Arizona immigration law sparks civil disobedience (in NYC)

[pampango]

Source: NY Daily News

Former CNN blow-hard Lou Dobbs, who made a career out of vilifying immigrants, was honored by the Women's National Republic Club on Monday. Ironically, on the same day, 16 prominent New Yorkers, outraged by Arizona's racist immigration law, engaged in an act of civil disobedience and were promptly arrested in lower Manhattan.

"Our current immigration laws are so unjust and so immoral that people of conscience will no longer abide by and be complacent in the injustices committed by the government in our name," said Bishop Orlando Findlayter, chairman of Churches United to Save and Heal, the lead organizers of the action, in front of 26 Federal Plaza, and one of those arrested.

Others to get hauled away by the NYPD included City Council members Ydanis Rodríguez and Jumaane Williams; Estela Vázquez, SEIU 1199 executive vice president; Deycy Avitia of the New York Immigration Coalition, and Susan Julia of the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City.

Speakers criticized the Obama administration's rampingup of deportations and condemned the Arizona law that legalizes racial profiling and criminalizes immigrants. "We've done the marches, the rallies, the calls, the faxes, but still our message is not getting through," said Chung Wha Hong, the New York Immigration Coalition executive director. "Monday's civil disobedience is only the beginning because the level of frustration and anger is reaching a new height. People are willing to put their bodies on the line around the country."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/20/2010-05-20_arizona_law_sparks_civil_disobedience.html

[protocol rv]

1. Maybe NYorkers should read the law

There's nothing that encourages racial profiling in that law. Also, it makes sense to enforce the existing laws in the books, and gradually remove all the illegal aliens. As I understand it, poll results show the majority of the American people support measures to remove illegal aliens, who take jobs from poor Americans. So why are these elites in NY stabbing the US worker in the back? Because they want profits, and to profit they need cheap labor.

[SoapBox]

2. So will they remove...

Are they going to remove persons of ALL other colors from Arizona?

Like those from any place in the world OTHER than Mexico...say, that have
over stayed visas for work or school? We know that they are here.

It's laughable to see you and others say, "gradually remove all the illegal aliens." So just HOW
exactly are you gonna dig out anyone illegal? Seems that the only way to do that is
with NATIONWIDE Identity Cards and a HUGE federally run database of every, single American.
I thought that you folks were against such "government intrusion."

And what are you going to do with all those illegals that you pick up? Oh ya...I know...pick them
up, immediately put them on the buses and kick them across the border. OH BUT...what if they
are NOT from Mexico? Are you going to send those from Europe, Asia, Middle East, South America to,
Mexico? Or are you going to just cast them into the oceans? Answers please!

But...let's get serious. In Arizona alone, about 1/2 MILLION illegally there and in the
country between 10 and 12 MILLION! It would devastate the economy of that state and of America
to take that many persons out of the economy...many work...many are paying payroll taxes...they spend
on food, rent, utilities, pay SALES TAXES, shop Macy's, Target and Walmart...the list goes on and on.

Now if you want to discuss and come up with REAL reform of immigration...then speak.

Until then...don't make us laugh.

[Lagomorph]

3. No where does it mention...

People of color. Your argument is a misdirection. The law starts and stops with people who are in the state illegally, it's far less restrictive than Mexico's own laws regarding illegals.

[SoapBox]

4. Law enforcement MUST ask for documents...

So in the State of Arizona, where now ONLY 58% of the population are "white"...

Who do you think is going to get checked the most?

[protocol rv]

7. The people who are stopped by the police will be checked

The key is to focus on those driving, and work place enforcement, which the Arizona law does. I read the law, and I don't see anything discriminatory about it. By the way, I am hispanic, and I'm part Lebanese and part native american. I'm not worried about it, let them enforce the law, and this will help improve wages for the working poor who are in the US legally.

[Lagomorph]

11. Non-english speakers.

Know of another way to check? Funny though, Mexico doesn't have a problem with checking out and busting Hispanics. Any reason Arizona can't do the same thing?

[ChazII]

5. Finally a bit of common sense

is beginning to appear. Thank you for your post to this thread.

[classysassy]

9. Most american citizens

consider our country and laws superior to other countries and their laws,are you suggesting that we should follow the example of mexico?

[Lagomorph]

12. The Arizona law...

...closely mimics federal law. The last time I checked up, the Feds use roadblocks, raids and checkpoints where ever there is a problem.

Additionally, while they are in the country, even illegally, they have legal protection. In Mexico, if you are in the country illegally, the police won't even take a complaint.

[protocol rv]

6. Work Place Raids, Traffic stops

it's very easy. First, work place raids are very effective. They can result in large catches. Second, traffic stops. The idea is to catch them gradually, then toss them in jail and deport them. If they are not from Mexico, they can be taken home in due course, for example, they can be put in camps, then transported to a ship in groups of say 2000, and sent back by ship, which is cheap.

Sending them out over a gradual period, say 5 years, would not devastate the economy. It would really help the American poor, because there will be a shortage of labor at the bottom of the wage scale. This will reduce unemployment, cut welfare costs, and reduce crime (because crime is associated with poverty). It creates a virtuous cycle of prosperity - for the people who need it the most, at the bottom of the wage scale. So you see, these illegal aliens you glorify are the enemies of the American working class, and they should be (kindly) removed. Real reform, of course, would also include a system to allow LEGAL immigrants to replace, in part, the illegals. They can come from ALL countries (not an overwhelming majority from southern mexico like they do now), and they could be picked so they speak english, are educated, healthy, and have no criminal record. And because they are prone to move up into the more skilled work force, they would pay more taxes, pay more sales taxes, shop at Sak's, and yield better results. Many of them would even bring in their own money, as they would be successful people who would sell their homes where they live to move to the US, and buy their homes in the US with cash.

As you can see, there are alternative scenarios, which are much more attractive to the US as a nation, rather than the one which gives prefernece to mexicans who happen to be unskilled, don't speak english, and contribute little to society :-)

[boppers]

8. "Maybe the North should have read the Jim Crow laws"

"There's nothing that encourages racial profiling in the Jim Crow laws."

That's the substance of your argument, that meeting certain requirements for literacy, proof of residence, (etc.) aren't racist.

Just because racism is not *explicit* in a law does not mean that it is not *implicit*.

[CreekDog]

10. the majority of Americans often don't support the bill of rights when they're polled about items

lousy rationale for you to support a travesty of a law.

oh and please post your birth certificate here, we all wanna see.