AZ-Sen. 2010: Hate the Law, Not Arizonans (Meghan McCain attacks conservatives as "wingnuts")

The Daily Beast ^ | 2010-04-26 | Meghan McCain

[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.

[Shery]

My husband just stated that if the democratic party will accept John McCain, we’ll throw in his daughter for free!

[kbennkc]

Ordinarily I would not want to make comments about the personal appearance of a fat saddled airhead rich privileged piglet but this tub of gut grease is making normal healthy children like Michelle Obama's have night mares about turning into a 4-H project animal . Children who see her waddle around with that Hermaphrodwarf Bill Maher could develop an eating disorder . She is not even the kind of fat that could be considered sexy if you were Butters or had a bottle of tequilla down your neck and were sure nobody would find out . She is a solitary ignoramus who should never reproduce .

[Bluebird Singing]

True, but McCain being the RINO that he is, Arizona voters beware of his suddenly conservative bent: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

[Jabba the Nutt]

"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."

Gee whiz, Meghan McCain doesn't like being unfairly attacked. Welcome to our world Meghan. Too bad you didn't notice unfair attacks earlier (going back decades).

Second, Meghan, what you are saying here is that your pals, the liberal media and big federal government haven't been doing their jobs. The media hasn't been reporting the news (again going back for decades) an the Feds haven't been securing the borders (for decades). It's nice of you to notice.

Gee, Meghan, why don't you ask your Dad, why the Feds haven't been securing the borders? He's provided support for that failure (for decades). He's attacked people, who wanted to secure the borders as bigots, nativists, etc., etc., etc. Meghan, you could've influenced this situation through your Dad more that by writing op-eds, but you didn't.

I'm glad to see your an Arizona Patriot standing up for your fellow Arizonans. I'd just like to see your concern and support extend to Republicans and conservatives.

[screaminsunshine]

7 of ten Arizonams are now “wingnuts”. I wonder what will happen in November? Voters do not like being insulted on a daily basis.

[Neidermeyer]

Her “friend” is imaginary , a device she uses to put some distance between herself and the statement ,, just like when you mention “your friends” problem to your doctor... make no mistake , those thoughts are hers ,, they have been reflected in her socialist/progressive talk for over a year now.

[Fee]

JD better take snips of her remarks, repackage it into a attack ad and put McCain in a spot.

[pnh102]

This is going to be one of those times when I wish Miss McCain would speak much, much louder. Make sure everyone in the great state of Arizona knows exactly how her daddy feels about illegals, even if he insists on... lying outright... about how he feels about this subject.

Keep talking Meghan!

[Darkwolf377]

Her “friend” is imaginary , a device she uses to put some distance between herself and the statement ,, just like when you mention “your friends” problem to your doctor... make no mistake , those thoughts are hers ,, they have been reflected in her socialist/progressive talk for over a year now.

Do you know this for a fact or are you assuming this?

[Darkwolf377]

I have to laugh at the people who are still trying to pass off the right as loons. They may have been able to get that over on people before, but can anyone look at the healthcare thing (put over by hook or by crook, and less popular now than when enacted), Obama’s putrid abortion position, his inability to get ANYWHERE with our enemies and his power to alienate our friends, and the dems’ incredible lust for taxes and say those on the right are somehow the loons?

[cake_crumb]

"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."

The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree.

[Neidermeyer]

Do you know this for a fact or are you assuming this?
******************************************************
I’m basing this on over a years worth of Meghans incoherent socialist rantings and her repeatedly expressed hatred of true freedom. But I’ll bet you anything that it is 100% correct, in fact I’d bet “her friend” with those thoughts is JOHN McCAIN. It is undeniable that even if someone else did utter or write the words that SHE is repeating and amplifying them as they are her thoughts also. She should stick to what she’s good at ,, hang out with Chastity Bono and Ariana Huffington and scarf down a platter of bon-bons.

[cake_crumb]

"Maybe a road apple."

Now I don't care who you are, that's just funny!

[SF_Redux]

first two years of most colleges is dedicated to removing common sense that might have been installed by life itself up to that point

[DennisR]

“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.”

So, Meghan, what is the answer? It is apparent you have none.

[CriticalJ]

Go away Meghan. Go back to your boy toys and condos. Take John with you.

You can anywhere you want and don’t have to compete with anyone for a job, especially and illegal immigrant who can undercut wages significantly.

Just go away.

Oh, and take Steele with you too.

[Darkwolf377]

I have no love for her, but putting something like that in a post, where one is clearly offering opinion, is one thing, while putting it in the headline is misleading, and is the type of thing someone would use against FR to request articles no longer get posted here. You don’t want to admit it but indeed that is your opinion, and should be clearly marked as such in the header just to cover FR.

[pointsal]

Muzzle...no way.... unleash the bitch....

Best walking advertisement for J.D. that I could imagine.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Arizona is being shown in a negative light in the media...

Tough beans. Illegal means illegal.

[dead]

Arizona's official seventh grader checks in with her trademark insight.

"Ummm, it a real problem and everything but ummm we shouldn't do anything that will make anybody think we're not nice or something. It's a really hard problem you know!"