Arizona has turned into a police state: 'Show me your papers'
I had a friend who isn't into politics, but would say that Bush's goal was to enact martial law over the country. I told her she was not based in reality. But this new law in Arizona gives the police exactly that type of power -- at least, if you look somewhat "brown."
I know it'll be targeted at Latinos, but I wouldn't doubt that it'll be used on anyone in sight if they happen to have a bug up their ass about you.
It’s being called the toughest crackdown on illegal immigration in the country. A bill requiring police to determine if a person is in the U.S. legally is expected to be signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.
Immigration advocate Isabel Garcia says the bill “legalizes racial profiling.” The author of the bill, state Senator Russell Pearce, says illegal is not a race – it’s a crime. Under the bill, police would be required to question anyone they suspect of being undocumented. The bill also targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them. Immigration advocates fear the Arizona legislation will set a precedent for other states.
Do you walk around with your passport in your pocket?
This Arizona law would be less crazy, though still offensively bad, if we actually, you know, had "papers," but we really don't. Lots of people don't have passports, and no one carries them around. Birth certificates are generally locked away somewhere.
Here's Sen. Pearce on FOX with Megan Kelly:
AZ Sen. Pearce: "'Illegal' Is Not A Race - It's A Crime."
Media Matters fact checks the new bill and gives us a full rundown: It Could Soon Be Illegal To Be In Arizona Without The Proper Paperwork
John McCain, who is fighting for his political life just loves the bill and he tried to pass immigration reform back when he called himself a "maverick."
Clarissa Martinez De Castro writes: We Need Progress, Not Profiling in Arizona
America's Voice has partnered with a ton of groups including the Border Action Network to collect signatures that demand Jan Brewer to veto the bill:
The anti-immigrant bill passed the AZ Legislature, and is now under consideration by Governor Jan Brewer. Community and faith leaders representing Arizona and the country will offer prayers and deliver more than 50,000 petitions calling on Governor Jan Brewer to veto the legislation.
Constitution of the US. Then stop worrying. Wait a minute--SCOTUS is corrupt. Rut-roh.
I don't have no badges.
I don't have to show you no stinkin' badges!
"Let's talk dirty to the animals"
But I don't "look" Latino, so I probably won't be asked. But hey, my family came here during the Civil War (father's side) and during WWI (mother's side). Many Latinos have ancestors who have lived in Arizona for longer than the state or even this country has existed.
C'mon "Navivists," what do you have?
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Just because they were here first, you want maybe we should offer them a reservation ?
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
In fact some members of my family have teased me about my getting accidentally deported one of these days.
I'd like to see them try. I've said before that if they did, they'd have a scandal on their hands since my Mexican ancestors were all here by 1880, and many were living in Texas already before the Texas Revolution, plus I have United States Native American blood on both sides of the family.
I'm not going to Arizona though.
Edit - Bad about not having documentation with me, that is.
I've never seen change without a fire
"But I don't "look" Latino"
Soon, it won't matter.
There is hope that Governor Brewer will veto the bill. Not a lot of hope, but there is hope. She has committed to do the right thing. In election year though, I have a fear of what the "right thing" is.
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.phoenixjustice.com
a bill that allows people to carry guns without a concealed carry permit. So I don't have high hopes.
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.
http://img220.imageshack.us/i/jjjp.jpg/
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
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What's the date today?
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Apparently...
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
1937
Tue, 04/20/2010 - 16:25 — fiver
What's the date today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGp0hCxSg98
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxfBBTWoNU
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B-R-A-V-O !!!
Well played, YSB.
The pic, the time stamp.
Purrrrr-fect !!!
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Starve the WAR Beast...
... Feed Americans.
Papers papers, where are your papers? Will we need permission to go thru checkpoints next?
Republicans are liars and simply cannot be trusted.
DUI.
Yes, but it's a dry totalitarianism.
You deserve a hand for that...
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
I second that. (So now we can clap.)
Reagan established a police state back in the 70s in CA. This is just more of an extension. Bush did a pretty good job of it in the nation frm day on in office.
Who will pick all of the sheetrock plants?
I live in Texas (yeah, I know), and my wife's family tree comes from Italy. The males all look very swarthy. Her kid brother was always bigger than her, and while working a manual labor job one summer, he got swept up in a raid that was looking for illegals. When he couldn't prove his citizenship (he was 14 and didn't yet have a driver's license), they were preparing to ship him "back" to Mexico City when he managed to talk a person into letting him call his Mom. She was royally pissed - they weren't even embarrassed.
And that was over 10 years ago. Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges...
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
This law will be used on anyone the Police feel like using it on.
Trust the cops? not as far as I can throw them
You've just proved your critics correct.
When Fascism comes to this country it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a bible.
Pretty soon it will be "Your Papers, Please" everywhere we go.
You've opened Pandora's Box you Christian GOP Goober Sheep.
You wear your Jack-boots proudly. I can hear you coming "Lunatic Fringe".
Obama is trying to take away your jackboots!
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
just backwards red states.
Aren't these the same people ranting about the constitution and freedom all the time. Sure wiping their rear ends on the constitution with this one.
I guess the constitution is only good when they want it to be.
We have a thing in the United States called probable cause.Just because you are Hispanic is NOT PROBABLE CAUSE to stop someone and demand identification.
Arresting and enforcing the law are completely different from this.
... the lower/looser standard of 'reasonable suspicion.'
Perhaps they think that avoids any messy constitutional issues or qualifies as state's rights, but the moment Brewer's signature is dry, there'll be a lawsuit against this piece of crap.
probable cause and unreasonable searches and seizures. This bit of legal bullshit will not stand. Unless Roberts and the other four like it.
...and raise you a fifth blindly Republican Justice.
judges comprising a majority on SCOTUS. Top that.
n/t
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I pointed out that these racist bastards in Arizona thought they'd be clever and write the law to the standard of 'reasonable suspicion.'
They will doubtless argue that these are the standards used to justify Bush's illegal wiretaps, and, thus, since illegal immigration is an issue of national security, it should also apply here.
And THAT is something Roberts/Alito/Scalia/Thomas might buy.
What does it say about "reasonable suspicion?" BTW, those 5 will buy anything they're told to "buy." They've gone way beyond the appearance of impropriety into "What are you going to do about it" territory.
Who is "they?" Not DOJ, by any means. Who do you think will challenge this? Maybe the ACLU.
... here on C&L.
And, yes, I'm thinking the ACLU.
Why don't you understand that the Constitution only applies to white Christian heterosexual males?
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
who is going to ask Mr. Pearce for his papers?
Wolf?
Hannity
Beck?
The law is the law, they came here illegally so they should be shipped back. Why should we pick and choose which laws should be obeyed?
... pulls you over for speeding, it's because he saw you speeding.
When you get a parking ticket, it's because you've violated the civic code.
This law allows officers to stop someone on a 'reasonable suspicion'. That's both unconstitutional, and it's pulling shit out of your arse to make a stop. Why would skin color or an accent be reason to believe someone is an illegal immigrant?
And, speaking of law as a pick-and-choose construct, if you insist immigration is non-negotiable, then torture isn't either. Let's have Bush and Cheney arrested.
have those two arrested, and obama while we're at it.
on subject though, i think there are valid reasons for national boundaries, and ours are pretty porous. that being said, asking people to prove their citizenship on a traffic stop is bullshit, if people are actually arrested for something, then check for legality, but this law is blatantly unconstitutional. this law gives any excuse for police to hassle people, suppose a US citizen forgot their wallet, or their purse, you gonna haul them downtown?
searches?
...you probably can't afford the price of freedom.
The same people that complain that no one should object to any law, always cry the loudest when the law gets turned on them.
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
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The powers of law enforcement derive from the people. Cops only have the right to stop or detain you for probable cause that a crime or violation has been committed. OK, it could be something very minor like crossing the white line at the edge of the road, or having a nonfunctioning taillight. Otherwise, cops are supposed to leave civilians alone. We do NOT live in a police state (well, except for Arizona) and are not to be stopped except for motor vehicle violations. Well, apparently in Arizona you can be stopped, period. See how you like being on vacation and being stopped for no good reason other than you have dark hair. Would YOU like being profiled? We didn't.
or if the cop says they were fleeing it would be probable cause.
"Cops only have the right to stop or detain you for probable cause that a crime or violation has been committed. OK, it could be something very minor like ... having a nonfunctioning taillight."
You obviously have never been an outsider in one of these types of areas. Why do you think they carry the billy clubs? It's not to control YOU, they use the gun and/or taser for that. The club is used to insure that you DO have a broken tail-light if you raise a ruckus about being stopped. I've seen it way too often for it to be funny anymore.
[I may just have stuffed cotton for a brain, but even I know this is just wrong...]
If these people are committing these crimes but are not being arrested how do you know they are committing the crimes? Rush say so?
A 'sanctuary city' isn't a get out of jail free card. If someone commits a crime (driving without a license or insurance, drunk driving, domestic abuse, reckless driving) they are dealt with, just like everyone else.
A 'sanctuary city' means that they won't have immigration called on them and thrown out of the country because of it.
especially since we have 18 million unemployed, but this is not the way to do it.
now, pastor steven anderson lives in arizona, what will he do if they ever ask him for his papers?
If you've done nothing wrong, what do you have to worry about? That's sarcasm, folks :P
may have to do with the drug war across the border
http://exiledonline.com/mexican-drug-war-inte...
of course if the weed was legalized, it might take some of the steam out of the illegal drug trade. they have had murders in AZ tied to the cartels.
Just sayin'.
"Better." It's what we should ask of ourselves and of our leaders.
To those pointing out it's okay for police to arrest illegal aliens, that isn't really being questioned. What IS questionable is the legalization of racial profiling,(stereotyping) which can be applied at the enlightened discretion of the constabulary. Is anyone stupid enough to believe that it will be confined to any certain group of people? How about people of asian, native American, African American, middle eastern ancestry?
I'm sure such citizens in AZ can't be feeling safe right now, however impeccable their descent. Further, such subjective process can be used quite handily at demonstrations, accidents, or ANY scene involving the police, at any time.
This is the thin end of the wedge toward "national identity cards" wherein all legal citizens will be required to prove their citizenship.
The despicable racism, bigotry and hatred driving such un-American legislation is a cancer that is spreading everywhere and has to be stopped by all of us. This will be coming to your state, and soon.
Do you want to see your family and friends beaten and harrassed to no purpose, just because some cop thinks they don't look "American"? We have to stop this.
In the state of Virginia you could be sent to the work farm to work off your fine. They made so much money by the labor of the prisoners that you went to the farm if you did not have the money in your pocket to pay the fine. No phone call no paying after that point.
They made bricks, tended gardens, raised livestock, I am not sure of all the things they did there. As close as I ever got was laying rail road rails behind it. There was a tall fence and towers every 200 yards or so. You could see the guards in the towers, sometimes holding a gun. Seems like the congress enacted a law saying you could not be jailed for a traffic violation you did not have the means to pay. I gusee it was bad in Georgia with the chain gangs. I knew a guy a long time ago that didn't even want to stop for gas in Georgia.
there was a whole PBS show on it, they had convicts working in brick kilns, steel mills, all kinds of stuff. profit deal. convicted of stuff like "reckless eyeballing"
Maybe we could make all those arrested Mexicans pick vegetables, wash dishes, and clean motel rooms.
Man, they'd really hate that. I'm sure less of them would come across the border.
Unless you're brown, black, gay, Muslim, pro-choice....
... common sense prevailing over hate/fear, let's not forget we have a history of this kind of nonsense. The Chinese Exclusion Act stood for decades.
This will be challenged in court, but don't hold your breath for a quick resolution.
cancel it. I know I will never go there with this law on the books.
Nope...
My doctors at the VA tell me I have to avoid sunlight...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
...until the governor signs it.
I detest discrimination of any kind - but noone is addressing the eminent problems of our open borders with God know who crossing illegally, or the drug & people smugglers killing people and turning our borders into the wild wild west. Why is it all about "profiling" - I would gladly show my ID to prove my legality, if someone is innocent, not to worry. These are extreme times callig for extreme measures and those who object to someone trying to produce some semblance of a solution, should come up with 1 or 2 themselves - or shut up
Woody McBreairty
There's a fear that the Mexican Drug Cartel Wars could spill over our border states
And the worst part is, they're buying their weaponry at American gun shows, which here in the Metroplex seem to be constantly on-going.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y6TpPz3YuQ
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
next you'll tell me wiretapping and readings emails is only being done on furiners.
WE are especially unsure of our core values, however.
... is not proof of your nationality. Really.
The standard to which the law is written - 'reasonable suspicion' - is a weaker, lesser one than what is set forth in the 4th Amendment to protect us against unreasonable search and seizure of our selves, our property, and our effects.
So what comprises a reasonable suspicion? Speaking Spanish? Skin color? Standing on the corner with friends?
What we keep hearing is this 'extreme measures for extreme times' HORSESHIT. This is the exact same garbage used to justify the Chinese Exclusion Act - the Chinese were going to come here in droves, take away our jobs, consume our resources, pollute our cities, teach their heathen ways to our children, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And I do have a solution: enforce the laws on the books. Penalize employers who harbor or utilize illegal workers, and I'm not talking the family down the block with the Hispanic nanny.
in some half-assed law. Reasonable suspicion cannot be the standard here.
But it didn't stop Bush.
It didn't stop the wiretaps, the torture, the indefinite detention.
THe folks out there who think this is a good idea simply don't understand the difference between reasonable suspicion and probable cause. Makes it easier to steal their rights out from under their noses.
of playing along with the con game? We need to clearly and honestly define terms, and NOT simplify and lower the definitions to accommodate the ignorant.
Reasonable Suspicion with Probable Cause as if it means the same thing.
It's known as lowering the threshold of a law so more people are liable to be caught in the net as they drag it across the population landscape.
!
What if their citizens felt the same way about American soldiers?
... though it's Iran, not Iraq.
Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal, and Sarah Shourd are being held as SPIES.
And the fact that BushCo did something screams that the opposite should be done now.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj307/pany...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
if there will be a " surge " in job app's " for cops in AZ .
every time you throw a little mud , you lose a little ground .
It's nauseating to me that my aunts, uncles, and cousins could be stopped based on what they look like.
I have been wanting them all to abandon Arizona for sometime now, and now they finally see the writing on the wall.
I won't be visiting my great-grandparents' graves or any of my living relatives who stay behind until Arizona screws its head on straight.
I've never seen change without a fire
a nut case state.
They're just setting things up in case Obama ever visits AZ. Then they will demand to see his birth certificate.
It's also a money-saving plan. Since no one will ever want to visit AZ again, they can close down their board of tourism.
This country is collectively going nuts . The right wing / Repugs are making good progress .
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John Amato,
I am really scared about Arizona. Couple this with the more recent lifting of concealed weapons PERMITS. Watch the rise of vigilante cases; Murders of "SUSPECTED" illegal citizens...
... A-la "Bagdad back-alley justice" style.
Now, triple down on the ever more recent Arizona Legislators considering requiring President Barack H. Obama to provide his "Long Form" to even BE on the November '12 ballot.
WTF has happened to this once Great Nation?
Has One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest become our waking nightmare all of a sudden?
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Starve the WAR Beast...
... Feed Americans.
I wrote them to tell them I would be happy to stay out of their paranoid state forever.
*
one of the states with the greatest budget problems. Do they really think that this will encourage more people to move or visit there ? Their housing market will not recover any time soon and now their tourism will stay in the toilet. At what point will the nutjobs be held accountable ? With most of the intelligent leaving (if they can afford to)I guess the ones left won't get it and we'll be reading about this for years. I no longer have any desire to visit and spend any money there.
They are selecting themselves for failure, same as Mississippi and Texas.
Arizona is clearly going to be a state to avoid spending any money in on vacations, business, conventions etc.
New Arizona State Motto: "Lick a jackboot today! Let the polish of life rub off on you!".
Arizona Law enforcement: "Your paypahhhzzz, Pleece!"
Me: "Sorry Dude, I've only got a pipe".
Arizona can become its own little country if it would like to for all I care. However, they're gonna have to give the Grand Canyon up. We're keeping that.
What do we want? The Canyon! When do we want it? Now!
And John McCain will now resign from OUR Senate. Now!
What do we want? Resignation! When do we want it? Now!
All illegal immigrants caught under the new law will be supplied with tattoos on their arms in order to prevent re-entry into the country. Railway transportation will be provided.
NAFTA is driving 6 Million people off the land in Latin America..as Ms. Garcia said.. of course NAFTA has wrought destruction in the US too.. capital on both sides of the border has been the beneficiary of the pain of people..
We need workers here, demographic projections make the threat to Social Security clear.. if we allow migration to be illegal, then capital does not have to abide by wage and environmental protections for workers who are here illegally and also drives down the standards which workers in this country have won.. in effect, capital is able to create a new drone class (fortified by industrialized food and stultifying media).
Of course, capital is impersonal. So what if capital is pension funds as well as personal investments.. it has the same demands. So what if it is held by some of the same unions which represent the very workers being assaulted here, by some of the very people such as me who oppose its behavior. Captial doesn't care but we should..
That one dude is right, illegal is not a race, but profiling or not, this is just stupid.
That "Duncan" person hit the nail on the head: nobody carries any "papers" other than a DL - some might not even carry that every time.
And so basically this is a law mandating the carrying of passports or birth certs at all time? Forget "profiling", "racism", "read the Constitution you evil bastards"....its more like: "get your heads out of your ass, idiots". Gawd.
Fuck Arizona! Not worth going there ever.
thats true too.
If I were a law-abiding, tax paying Latino, I would invest in some hidden spy technology in my vehicle and boom, you'll bankrupt a couple of counties...
Every week in my state, Oklahoma, there's a story or two about some white guy at a local Wal-Mart taking cell phone pictures up little girls skirts. Yet, not a single WHITE government official would even dare set-up a law that would require local police to randomly search the computers/homes/vehicles of "suspicous" looking white guys...
"Show me your papers Glen Beck" aint haven a good day/life.
Glen show me your papers Beck is out of the shadows now.
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