Posted on 04/26/2010 1:12:51 AM PDT by rabscuttle385
My home state’s new immigration law may be seriously flawed, but it’s trying to solve a serious problem.
Although I live in New York City, I still consider Arizona, where I was born and raised, to be my home. So for the past week, when it seems that my entire state came under fire from the national media because of its controversial new immigration law, I’ve found myself very protective of Arizonans, as I try to reconcile not only the politics but the emotions behind that law.
Let me say upfront that I do not support the bill that was signed by Governor Jan Brewer. I believe it gives the state police a license to discriminate, and also, in many ways, violates the civil rights of Arizona residents. Simply put, I think it is a bad law that is missing the bigger picture of what is really going on with illegal immigration. The concept that a law-enforcement official can stop an individual when “reasonable suspicion exists that a person is an alien, who is unlawfully present in the United States” is essentially a license to pull someone over for being Hispanic.
But I also understand why this law came into existence in the first place. Due to the continued failure of the federal government to secure Arizona’s borders, along with the rampant drug smuggling that has gotten increasingly worse over the years, emotions have been running high. However, the issue seemed to hit a fever pitch when a prominent Arizona rancher, Robert Krentz, was shot and killed last month by someone who was believed to be an illegal immigrant. I was in Arizona when Mr. Krentz was killed and it was major news, bringing the issue of drug smuggling and illegal immigration front and center in state politics. The murder eventually led both Gov. Brewer and my father to call for federal officials to send more National Guard troops to the Mexican border.
Thus far, I think that both Arizona legislation and the national media have done a poor job articulating the real problems with illegal immigration in Arizona. And like all things in this country, partisan politics is getting in the way of actually solving the problem in an effective manner. I emailed a good friend of mine who lives in Arizona and also works in politics to ask him what he thought of the law and he answered: “Arizona is ground zero for the wingnuts. There’s a problem with illegal immigration and no one wants to do anything constructive about it so you get crap like this.”
And when a flawed law is magnified through the prism of extreme partisan politics, it only looks worse. With President Obama calling the law “misguided” and the mainstream media painting Arizona out to be a rogue state, all it does is make people go to greater lengths to defend their position. I think unless you are from a border state and have actually seen firsthand the effects illegal immigrants have on your community, I don’t think you can truly appreciate the complexities of the problem and how it should be litigated.
In the end, the saddest part for me is that we are all losing with this immigration law. Arizona is being shown in a negative light in the media, and once again Hispanic voters in Arizona have yet another reason to distrust the Republican Party. And the issue of immigration has now become so politicized that I seriously wonder if anything can be done to combat the real issues. In the meantime, Arizona ranchers are being shot and killed and very little has been done to prevent it from happening again.
Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the website mccainblogette.com.
McCain better muzzle his daughter. Could cost him the election.
I hope Meghan continues talking - it helps JD!
I wonder where folks think she learned that.
Appleette falleth not far from tree?
Maybe a road apple.
What really bothers me is that we Really seem to have some type of Royal Succession problems within this country!
Who the hell is Megan McShame and Why is she relevant?
I am seeing it more and more with this Royalty CRAP!
TED KENNEDY’S SEAT is/was a prime example of how these people think!
Wives’s taking over their dead husband’s seat.
Nephews, Brother’s, Daughter’s, Sister’s .. etc. etc.
You are seeing it more and more!
It is time to Pry these ‘Entitled’ Bastards out of “Their” seats and Throw their asses out of power!
Let them ‘and’ their kin .. work for a living .. just like the rest of us ‘ordinary folks’!
Hey there Ms Airhead, guess what?
Your demented old man is a major PART of the problem, and that is why “it’s time for him to go!”
Meghan should be doing lunch with Arianna Huffinpuffinton, although the vacuum created by their combined yammering and sputtering could create enough of a low pressure system to spawn more tornadoes.
Since more than 70% of the voters approve of that measure, calling them wingnuts is not going to help McCain’s election chances.
Great news, I say!
Keep yapping Meghan! Keep yapping!!!
Ole John McM... poor guy... had to constrain two women... one on the right and one on the left... too bad he chose to trash the one on the right.
" I emailed a good friend of mine...and he answered: “Arizona is ground zero for the wingnuts. There’s a problem with illegal immigration and no one wants to do anything constructive about it so you get crap like this.”
She's a freakin' idiot, but she didn't do what your headline says.
She called them wingnuts through a third “good friend” party. Get it?
Royalty CRAP!
Went away with the revolution, in theory.
Oh its ok for her to profile conservatives??? but not illegals??
She needs to name names or it didn’t happen.
Until then, IMO, she fabricated the exchange to express her own opinion.
I think I said the same.
McCain is running for two reasons. First, he is an egomaniac. Second, he wants to keep his senate seat warm for his daughter. It is greatly to be hoped that JD beats the tar out of him, which then should put an end to the daughter’s political aspirations once and for all.
Definitely one for Hayworth vs. McCain — Primary Headline Roundup
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2456305/posts
[Over 200 posts/links]
Jan Brewer is on top of things
Here’s a sample of whats happining in AZ
In 2003, according to the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles, 57,600 cars were stolen in Phoenix. It is now the car-jacking capital of the world. Most were SUV’s and pickup trucks. At a conservative average of $15,000.00 per vehicle, owner losses exceeded $864 million. Insurance companies in the state suffered incredible claims from policyholders.
Worse, how would you like to walk out of your home or business to see your car gone? Imagine the hassle, violation of your hard work and disrespect for your well being.
Where did those vehicles go? Who stole them? Take a guess. Arizona is the temporary home of 500,000 illegal aliens. They cost Arizona taxpayers over $1 billion annually in services for schools, medical care, welfare anchor babies, loss of tax base and prisons. Illegals use those vehicles for smuggling more people and drugs from around the world into our country. When the vehicles are recovered, they are smashed-up wrecks in the desert. If not found, they have new owners south of the border as thieves drive the cars through the desert and into Mexico as easily as you drive your kids to soccer practice. THAT’s how porous our borders are!
Were also the Kidnapping capitol — and the Fed will not help.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty2.htm
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