particular state feels the bite of its policies.
Presente.org - Shame on Arizona
Boycott!
Can't boycott where I wasn't planning on going anyway...unfortunately.
And the boycott gains in momentum. ooh rah.
The Great Arizona Boycott
I wonder if the broadcaster for tonight's game 7 (it's the CBC) of the Phoenix/Detroit series will acknowledge the racial profiling issue? The game is being held in Arizona.
Supplemental: If Phoenix wins the game tonight, then the Arizona hockey team will be scheduled to play San Jose in the next round.
I think they can expect "fireworks" in that case. oh yea.
The new Obama healthcare legislation actually exacerbates the problems state and local governments have with illegal aliens (using public clinics, without insurance), because medical providers (hospitals, polyclinics) can no nonger get subsidy monies from the feds, if they treat illegals. Since ERs must treat anyone for a catastrophic illness, whether or not they've got insurance, this is creating a massive bad-debt problem for hospitals. Usually, border state residents end up picking up the tab, through state and county/local tax increases.
While there are certainly a lot of 'racists' (most Hispanics in the U.S. are actually Caucasian--'Hispanic' is an ethnicity, not a 'race'), this is hardly an extreme measure, and is a response to a real problem. Proof of citizenship can be something as simple as a SIN card, which most legal adults carry, anyhow. Checking of immigration status isn't just random: usually, someone is arrested for something else (car theft, assault, B&Es), when the police look into the person's legality. Look at some of the comments on U.S. newspapers, re. this issue and you'll see frustration among border state residents, over things like gangs, car thefts/jackings (sold accross the border), shootings of ranchers by 'coyotes' and backlogs in hospital ERs and public schools filled with students who can't function in English. Calling everyone 'racists' is elitist snobbery, from people who don't have to deal with the consequences of lax border controls. Businesses are actually among the groups lobbying against this sort of legislation, since an endless supply of cheap, coercible labour--with no healthcare, pension, or tax costs--means bigger profits. Rather than sneering at the 'racist' Arizona citizens, why don't you look at what led people in that state to back this legislation, by a large majority in both polls and the State Legislature?
Racists. And, by the way, on a site like this one we make reference to "undocumented immigrants". No one is "illegal".
"Proof of citizenship can be something as simple as a SIN card, which most legal adults carry anyhow."
I don't carry any ID on me. I haven't for years. It's a real pain in the ass to lose ID, so I only pull it out when I need it. The rest of the time it stays at home. Few people I know carry ID with them at all times unless they drive. If stopped, I would not be able to prove I was in this country legally.
I would not be okay with worrying whether I'm going to be harrassed or not simply because I forgot to pick up some ID before heading the grocery store.
This legislation isn't going to stop people from entering the US without legal permission. It is, however, going to promote harrassment, and lead to some seriously ill will between the so called vaulted 'legals' (who are going to be treated like criminals because of the colour of their skin) and law enforcement.
When you pass legislation, you should be weighing how effective your measures will be compared to the shitstorm it's going to raise. I don't think that exercise was engaged in here.
Just all the settlers. Extremely illegal. But hey give us back our land and resources and we'll call it even.
I'm curious. Does this mean you don't care about discrimination against hispanics, documented or not? Do you lump all 'settlers' together, and who cares what happens to them?
la la la
I do lump all settlers together but I don't want to see people harmed. Considering the horrors FNs have gone through for the past 500 years I believe that old grievances should be settled before more recent ones. Indiginous peoples have and are being slaughtered by the Mexican government. If that situation were taken care of there would be no Mexicans trying to find a better life in the USSA, because Mexico would be a peaceful place. That would mean no Arizona type laws. It's all connected see.
you can't spell arizona without the letters N, A, Z, I.
Um...there's no 'I' in wtf?
Sorry, couldn't help myself.
I'm glad that you can consider indigenous issues and the rights of others at the same time. I was just checking.
Mexicans travel to the US for work due to economic policies of the US which has succeeded in depopulating the Mexican countryside. Flooding the Mexican market with subsidized corn, for example, has impoverished Mexican farmers and driven them to El Norte. Of course, it's more than just cheap Yanqui corn, but you get the idea. There's plenty written about this. Reducing the migration issue to the actions of the Mexican government is just wrong. Do your homework and see if you don't agree with me.
Only when they become the new oppressor. But as I note, it's certainly OK to restrict a few human rights here and there in the interest of state security, eh?
Then direct your comment to the poster who brought up Cuba, thanks. It's soooo about reading for comprehension, thanks.
You were not the only person quoted. Details.
Image is banned by the way. Not by me, that oldgoat beat me to it.
from Angry Black Bitch
....
Racialicious has a blog post on this issue too.
1070 just requires local and state police to enforce existing Federal legislation. City mayors in states like Arizona are notorious for ordering their police to not enforce Federal immigration laws, or report illegals. Go look at the legislation, instead of making stuff up. This helps Mayors' and Councillors' campaigns, for Latino votes and donations from businesses that use illegal labor.
And stop with this 'undocumented worker' PC BS. A sovereign country, like the U.S., Canada, or Mexico, has the right to say who has access through its borders. People who are in the country illegally are 'illegal aliens', just like people who are in private property without permission are 'tresspassers'. Maybe you should throw open the doors to your house and let anyone in. The cops can then tell you that they can't do anything about the 'undocumented squatters', because 'no one is illegal'. And Mexico also has its own illegal alien problem, with Central American border-jumpers.
It's easy to call everyone 'racists' from 1,000 miles away, without living in the mess people in border states have to put up with. Ranchers have been shot by coyotes. Car jackings and thefts are an escalating problem. People are losing jobs to 'undocumented workers', because it's cheaper to hire low-wage, non-union workers with no benefits, payroll taxes or compensation. Swelling border town populations mean housing prices keep going up, the cost of food in stores keeps going up, but wages are falling from competition with cheap labor. Businesses LOVE illegal aliens, but working citizens get screwed. The schools are crammed with Spanish-only kids whose parents don't pay taxes, meaning the public school system is a mess. The ERs are clogged with 'undocumented workers' with no insurance, which means that the State government (meaning local taxpayers) ends up with the tab. Many of the illegals aren't 'workers', but criminals (coyotes, drug dealers, burglars, robbers, car thieves). Even ID theft is becoming a big problem. This is why around 70% of Arizona's voters support 1070, and even Texas, Utah, Ohio and other states are looking into similar legislation. Are you saying democracy is 'racist', because most ordinary voters support enforcing EXISTING immigration laws?
Just sit up there in your coccoon and sneer with contempt at the 'racist hicks' who are fed up with crime, crumbling social infrastructure, rising taxes and falling wages. Laws like 1070 are democracy in action, whether your elitist, PC sensibilities can stomach it, or not.
Right. Well, Snowbird, I think you've stumbled upon the wrong board. As an added plus, though, you get to be the first troll I ban. What a singular honour!
I get a sense that Arizona won't be seeing much of a drop in business from vacationing snowbird people as a result of this legislation. Perhaps it's just as well too, as we stand to enjoy the benefit of their absence for at least a little while.
Thanks in advance.
The people leaving Mexico INVOLUNTARILY are the indiginous people being disposessed by Mexican government-allied thugs. Your argument that the MG is not a player in this genocide is apalling. Trying to equate economic migration with genocidal migration is shameful!