Civil & Human Rights

Evil twins ALEC & the NRA: Working to keep America safe for capitalism

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AZ-pl-2-nolayers-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

While many Americans are clamoring for gun control legislation on multiple levels, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) are working hard to maintain the status quo– which ensures the safety of gun manufactures and sellers– to the detriment of the American public. Tea Party minions– like former Legislator Frank Antenori [So, doesn't Raytheon find this employee's antics a bit embarrassing?] and the nuts behind this event— are marching in lockstep behind their corporate masters. 

For another look at the evil twins– ALEC and the NRA– check out this story from ColorOfChange.org…

Pressed hard for a response to the tragic shooting deaths of 20 young children and 7 adults in Newtown, the National Rifle Association (NRA) finally broke its silence to announce that the solution to gun violence is more guns. It just doesn't make any sense — unless you're in the gun business.

As a long-time funder of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — and co-chair of its Public Safety and Elections Task Force — the NRA has directly authored dozens of "model" gun access laws that fly in the face of commonsense efforts to reduce gun violence.1

And now, despite the wave of bad publicity ALEC's received for pushing Florida's NRA-drafted "Shoot First" law out to 25 other states, it's clear the NRA isn't prepared to clean up its act. 

More commentary and lots of links after the jump.

New US immigration report reveals ‘formidable’ & expensive machinery to secure border

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Brownskin-201x300by Pamela Powers Hannley

A detailed new report release by the Migration Policy Institute reveals the sophistication and cost– both human and monetary– of the United States' immigration policy in recent years.

According to the nearly 200-page report, the US system is based upon 6 pillars: border enforcement; visa controls and travel screening; information and interoperability of data systems; workplace enforcement; intersection between criminal justice system and immigration enforcement; and detention and removal of noncitizens. Each area is described in detail. 

The report includes a wealth of information about the intricacies of the Department of Homeland Security and how immigration enforcement intersects with the criminal justice system, the FBI, and the CIA. Probably the most dramatic finding is:

The US government spends more on its immigration enforcement agencies than on all its other principal criminal federal law enforcement agencies combined. In FY 2012, spending for CBP [Customs and Border Protection], ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], and US-VISIT reached nearly $18 billion. This amount exceeds by approximately 24 percent total spending for the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Secret Service, US Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which stood at $14.4 billion in FY 2012.

Judging by resource levels, case volumes, and enforcement actions…immigration enforcement can thus be seen to rank as the federal government's highest criminal law enforcement priority.

Whoa. More key findings after the jump.

The ‘less-than-do-nothing’ Tea-Publican 112th Congress leaves work unfinished

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

A couple of items the "less-than-do-nothing" Tea-Publican 112th Congress, the "Worst. Congress, Ever.", left unfinished last night.

First, was Hurricane Sandy relief which has Northeast politicians from Rep. Peter King (R-NY) to Governor Chris Chrisitie (R-NJ) fuming today. Gov. Christie lambastes ‘toxic’ House Republicans over Sandy aid delay:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) condemned House Republicans
Wednesday afternoon for failing to pass a $60 billion package of funding
for Hurricane Sandy relief. In the strongest terms, he accused House
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) of letting “toxic internal politics”
impede necessary storm relief. 

“There’s only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these
victims: the House majority and their speaker,” Christie said. “It was
disappointing and disgusting to watch.”

* * *

President Obama has called on the House to immediately pass the aid package.

The governor said that the lawmakers had failed to put the country
before their own political careers, showing “callous indifference to the
suffering of the people of my state.”

The package “could not overcome toxic internal politics of the House
majority,” Christie said. ”Shame on you, shame on Congress.” He went on
to criticize lawmakers who suggested there was  too
much unnecessary spending in the bill as “know-nothings” who “should
spend a little less time reading the political talking points put
together by their staff.”

Christie said he called Boehner four times late last night, and the speaker did not return his calls.

150th Anniversary of The Emancipation Proclamation

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On New Year's Day 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln signed the The Emancipation Proclamation which underlies his controversial reputation as "the
Great Emancipator." The Emancipation Proclamation and the politics of self-liberation:

Although the Emancipation Proclamation
did not, in fact, result in the overnight liberation of millions of
enslaved people, it enabled black men to fight on the Union side and has
long been seen as a milestone in the unconscionably slow attainment by
African-Americans of full citizenship, social equality and meaningful
freedom.

On New Year's Eve, many African-American congregations
will have commemorated the "Watch Night" services of the last night of
1862 when many gathered in churches to "watch" for the long-awaited
issuance of the proclamation – which will also be read out at
anniversary ceremonies across the United States today. Long queues of
people are waiting to see the original document on rare and brief display at the National Archives in Washington DC.

[T]he proclamation was a largely symbolic gesture based on a canny
military calculus that transformed the civil war into a war ostensibly
about supporting or abolishing slavery, and that it would be two more
years before the 13th Amendment would legally prohibit enslavement[.]

Our society must move beyond violence against women

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Domestic violence_20b10e08caby Pamela Powers Hannley

This week the story of domestic violence charges against former Mexican American Studies (MAS) Director Sean Arce bubbled up on the Arizona Daily Independent (ADI) blog and on Facebook, where discussions continue to roil. Prior to ADI's initial blog post on December 27, 2012, rumors were swirling around regarding what happened on December 9, 2012, the night Arce and his compadres celebrated his birthday. Now we have ADI's account– written from the police report and reaction from people across the political spectrum, including this blogger. Unfortunately, none of the lame stream media outlets have chosen to cover this story.

Did Arce aggressively confront his ex-wife in a local restaurant? Did he follow her home, break into the house, and break windows– causing Essence Arce to flee? That is for the courts to decide, but, in my opinion, the police report (which alludes to dried blood on Arce's hands when he was arrested) is very damming. 

My goal here is not to try Arce's case in the court of public opinion, but to point out that IF the domestic violence charges against him are true, we have yet another local case of a powerful man abusing his power and acting in a violent or at least highly inappropriate manner toward women. In recent months, Arizona has seen SIX powerful men charged with domestic violence or sexual harassment.

Women are murdered every day in this country by husbands, lovers, and former partners. In the workplace, women are subjected to harassment and discrimination. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. For more details, continue reading after the jump.