In an editorial from Austin American Statesman about the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 the column reads “Despite attempts by Arizona state officials to assure that a tough state immigration law will be fairly enforced, a question Gov. Jan Brewer failed to answer indicates otherwise.
Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which takes effect in 90 days after the state's Legislature adjourns in May, authorizes state and local peace officers to stop people if they have a "reasonable suspicion" — the law doesn't define "reasonable" — that the people are in the country illegally.
"Reasonable suspicion" is a broad standard that legal scholars say invites racial or ethnic profiling, the brunt of which will be directed at Latinos, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.
The Arizona Senate Bill 1070, is totally unconstitutional! It is unfair for Gov. Jan Brewer to target the Hispanic community. There are White, Black and Brown skin Hispanics. How can anyone be trained to make this distinction. My family is Hispanic, but if you were able to look at them, most of them are light skinned with colored eyes, my brother however, looks the opposite, his skin is really dark and his eyes are black making him look Puerto Rican. So how can a trained Peace officer make this distinction? I really want to know?
With the exception of the Native Americans, everyone else came here from other countries, Ireland, England, Germany and yes even Mexico. This country was founded by immigrants, were they here legally? We all want to prosper and to become successful. This is a free Country. We should have the Freedom to go anywhere without fears. But with this new bill, anyone that resembles someone with dark skin and dark hair will feel uncomfortable and yes, even frighten. I am a U.S Citizen, born in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois from a Mexican Heritage. Personally, I get a bit frightened when I see a cop car, is my normal instinct, I always feel that I have to be even more careful for fear of getting a traffic violation, not that I am doing anything wrong but the uncomfortable feeling is there. I can only image how hard it will be for people in Arizona how are they going to feel if they have dark skin, hair and eyes when they see a peace officer. It will not be a good feeling.
Why are Hispanics the only ones getting target anyways? How does an immigrant look? The Bill 1070 sounds more like a reason to discriminate than anything else. When Gov. Jen Brewer was ask what reasonable criteria could be used to establish suspicion of someone's legal status, she answered: "I don't know. I do not know what an illegal immigrant looks like." Well who does? How can anyone be trained?
In the Editorial President Obama said “The law is misguided, the U.S. attorney general will review the law for potential civil rights abuses”. Thank you President Obama for standing up for what this great country is known for.
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Children are Watching
ReplyDeleteby stopdainsanity2
When I entered kindergarten – I was put into a class for the mentally retarded. Because my skin was brown my teacher assumed I did not speak English and required special bilingual support which was not available at the time. Yes – I was a Mexican-American citizen child AND I spoke English.
It literally took 2 weeks for my parents to force the school to place me in the mainstream kindergarten class — even though I could respond to questions in English. At the time if was easier for frustrated- overworked teachers (not bad people) to send me to the special needs class – no questions asked – based on my skin color. Although the error was corrected, as a child I never lost the feeling I was not welcomed and somehow my rights as a citizen were not equal to those of white americans. Be careful – children are watching.
In Arizona Immigration law is far from reasonable, a commentary written by my collegue Cynthia states that the immigration law is unresonable. The new series of laws passed in Arizona orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and are subject to question if they are reasonably suspicious. It also targets those who hire illegal laborers or knowingly transport them. This doesn’t create racial profiling, the bill was passed simply to cease illegal immigration. If you arn't illegal you should have nothing to hide, it's just another form of id you are required to keep on you so really it's effortless. If I were to leave the country I would need to have my "papers" on me, big deal, so how is this any different. Legislators' knew people would immediatley bring up race so it's already been built into the bill that a person cannot be questioned based on race. The laws need to be enforced so people can start taking our laws seriously.
ReplyDeleteI give props to Arizona for being brave enough to stand against illegal aliens due to the Federal Government’s failure to control the border’s of this country.
Americans have fought for every right we have, and Obama wants to give these rights to people who are bankrupting our schools, hospitals, prisons, and our welfare system. I don't know about everyone else but I am tired of working and having my taxes and social security used to support people who are not a legal part of the USA. Don't get me wrong, I'm welcome to foreigners coming here as long as they are willing to go through the process to come legally, adapt themselves to our laws and customs, and learn English.
Our government has been careless allowing millions of foreign nationals to enter and work in this country. It has to stop and Arizona shouldn't be criticized for acting where our federal government hasn’t. I hope this new law in will spread to every state. What part of the word ILLEGAL is confusing? The bill is passed not to foster racial profiling but to enforce the law! Russell Pearce couldn't of put more perfect, “Illegal is not a race, it’s a crime!”
I agree with this I thought this was a free country I would have never thought that the US would target just once race. I am not sure I understand the whole presses all I know is most of my family is Mexican although I am not, and it is not fair to them to be looked down upon. They are just as good and hard working as anyone else. I feel like it is all about stereotype these days. I really wish it was not.
ReplyDeleteA few points -
ReplyDelete"If you aren't illegal you should have nothing to hide" - So do you feel the Police should have the right to search you, your property, or monitor your phone calls and internet activities? Because if you haven't done anything wrong, what do you have to hide? Where do you draw the line?
"If I were to leave the country I would need to have my "papers" on me, big deal, so how is this any different?" - It's different because the people being asked to carry papers are citizens, not visitors. You are assumed guilty until proven innocent.
"Legislators' knew people would immediately bring up race so it's already been built into the bill that a person cannot be questioned based on race." - Do you think an Anglo is going to have their citizenship questioned? Of course not, so therefore they won't be required to carry around citizenship papers. The law is going to require racial profiling by it's very nature.
"Americans have fought for every right we have, and Obama wants to give these rights to people who are bankrupting our schools, hospitals, prisons, and our welfare system." - The rights that Americans have fought for are not rights exclusive to American citizens. To quote Thomas Jefferson "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights...[insert Declaration of Independence & Bill of Rights]"