Stand with the ACLU in opposition of Arizona's racial profiling law

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Dear ACLU Supporter,

A lot of people are outraged about Arizona's new racial profiling,

"show me your papers" law. And today, the ACLU is taking action.

Just a few hours ago, we went to federal court to block this

discriminatory law from taking effect.

In the coming days and weeks, ACLU legal teams and advocates will go

all-out to stop this poisonous policy from taking hold in Arizona.

But right now, we need to know: will you stand with us?

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=1tRMwG-f5d6R9k3w64h9cw..

Racial profiling is a deeply-offensive affront to the American values

of justice and fairness. And using race to demand that people produce

"papers" to prove who they are is a police-state tactic that is

completely unacceptable in America. If we don't stop this law now,

similar ones could spread across the nation. Already, state lawmakers

in at least 10 other states have promised to bring similar bills to

their legislatures.

That's why we're taking Arizona to court, along with our partners the

Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the National

Immigration Law Center, and a number of other civil rights groups. Can

we count you in to fight with us as we take on this dangerous law?

Stand with the ACLU in opposition of Arizona's racial profiling law.

To help you show your public support for reversing this law, we'll

send you a free bumper sticker.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=HVj6yitBaNQFh--UdhQRhw..

Under the new law, Arizona police will be required to ask people they

stop for their citizenship papers based on "reasonable suspicion" that

they are in the country unlawfully. And by leaving "reasonable

suspicion" undefined, the law leaves police officers little choice but

to act on appearance and language, inviting a new wave of rampant

racial profiling.

Today, our lawyers took the first legal step to stop this law. And

we'll be organizing on the ground in Arizona, training volunteer

lawyers to help people defend themselves against racial profiling. We

won't stand by while this law transforms Arizona into a place where

anyone can be forced to "show papers" when they are stopped by police

just because of how they look or talk or dress.

Stop the racial profiling law today -- join the fight and get your

free bumper sticker.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=tR1mMK78vvaOly49Hog2hQ..

Racial profiling is unconstitutional, unacceptable and un-American.

But, we'll only stop extremism and injustice by acting together to end

them.

We need you on board. Can we count you in?

For justice,

Anthony D. Romero

Executive Director

ACLU

[HKofsesshoumaru 673]

I live in arizona so I understand the huge problem with illegals living here but there are some who are here legally just trying to make a living. People who work jobs that I know I wouldnt work. There was a huge outburst on our state capital over this and a lot of us arizona people are upset over this new law. Yes, they need to do something about this illegal issue like what McCain is talking about:finishing the fence and posting more border control staff at our borders BUT I have read that he is in total agreement of this new immigration law and Im not so sure voting for him will do Az anygood. Infact our immigratiion problem has a lot to do with arizona businesses hiring illegal immigrants. You see them everywhere here. A lot of local businesses are being hit because people are afraid to come to work or go out and shop. I hate illegals as much as anyone else and I feel their effects but If it passes I think it will have a real negative effect on our state.

Edited May 21, 2010 by HKofsesshoumaru

[slippers 3,168]

I wish the law passed here. I also live in one of southern states with "them" everywhere so it's a huge prob here too. It's not that I don't have issue with racial profiling but because of too many crimes committed by them. My brother's new car was vandalized, and my neighbors' houses been robbed couple times all within past 6 months alone after the new apartment complex was built near and many hispanics and blacks moved in there. I see new gang members hanging around at gas station, grocery stores, and urg my list can go on. They don't have to show papers to cops. Cops can check it and ship them back or to jail if they aren't trigger happy to shoot little girls or taser grannys. Whatever they deserve.

[Eli 474]

I wish the law passed here. I also live in one of southern states with "them" everywhere so it's a huge prob here too. It's not that I don't have issue with racial profiling but because of too many crimes committed by them. My brother's new car was vandalized, and my neighbors' houses been robbed couple times all within past 6 months alone after the new apartment complex was built near and many hispanics and blacks moved in there. I see new gang members hanging around at gas station, grocery stores, and urg my list can go on. They don't have to show papers to cops. Cops can check it and ship them back or to jail if they aren't trigger happy to shoot little girls or taser grannys. Whatever they deserve.

^This.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

okay....

what is happening in Az needs to stay there. replacing Jim Crow for Juan Crow is totally unacceptable in a "free" country where people's rights are supposed to be respected.

yes, I understand that there is crime and that the illegal community is a part of that. People have been fleeing Mexico because of the drug cartel wars for decades. Business owners hire the undocumented as cheap labor that they don't have to insure let alone put on the books.

Lets shimmy down the stripper pole and look at the source....

Our retarded drug policies, this stupid expensive violent War on Drugs has played soccer with a hornets nest since its conception. So long as a substance or weapons or whatever is illegal to possess or sell here in the US there will be a black market for for the shit. We literally pass on billions of dollars in revenue and choose debt instead to keep marijuana illegal. That is mutherfuckin retarded. Prohibition DOES NOT WORK it just creates an atmosphere of paranoia and violence. Much like our aggressive military actions (oh... say carpet bombings) send refugees fleeing their country to ours, its the same fuckin thing w this war on drugs and Mexico.

Recognize this is a war the US chooses to fight and yes there are casualties and lives destroyed. Shoot the dog in front of the kid over a little bit of marijuana. Yeah that's fucking great.

If weed was legal/taxable and substance was decriminalized enough to let everyone have a lil bit, we wouldn't have people being killed in the fuckin border towns as the cartels and gangs fight over black market distribution territory. We taxpayers wouldn't have a giant fuckin bill for prohibition enforcement. The number of our own citizens we throw in jail would sharply decrease, saving the taxpayers another dime. The prison industrial complex won't like that but tuff shit yo. Throw a substance abuser in jail and chances are they'll come out a real criminal. More court, more of our money being wasted cuz we criminalize the addicted instead of helping them.

Give me a fucking break.

And seriously, don't the police have enough to do? Now you expect them to do border patrol and immigration's jobs too? You gonna give the cops a raise? If Border Patrol or INS needs more people where you are then fucking hire them. Don't push their bullshit off on another department that already has its hands full. You really wanna have to wait for a cop after you've had a bad accident cuz he's checkin ppls papers? Fuck no. The police are there for the people of Az. Let the agencies created to deal with illegal entry and residency do their fucking jobs. The ppl down there need to take their anger and put it where it belongs, on the departments not doing a good job. If they need more money and people, find a way.

We're all willing to make PBO do something about the border and immigration, but not this. Show me your papers is not America.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

in geek:

when you rpg as yer character goes along chara gains allies and skills....

do that

[Kite 3,263]

I thought the drug problems with Mexico was to do with cocain and Heroin.

I dont blame people for supporting this bill,

Problem with racial profiling is the race part of it

But it doesnt mean it is incorrect.

Ive been mugged like 3 times in my life, and all the attackers (usually 2-4 people) were all black males aged 16-25

But police get criticised if they do random searches on black teens. yet a large % of street level crimes like mugging are committed by minorities,

Really valid points on the police, they are stretched thin, they work a lot of over time unpaid, and are practically hated by a lot of people for no reason

I think legalising marijuana would be a big step to end a lot of problems,

though io a side note, i dont get why human being are so messed up we always seek ways to alter our mental state via drugs and booze?..

Edited May 21, 2010 by Kite

[Khellendross 1,260]

You stop the war on drugs and Legalize Marijuana, you take away a potential source of revenue from the drug dealers etc who are causing the problems in Mexico, they lose money = they lose power. It's also a win for the government in the sense they can tax it and regulate it.

Now as for immigration. The AZ law is retarded. The Republicans are all for following the constitution until it doesn't benefit them anymore, then they toss it out the window. They claim HCR is unconstitutional yet the AZ law is fine? The constitution states that immigration control falls fully under the federal domain. Not that of the states.

A national immigration reform law would be great, yet atm too many republicans wouldn't let it pass, so as to score themselves political points in hopes of getting reelected this fall.

We NEED a path for legalization for those who have not committed any violent/heinous crimes. This country was founded on immigration. Unless yer a native American, yer an immigrant. Bashing Mexicans just because they want to live a better life, that's as Un-American as you can get.

[slippers 3,168]

And seriously, don't the police have enough to do? Now you expect them to do border patrol and immigration's jobs too? You gonna give the cops a raise? If Border Patrol or INS needs more people where you are then fucking hire them. Don't push their bullshit off on another department that already has its hands full. You really wanna have to wait for a cop after you've had a bad accident cuz he's checkin ppls papers? Fuck no. The police are there for the people of Az. Let the agencies created to deal with illegal entry and residency do their fucking jobs. The ppl down there need to take their anger and put it where it belongs, on the departments not doing a good job. If they need more money and people, find a way.

Really, they don't have to because illegal immigrants don't have a legit drivers license. It is cops' procedure when they stop someone and then to check on them. If they get caught, then they are arrested and send them to immigration detention center, not Judge Dredd ruling literally ship them off themselves lmao. No extra donuts payment necessary.

[Tristan9480 198]

I live in Alabama and it's pretty bad down here with illegals lol. My girlfriend works in a factory that will carry alot of them for sometime and then fire them when they are pressured to do so. A few times the same guy is fired and then shortly rehired under another social using a different name lol.

What's bad is alot of them openly joke about how they have fake/stolen social security paying no taxes and how they take advantage of programs like welfare, food stamps, medicaid..etc.

[Khellendross 1,260]

I live in Alabama and it's pretty bad down here with illegals lol. My girlfriend works in a factory that will carry alot of them for sometime and then fire them when they are pressured to do so. A few times the same guy is fired and then shortly rehired under another social using a different name lol.

What's bad is alot of them openly joke about how they have fake/stolen social security paying no taxes and how they take advantage of programs like welfare, food stamps, medicaid..etc.

Except they cant get into Welfare/Food Stamps/Medicaid w/o valid info. They do pretty thorough checks into those kinds of things. As for taxes, they pay payroll taxes just like you and I, however they cant file returns, so where you or I may get something back from the IRS, they get nothing.

[Tristan9480 198]

There are some that are able to get on food stamps through illegal means and also if they have a kid born in the united states that child from what I understand can receive food stamps where as the parents if illegal would not. This guy that I know was going around with information that he was 22 years old when he was 17 and was receiving food stamps while claiming a child as his. It's not very thorough as most think and dhr around here will even tell you they won't check your residence and various backgrounds(like if you told them you're paying so and so several hundred a month for watching your kids as long as there is a signed note) sources you provided.

I had a co-worker whose daughter's ex and father of her children was getting food stamps and she had know idea until she was told, which he didn't even have custody of the children barely having visitation rights.

I was just pointing out that some will go through alot of means to get the information they need if it takes to stealing the information they need.

[Tristan9480 198]

It's actually a real pain in the ass to deal with the government in getting help lol

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

You stop the war on drugs and Legalize Marijuana, you take away a potential source of revenue from the drug dealers etc who are causing the problems in Mexico, they lose money = they lose power. It's also a win for the government in the sense they can tax it and regulate it.

Now as for immigration. The AZ law is retarded. The Republicans are all for following the constitution until it doesn't benefit them anymore, then they toss it out the window. They claim HCR is unconstitutional yet the AZ law is fine? The constitution states that immigration control falls fully under the federal domain. Not that of the states.

A national immigration reform law would be great, yet atm too many republicans wouldn't let it pass, so as to score themselves political points in hopes of getting reelected this fall.

We NEED a path for legalization for those who have not committed any violent/heinous crimes. This country was founded on immigration. Unless yer a native American, yer an immigrant. Bashing Mexicans just because they want to live a better life, that's as Un-American as you can get.

Considering how bad the illegal problem is in Arizona (it's bad, I've lived down here for almost 3 years now and I've gotten to see how bad it is. Thank god I'm moving back to ND in July) I understand full well why it was passed. It really, the way I see it, has nothing to do with the republicans lack of caring for the constitution. It's more racial oriented than anything else, especially considering the general attitude toward illegals in Arizona and the general attitude towards Hispanics.

Sadly, considering how ass backwards this state is (nothing personal HK or any other Arizonans), I doubt they'll change their minds on the issue. I personally don't agree with it, mostly considering most of my friends/co-workers from work are Hispanic and are afraid of whats going to happen them since, as my co-worker said, "It's illegal to be Mexican now." Hell they passed a freaking law where you don't need a concealed weapons permit now, this state is going to turn into an all out war zone soon with all this shit going down.

Don't even get me started on the things the freaking Sheriff gets away with down here, it's completely ridiculous.

[slippers 3,168]

What's bad is alot of them openly joke about how they have fake/stolen social security paying no taxes and how they take advantage of programs like welfare, food stamps, medicaid..etc.

Arg..hits close to home. It was while back but when I was interviewing for a job the manager told me I already had 2 jobs so why do I need it more and I'm like wtf? I got out there and reported my SS but they said they can't really do anything because there were little info about it and told me it could just go away or check back 6 months later for any signs of activity. I got lucky though since that was the only one incident and he probably abandoned it after I reported it and moved to somebody elses'. Good thing my last name wasn't some fucking Martinez to ruin my credit.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

its a natural human response to fear or mistrust that which is different or unknown ~like an integrated society where white doesn't necessarily mean dominant or an energy policy where traditional fuels are disregarded.....

Its a normal response but our reasoning skills are supposed to compensate for that. Unfortunately the undereducated and bitter don't always balance it out and we end up with paranoid racists voting in tea baggin types who put garbage laws like this bad joke into play.

Its annoying to hear baggers carry on about the American Revolutionary War, the way they talk you'd think they were there personally. They'll piss and moan how we fought for our freedoms and then distort history to serve their needs. ex: War on Drugs vs George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper. And no America is not a Christian nation, our founders believed in separation of church and state.

This country already had a population of native Americans before Europeans arrived with diseases that killed about 10 million. Whitey proceeded to swindle, murder and repress the locals until we are where we are today with small reservations for America's real people scattered here and there.

The real true original skin color of this country aint pale beige, deal with it.

These same people dismiss slavery with a wave of their hand. They have no interest in acknowledging the vital role slavery played in the agricultural and economic development of this country. Rather then recognize they'd rather just hate and fear black people all the while ignoring that it was the whites in this country with their segregation laws that clumped the minorities into communities and our not so fab hippie ancestry moved into the poor communities where blacks lived and they brought all of their drugs with them.

If you're hired "under the table" there is no record of your employment, neither you nor your employer pay any tax on the wage you're paid. Rather then hating the dude working the shitty job so he can feed his family why not hate the tax cheating asshole that hired him? When I weed the garden I don't just pull off the top of the offending plant, I dig it out at the root.

Fraud is rampant everywhere; taxes welfare insurance banking etc. Its not just one color of people doing it. Wanna complain about supporting "welfare queens" that keep spitting out kids like pez, look at octomom or John and Kate (who would be on max welfare if she didn't have a show). More and more whitey religious nutters are pumping out big families to try to promote their white christian agenda. More and more they're getting help from the taxpayers. We aren't interested in letting children starve in this country so we have food stamps WIC and free school lunch programs; humanitarian aid. We don't go for the 'sins of the parents throw their children under the bus' mentality. You don't deny any child a meal or antibiotics because mom and dad don't have their shit together.

Makes me wonder if any of these baggin fucks know their own personal family histories. Just how far back in the past did their family become Americans? On my moms side I'm a 3rd generation American. My maternal great grandparents came here from Italy during the WW1 era. My dad's side has been here longer and there is native American in his gene pool. You can see the English in him but when that man gets a tan he looks like he just walked off the rez.

Without immigration I would not exists. This applies to pretty much everyone here in the states.

[slippers 3,168]

People are not against legal immigration. Sure this law will not fix the problem entirely but hoping it'll facilitate, but somethings gotta be done. I think this is one of those trials and errors law since the US govt will never secure its border.

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/politics/index.ssf?/base/politics-18/127446882269330.xml&storylist=politics

"Seventeen states now seek Arizona-style crackdown on immigrants"

Up to 17 states are now filing versions of Arizona's SB 1070 law, the hugely controversial measure to stop and detain suspected illegal immigrants.

Supporters of the Arizona law are delighted at the new efforts to target the undocumented

"Our national network of activists have been working overtime trying to help the state of Arizona and the brave Arizonans who have passed this bill," said William Gheen, President of Americans for Legal immigration PAC.

"Arizona no longer stands alone and we have now documented state lawmakers filing, or announcing they will file, versions of the Arizona bill in seventeen states! We will not stop until all states are protected from invasion as required by the US Constitution."

ALIPAC say they have documented the following 17 states that are following Arizona's lead – Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

"The Federal government has been hijacked by special interests that are neglectful of their duties and even hostile towards the rightful citizens of America," said William Gheen. "It is incumbent upon our states to protect American lives, property, jobs, wages, security, and health, when the Executive Branch fails to honor its Constitutional responsibility to do so by enforcing our existing border and immigration laws."

Edited May 22, 2010 by slippers

[Ladywriter 7,783]

the fed can't sit on their hands any longer. The push against illegals should show them how desperate we are to have this problem addressed.

Our National Guard should be protecting our border not Afghanistan's border esp if some folks consider us to be under invasion. They can be retrained for border patrol and INS jobs. Active duty in our country not someplace else. Border patrol IS a homeland security issue, money and manpower need to come out of the military. They need to stop sending our national guard away to fight these bullshitty wars. if the regular full time army navy air force and marines cant collectively handle the job them maybe we shouldn't be there

[Kite 3,263]

one thing i never understood and never will is why people feel threatened or violated having to identify themselves

In the EU, most countries but the UK have a national ID card, if stopped by police i have to show this card to them ( in Spain)

Do i care that they stopped me, was the 60 seconds of my time and the thanks from the officer, was it so detrimental to my mental state that i need to hire a solicitor to defend my rights to remain anonymous

Guys and girls, we live in a world where people abuse children, beat up old ladies, blow them selves up to kill bystanders, spend more money on drugs then food for our starving kids,

etc etc

if having to carry an ID card and spend 60 seconds talking to a police officer while they looked up ID reduced just one rape, or one murder a year, then fuck year i support it. As it could be your mothers, or daughters or lovers life saved.

Freedom is our right, as Optimus Prime once said, 'freedom is the right of all sentient beings'

but freedom doesn't come free,

In an ideal world, we shouldn't have to prove our identity, but since when was this world ideal

[Ladywriter 7,783]

If I'm pulled over driving my car for being blond and suspicious I have to give the cop my drivers license, proof of registration and insurance and he checks the window sticker for up to date inspection. There's no reason for me to carry more shit with my pic and info on it when I just handed buddy 3 different things with my address on it.

If I plan to leave the country I'll get a passport and ta-da more ID.

For non drivers and minors they can get a photo sheriffs ID.

The 5-0 needs a reason for askin me to produce my ID if I'm not driving. I have to be either victim criminal or witness of a crime for him to bust my chops.

I don't see why we need a national ID card. It would just be another $thing$ to renew every few years.

I can see where a nat id would work in a coalition of nations where theres a lot of travel between, but look at it this way dude. Texas is bigger then France and Alaska is about 2x the size of Texas. England covers 50,346 square miles, My state covers 54,475 square miles. Every state offers various forms of ID which is recognized in other states. I could drive anywhere with my NYS drivers license; if I move I can transfer all my ID to my new address even in another state.... for a fee of course To me a nat ID card is just another fuckin thing to renew pay for carry around. If the gov busted out with 'every dime raised on a nat id card is going into infrastructure spending' I might reconsider my position...

There was a big ol fuss n stink around here not too long ago over showing a passport at the border. There's a lot of back and forth between NY and Canada and ppl used to going back n forth with just a drivers lic pissed and moaned about having to take the time and spend the money to go get passports.

Conspiracy theories have ppl freaked out about a nat ID to....

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Elected Officials Arrested Protesting DC's Inaction on Immigration Reform

Assembly member Adriano Espaillat and City Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito were arrested today at an event organized by immigration reform advocates in New York. Also in attendance was immigration reform champion Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who promised to redouble her effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Representative Luis Gutierrez, the author of the House's only introduced immigration legislation, was arrested earlier this month at a protest in front of the White House.

Protestors in New York want President Obama to immediately halt the deportations that tear apart families and to take action to prevent the implementation of Arizona's discriminatory new law. Today's civil disobedience in New York is one of several happening nationwide. Last week in Seattle, protestors stopped traffic and blocked the entrance to a federal building. Tomorrow in Chicago, a city alderman and labor leaders will risk arrest when they march from Federal Plaza to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

"We wish more members of Congress had the courage of Assembly member Adriano Espaillat, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, and the 35 other New Yorkers arrested today. They're leaders for immigrants and get the magnitude of the crisis facing our country," said Rich Stolz, campaign manager for Reform Immigration FOR America. "Congress must show the political courage to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The longer they delay and make excuses, the more families will be torn apart by our ruinous and cruel immigration system."