It was really no surprise. Returning from a number of trips abroad, someone from the government hanging around the baggage claim always has managed to inquire as to where she was born or something like that -- just to hear her speak. I'm used to being embarrassed by and for my country and its undying suspicion of non-European genetics. Now of course, in Arizona, the State we usually passed through on the way to visit her brother, a retired US Army Colonel, she would be required to furnish proof of citizenship to any officer who used any pretext to stop us. My home state is hell bent to emulate them.
That's not the sad or the unexpected part of the story. That would be the fact that a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. national poll conducted a month ago showed 57 percent of Americans support Arizona's unconstitutional power grab, an attempt that if it had been backed by Democrats would surely be compared with Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin and Ted Nugent's favorite, Mao Zedong. Perhaps we can blame a lack of respect for citizens of foreign birth or for citizens with certain ethnic backgrounds or the appearance of it. Perhaps we can blame the smug attitude that "I'm blond, so what do I care?" Instead they're already trashing Obama for what they would have trashed him for had he supported it.
"The American people must wonder whether the Obama administration is really committed to securing the border when it sues a state that is simply trying to protect its people by enforcing immigration law,"said Senators Jon Kyl and John McCain in a joint statement as though any bad and illegal measure was justified by a legitimate problem. Representative Lamar Smith, Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (Republicans all) Piled on with the same arguments and attacks on Obama with all the enthusiasm of an 8th grade football team in response to the Justice Department's decision to sue.
Whether these gentlefolk really are so concerned with a real, but already decreasing problem or whether as usual, they're just trying to sabotage the Democrats even if it sinks the ship of state is impossible to tell, but of course I suspect the latter.
I do have to ask whether 57% of Americans would support the Federal Government's efforts in other important respects by allowing small town police to stop anyone and demand tax returns of anyone who appears too wealthy? I have to ask why the Tea Bag twits get away with insisting we're losing our freedom while supporting the loss. I don't have to get an answer however and I'm sure I won't. I'm also sure that nothing will ever induce me to visit that state again.
If there is one skill the radicalized GOP has mastered, it is spinning slogans that mean the OPPOSITE of what they say. Consider former President Bush's campaign slogan, Compassionate Conservative. If anything, there was nothing ethical, moral, or 'compassionate' about his presidency at all.
ReplyDeleteWhen these radicalized baghead sympathizers win public office, the first thing they do is advocate or institute draconian laws that oppress minorities and violate civil liberties.
Recent examples: The Republican AG in Pennsylvania who subpoenaed Twitter to silence a blogger who accused him of corruption. The newly elected Republican AG of Virginia who is abusing the powers of office to harass climate change scientists, who has ordered every public-funded college and university to shelve gay rights regulations, and who is now using his office to overturn HCR legislation.
Into this cesspool of GOP trash, lets throw in Orrin Hatch who advocates drug testing of all citizens receiving unemployment benefits, as if there were no Constitutional protection against illegal search and seizure.
And the current AG of Florida, another rabid homophobe who advocates an Arizona-style approach to harassment, ethnic profiling, and ethnic cleansing. The same AG who sent men with badges to my door because I dared criticized the Nazi thug in public.
Meanwhile, the rabble hordes scream, “I want my freedom back” which means they will beat the crap out of you if and when they get their chance. These are NOT the patriotic Americans they claim to be. They are the vilest scum in politics today who mean the opposite of what they say.
This behavior is so disturbing. It really galls me that officials would use physical characteristics to target certain groups.
ReplyDeleteAs I pointed out to some of my family members who were in favor of the AZ jackboot law, even our European father would not be immune once he opened his mouth.
If we lived in AZ we'd be making daily trips to the police station to prove his citizenship and he has been here more than 50 years!
If Florida passes something of that ilk, I'll buy myself the full mariachi regalia and learn to speak with a heavy accent -- and troll for cops. I figure that a good lawyer and a few bucks and I'll own this town.
ReplyDeleteThe days that I'm ashamed of my country are starting to blend in weeks, if not months sometimes. This "Papers please" law seems like a throw back to civil rights movement of the 60s. I agree that we need to solve this immigration issue but this Arizona law is not the way to do it.
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