Raising Arizona

I’ve been reading up on Mexican president’s Felipe Calderon’s visit to the US. He’s been ripping on the new Arizona immigration laws, though what he doesn’t acknowledge is the fact that the new AZ laws are not so very different from Mexico’s own immigration laws.

Illegal immigrants in Mexico typically hail from Central America. Mexico has repeatedly been cited by human rights groups for abusing or turning a blind eye to the abuse of illegal immigrants – which has included physical abuse, rape and kidnappings. Mexican police did little to stop this, and were well-known to seek bribes from suspects who wanted to avoid jail.

Until recently, Mexican law made illegal immigration a criminal offense. Anyone arrested for such a violation could be fined, imprisoned for up to two years and deported. Mexican lawmakers changed that in 2008 to make illegal immigration a civil violation like it is currently in the US, but their law still reads an awful lot like Arizona’s.

“It is a law that not only ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree but also introduces a terrible idea using racial profiling as a basis for law enforcement,” Calderon said. That smells funny to me. For one, AZ law specifically states several times throughout the bill that absolutely no racial profiling will be allowed. Secondly, Mexican law states that law enforcement officials are ‘required to demand that foreigners prove their legal presence in the country before attending to any issues’. Something also smells rank in the fact that Napolitano and Holder were among the first to blast the ammendments to AZ law, but had yet to actually read it. Have you read the new AZ senate bill? I have. Read here.

Dude… our first lady and YOUR first lady can’t even speak to a randomly-picked small group of second-graders without a little girl slipping the fact that her mother is here illegally. Watch video here.

I’ve said it a thousand times before – a spade is a spade is a spade. If I went to any of these countries – Iraq, Iran, Korea, Africa, Mexico, etc. – I would not only be tolerant of profiling, but would expect it. We are the only country I know of that doesn’t incorporate some sort of profiling in not only border security, but airport and homeland security as well. Get over the fear of offending someone already!! There’s no other countries out there worried about offending US!!

I received the following list in an email from my Dad, who informed me it seemed like blog material. I wholeheartedly agreed. Provided, of  course, I could run with it. 😆

I must show ID when:

1. Pulled over by the police
2. Making purchases on my department store credit card.
3. When I show up for a doctor’s appointment.
4. When filling out a credit card or loan application.
5. When applying for/renewing a driver’s license or passport.
6. When applying for any kind of insurance.
7. When filling out college applications.
8. When donating blood.
9. When obtaining certain prescription drugs.
10. When making some debit purchases, especially if I’m out of state.
11. When collecting a boarding pass for airline or train travel.
12. To prove I’m of age for alcohol purchase or consumption.

I’m sure there are more instances but the point is, we citizens are required to prove who we are virtually every day.

Why should people illegally in this country be exempt? For that matter, perhaps the liberals here can answer the question as to why we shouldn’t guard our borders as closely as every other country in the world does?

ARIZONA, I’ve become a fan. Go Governer Brewer. You stand strong now….