by David Safier
SB 1070 is more than an Arizona problem. As with the back door vouchers also known as Tuition Tax Credits, vouchers and, more recently, anti-teacher tenure legislation, Arizona is a conservative stalking horse for the rest of the country. If right wing legislation gets a foothold here, it can spread like a cancer and metastasize across the country.
Orem, Utah legislator Stephen Eric Sandstrom last week pledged to follow the lead of “my friend” Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce and expand the number of states with show-me-your-papers bills aiming to criminalize, jail, and deport irregular migrants.
The article brings up an interesting point. The Mormon Church, which is a major force in Utah and an important part of Arizona politics, especially in areas like Pearce's Mesa district, is working hard to bring Hispanics into the faith, both here and in Spanish speaking countries.
How will these racially based immigration laws play out in the Spanish speaking Mormon community?
Last summer, Salt Lake Tribune writer Peggy Fletcher Stack reported increasing fears among Spanish-speaking members of the Mormon Church of Latter- day Saints (LDS) who were concerned about travel restrictions they were facing for missionary work and then-impending implementation of Utah’s anti-migrant law, SB-81. “People are very scared,” said one woman via translator.
People have even expressed concerned in the Mormon press.
Mormon Times columnist Jerry Earl Johnston shook his head last year in dismay over the unwisdom of the Utah anti-migrant legislation:
“I can only speak from my own LDS experience here, but I hold Utah lawmakers responsible for breaking up good LDS families and forcing young American citizens out of their native land,” wrote Johnston, predicting that victory would not reward the shortsighted anti-migrant forces.
I don't raise this issue to poke my nose into a religion's business. But this is a political issue with strong religious ramifications. It's worth watching how the anti-immigration fervor plays itself out within the Mormon Church and the Mormon community.
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Great post. As a long-time resident of Prescott, AZ, I’m concerned about this law and the overall trend it represents. Sure, we need to stem the tide of illegal immigrants and their strain on public services, but draconian laws like this are guaranteed to harass and humiliate legal residents of Hispanic descent. If you feel the same way, here’s an easy way to voice your opposition where everyone can see it: http://neverbetter.com/repeal-sb-1070-respect-human-rights-bumper-sticker-p-2091.html
What if I was an Arizona police officer and I was given the authority to enforce immigration?
I see two people jaywalk, one on my left side and the other on my right side. They are both 20 yards away from me. And they are about to walk into a crowd. I want to stop them both but I can only stop one of them. One is white and the other is non-white. Who do I chose?
Being an officer, I would want to be effective and efficient and to enforce laws that have impact as best I can. The white person at best will only get ticketed for jaywalking but the non-white may get ticketed for jaywalking and there is maybe a 10-20% chance he is illegal so at best I ticket a jaywalker and deport an illegal immigrant. It sounds good to me, so I chose the non-white.
All the wording in SB1070 and all the training would not change my reaction. I would choose the non-white to approach for a legal stop.
Who would you chose if you were the officer?
And is it right that Arizona police will now be extra motivation to approach non-white CITIZENS? Is SB1070 throwing our non-white CITIZENS under the bus in our hatred for illegal immigrants? Are we taking away non-white CITIZENS’ 4th amendment?
I am all for closing the boarder and doing away with illegal immigration but not at the expense of my constitutional rights or the constitutional rights of others. Using local law enforcement to enforce immigration is not smart policing of the people. We need a solution but this knee jerk reaction to immigration reform has the potential for major problems for our non-white American citizens.
Please note, I am talking about citizens’ rights.
Wow! You guys are morons stop comparing this bill to the nazi because it’s not like that. In the first place in Arizona aren’t most illegals mexicans.Second look at other countries Immagration laws.there tougher or as tough, people are just trying get an exusice to break the law by distracting america by calling the bill racist.
Gol-darn-it, now Utah needs to worry about the red menace spreading north, east and west.
(red=Republican)
“If right wing legislation gets a foothold here, it can spread like a cancer and metastasize across the country.”
Or people can find it so outrageous and appalling that they say “not here!” I am reminded of the Danish king who, during World War 2, put on a yellow star in solidarity with Jews required by the Germans to identify themselves. The Danish people followed suit, making it very difficult for the Germans to figure out who was and who wasn’t a Jew. I predict that the first Anglo, preferably a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), who is stopped and asked to prove citizenship will be so outraged that it will reverberate throughout the Arizona community! Not to mention if a darker skinned native American, from whom we stole this country, is asked to prove her/his citizenship. It would be funny if it were not so awful!