Posted on 05/06/2010 6:50:19 PM PDT by SandRat
HOWARD FISCHER / CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and the Rev. Al Sharpton lead a march wearing "Los Suns" jerseys of the Phoenix Suns basketball team.
PHOENIX - Invoking the image of the civil-rights movement of a half-century ago, the Rev. Al Sharpton promised Wednesday to re-create it in Arizona if a new immigration law takes effect, filling the jails here with protesters engaged in civil disobedience.
Sharpton, in a speech to an overflow crowd at the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, said the first effort will be to overturn the law, known as SB 1070, set to take effect on July 29. It requires police to question those who they have reasonable suspicion are illegal immigrants. And opponents of the law are asking President Obama to reassert the federal government's exclusive authority to regulate who can come into the U.S.
"But I want you to know tonight that if those challenges don't stop this law, if the federal government will not intervene … then I want you to know that from all over this country we will bring people into Arizona," he told the crowd just ahead of a candlelight march on the Capitol.
"We will bring them in the spirit of the Freedom Riders," referring to multi-ethnic, religious and racial groups that descended on the South in the segregation era. He said they will walk the streets of Phoenix arm in arm.
"And if you lock up one, you'll have to lock us all up," he said.
Sharpton said the very nature of the law will lead to racial profiling, despite statements by Gov. Jan Brewer and other supporters that is not allowed and will not be tolerated. And he said those who are not Latino should not believe this is not their fight.
"If they do to Latinos today, they'll do it to your group tomorrow," he said. "If you open the door to a double standard for anybody, you open the door to a double standard for everybody."
And Sharpton had a special message for blacks who made up a large part of the audience.
"Let me tell you something: After dark, we all look Mexican riding down the street," he said.
Sharpton specifically chided Brewer, who has said those who criticize the bill have not read it. He said he had. But he said he also has read the Constitution and the Bible, suggesting they trump the statute.
Nor did he believe that, as someone not from Arizona, what is happening here is not his business. "When I came to … one of the spas and get a massage and tan - even though I was already tan - they told me, 'Welcome to Arizona,' " Sharpton said.
"But when I came in today, because they're trying to sanitize and legalize racial profiling, they tell me to mind my own business," he continued. "So let me get this right: If I want to give you my money, I'm welcome."
Brewer press aide Paul Senseman did not return calls seeking a response.
Border Ping
Who? Aren’t his 15 min up?
Who’s the middle linebacker, with the identical jersey standing to the left of Sharpton?
It’s been a while since I was reminded that Al Sharpton is an idiot.
I hear he doesn’t have a green card...
I seriously doubt this. If he did, he certainly didn't understand it.
Hey, Al! Don’t you owe a judgment for defaming someone? Over that Tawana Brawley thing a few years ago? You stiffed your creditor on that one, didn’t you? Never paid him what you were legally obligated to pay him, right? Al, you are a lowlife POS. I’ve taken dumps that have more character than you.
Jail would be a good place for Al. Better yet deport him with any of the illegals who get caught.
I have no problem with that. We have lots of extra tents.
Al “Shakedown” Sharpton...desperately trying to regain some shred of relevance in the post racial world...and still playing the race card, the only card in his deck.
It’s time to take back the country. A secure border is a good place to start.
Sharpton has a direct connection to Obama, In my opinion, he would not be agitating like this without Obama’s approval.
“Who? Aren’t his 15 min up?”
More than up. The problem is that he wants 15 more.
“But he said he also has read the Constitution and the Bible”
Al can read? Who knew.
I seriously hope that Al breaks some law out here that is a serious misdemeanor. Maricopa County judges have no sense of humor about these things, and six summer months in Joe Arpaio’s tent city would do Al wonders, as far as an attitude adjustment.
He’d probably lose 30 or 40 pounds of flab, on a healthy diet of bologna sandwiches and trail mix. And wouldn’t he look positively fetching in pink underwear underneath thick black and white prison stripes?
Never mind the oil leak in the Gulf. I wonder how many Barrels a day are coming out of Al’s head?
And for how long has it been polluting our land?
Miserable race baiter. God will judge him, don't you worry.
So long as the Jail is Sheriff Joe’s Tent City Jail.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.