The American Spectator : The Audacity Against Arizona

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The Audacity Against Arizona

By Aaron Goldstein on 7.14.10 @ 6:08AM

You might say the administration’s contempt for rule of law is self-profiling.

One need not be a lawyer to recognize the audacity inherent in the arguments of the Obama Administration against the State of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer in its complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court.

The arguments presented in U.S. v. State of Arizona & Brewer are not grounded in constitutional consideration but rather are rooted in a litany of grievances unfettered by reason:

If allowed to go into effect, S.B. 1070’s mandatory enforcement scheme will conflict with and undermine the federal government’s careful balance of immigration enforcement priorities and objectives. For example, it will impose significant and counterproductive burdens on the federal agencies charged with enforcing the national immigration scheme, diverting resources and attention from the dangerous aliens who the federal government targets as its top enforcement priority. It will cause the detention and harassment of authorized visitors, immigrants, and citizens who do not have or carry identification documents specified by the statute, or who otherwise will be swept into the ambit of S.B. 1070’s “attrition through enforcement” approach.

When the DOJ argues that S.B. 1070 “will impose significant and counterproductive burdens on federal agencies” what they mean is that the ICE operated Law Enforcement Support Center in Williston, Vermont could get a lot more phone calls from Arizona. So it could blow the overtime budget of DHS. This is an administrative issue, not a constitutional one. Perhaps it will cause some inconvenience for the feds. But let us never confuse inconvenience with unconstitutionality.

The idea the Arizona law will cause “the detention and harassment of authorized visitors, immigrants, and citizens who do not have or carry identification” is also absurd.

The last I checked, authorized visitors are required to carry passports and other travel documents. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Guide for New Immigrants states in explicit terms, “Carry proof of your permanent resident status at all times.” So why does the Obama Administration deem this to be an undue burden?

Even if you are a citizen it is usually a good idea to carry some form of identification in public especially if you are operating a motor vehicle. But even if you are not driving, an I.D. comes in handy if you are entering a building, buying liquor, or opening a bank account. Carrying around identification is a matter of common sense. But common sense and audacity seldom collide in the real world. Back to the audacity:

S.B. 1070 (as amended) attempts to second guess federal policies and re-order federal priorities in the area of immigration enforcement and to directly regulate immigration and the conditions of an alien’s entry and presence in the United States despite the fact that those subjects are federal domains and do not involve any legitimate state interest.

How is it that the presence of illegal immigrants in Arizona “does not involve any legitimate state interest” on the part of Arizona? Illegal immigration has resulted in Phoenix having the second highest incident rate of kidnappings in the world. Only Mexico City has more kidnappings and many of the kidnappings in Phoenix have connections to the drug trade in Mexico. If you stop the illegal immigration you stop the kidnappings. Yet the federal government is telling Arizona in front of the whole world it has no legitimate interest in maintaining public order on its streets. Now that’s audacity.

But believe it or not, that’s not the most audacious statement in the Obama Administration’s lawsuit:

S.B. 1070 has subjected the United States to direct criticism by other countries and international organizations and has resulted in a breakdown in certain planned bilateral and multilateral arrangements on issues such as border security and disaster management.

Now one must suspect that much of the “direct criticism” comes from within the Obama Administration rather than foreign governments as evidenced this past May when Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner brought up the Arizona law during human rights discussions with China “early and often.” But even if foreign governments and international organizations don’t like the Arizona immigration law, the people of Arizona like it and so does the rest of the country.

A survey done by the Pew Research Center this spring found that nearly 60% of respondents favored the Arizona immigration law. It is worth noting that nearly as many Democrats polled supported the law as opposed it. Not surprisingly, half of all Americans polled by Gallup think the lawsuit against Arizona is a bad idea. During a meeting of the National Governors Association last weekend in Boston, Tennessee’s Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen called the lawsuit “a toxic subject.”

Yet the Obama Administration puts far more weight on the opinion of foreign governments and international organizations than the opinion of those it governs, including many of the people who voted it into office. Now governments of all stripes make decisions that are unpopular with large segments of the population. But for the Obama Administration to show such a naked contempt for public opinion in this country demonstrates it is not amenable to listening to the people who have to live with its policies, namely its indifference in securing the border with Mexico. If the Obama Administration put the kind of energy into securing the Mexican border that it’s expended suing Arizona, then perhaps there would have no need for Arizona to have passed this law in the first place.

If one requires more evidence of the Obama Administration’s contempt for American public opinion one only need consider Attorney General Eric Holder publicly stating he is considering filing a second lawsuit against the Arizona law on the grounds of racial profiling provided, of course, the Arizona law goes into effect. Naturally, Holder assumes law enforcement officials in Arizona will wantonly engage in racial profiling. Alas, the Obama Administration’s audacity against Arizona knows no bounds.

About the Author

Aaron Goldstein writes from Boston, Massachusetts.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (99) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

The Army Aviator| 7.14.10 @ 6:35AM

The dirty little secret that nobody is talking about is this: If the Obama Administration wins the lawsuit against Arizona, the outcome might very likely make it unlawful for state and local law enforcement to enforce ANY Federal Statute! That would mean a free pass for a Federal offender, even if state and local police KNEW they had a wanted Federal fugitive in their custody. The Federal criminal would be protected. Only a Federal Law Enforcement official would be allowed to arrest a Federal offender. Afterall, illegal aliens ARE Federal fugitives! The immigration laws extant are very clear on this subject. So, if the lawsuit that Obama and Holder are pursuing wins, look out Feds! You will have NO HELP from any local cop or Deputy in enforcing Federal Law, something that has been done now, for 235 years! Obama better look out. He may get what he's wishing for!

Ret. Marine| 7.14.10 @ 8:04AM

Exactly, he might find his ass on the recieving end of a deportation order.

Duce 4| 7.15.10 @ 1:58AM

Great comment.,.,.It would be nice.

steve| 7.14.10 @ 11:22AM

Yes, but this might be what is wanted in the first place. Not to be extremely conspiratorial, but if local agencies cannot provide assistance, the Feds might need to have a larger, federal police force to do this. After all, did not PBO call for such? The 'Posse Comitas' rule prevents the military from doing this so we would need a Federal police force. I'm just saying...........

MikeMca| 7.16.10 @ 11:19AM

Under the Homeland Security Act, the federal government now has the right to take over control of all National Guard, military reserves, and all state and local police and sheriffs departments if they deem it necessary. The federal police state could be only a heart beat away.

Clinton nee Publius | 7.14.10 @ 12:30PM

If we are to believe the Regime's legal theory, then when should we expect the Regime to file suit against all the so-called "sanctuary cities" that are not enforcing the Regime's law?

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 5:01PM

So what is AZ going to do? call out the Guard to man the border? t'aint likely.

qrstuv| 7.14.10 @ 7:50PM

Another red herring from you.

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 8:17PM

Praise from Caesar.

Antonio Gades| 7.14.10 @ 7:46AM

Here's something the Christianist right won't bring up in the immigration debate (although they often refer to it when it comes to marriage equality).

Leviticus:

Leviticus 19:33-34 (NIV)

"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt."

It's the word of God! The word of God! Heed it!

Toto| 7.14.10 @ 8:27AM

Excellent point, Antonio.

The Bible thumpers on this site use Leviticus to justify their own bigotry. They're very selective when quoting the Bible, ignoring all texts that contradict their own poisonous beliefs.

They, like their idol--The Passion of the Mel Gibson--despise the "wet backs."

Man, how Mel, that well-known conservative Christian, can spew violent profanities and obscenities! The Passion of the Mel Gibson tapes can be heard all over the net.

Are you Bible thumpers going to tune in?

Ken (Old Texican)| 7.14.10 @ 8:48AM

Bible thumper here.
http://www.americanthinker.com.....dered.html

Don't you just love it when the children of Satan throw God's truth in our faces...a make it a lie.

The Bible talks about Satan quoting scripture, and He is the father of lies.

I hope each of you will read the article linked here.
The Russians couldn't invade. The Chinese can't invade. Why do we let the drug cartels invade?

We Americans are a tiny minority on the earth, and we are being over-run and conquered as I write.

Louis Jenkins| 7.14.10 @ 9:01AM

Ken:

I just read the article and it make a lot of sense. The Pretender n Chief wants the illegal immigrants so he can be re-elected when the time comes. It will forever change the face of the nation.

Al Adab| 7.14.10 @ 11:20AM

Actually that is one reason Americans have been the most welcoming national people in history. All we ask, and have ever asked, is that those wishing to come here do in fact adhere to our laws and follow our ways.

All are free to live among us if they ashew alligience to foreign kings, potentates and governments in order to follow the laws of the United States. We welcome legal immigrants, it is the illegal resident of whom we have concerns.

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 8:22PM

"Don't you just love it when the children of Satan throw God's truth in our faces...a make it a lie.
The Bible talks about Satan quoting scripture, and He is the father of lies."

Tex, you virtually threatened to send me to Hell (perhaps you are a travel agent for the Devil?) because I plan to vote for Obama.
I'm going to call you Tex Watson from now on-- you share his temperament.

Leo Wilson| 7.14.10 @ 9:27AM

What would Jesus do? He'd drive you secular money changers out of the temple at the end of a lash... AGAIN.

Margie| 7.14.10 @ 7:04PM

Of course those who have a problem with hearing the Bible must refer to those of us who quote from it as BIGOTS, as it is the ungodly ones who despise Him.
Their favorite taunt is "Bigot!" "Hypocrite!" "Cherry picker of Scripture!"
Not knowing that they themselves are "Wretched, , pitiable, poor, blind and naked." Rev.3:17.

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 8:25PM

"Not knowing that they themselves are "Wretched, , pitiable, poor, blind and naked." Rev.3:17."

Naked? Marge, today being nude is considered good ;)

qrstuv| 7.14.10 @ 8:00PM

In the tiny world view of today's leftists, conservatives are all "bible thumpers," there is zero nuance in their religious point of view, and there is nothing else in their heads (such as an appreciation for the Constitution, written long after the Bible, and written by men who *knew* history).

This is an ugly and silly caricature of conservatives, but it serves your rant well.

So I'll just draw your attention to the fact that 60% of this country (which is a lot more than the 40% of self-identified conservatives) support the AZ law.

Perhaps you might consider that your bashing of that law and its supporters is on the bigoted and narrow side.

Perhaps the idea of enforcing our borders is motivated by something other than "fear of the other."

qrstuv| 7.14.10 @ 8:03PM

And as for Mel Gibson, on the dextrosphere he is known as a bigot, a jerk, and a spoiled Hollywood brat.

I don't think I've heard any conservative commentator speak of him with any respect.

DonDuke | 7.14.10 @ 9:11AM

Antonio- Are you serious??? My goodness... heed this will ya ... the continued illegal immigration of these hordes will result in the effective invasion of this country by a foreign entity.
Unbelievable!

56xyu| 7.14.10 @ 9:21AM

DonDuke, Antonio is just quoting the Bible--the word of Almighty God. God said those words, not Antonio. "The alien among you must be treated as your native born . . ."

God was speaking of the Mexican immigrants when he said these words.

God said it. I believe it. And that settles it.

DonDuke | 7.14.10 @ 9:52AM

LMAO..... How can I disagree with that 56? lol

moron| 7.14.10 @ 9:57AM

Separation of church and state trumps scripture quotes from the children of the devil.

Ken (Old Texican)| 7.14.10 @ 10:33AM

56xyu,
You didn't read the scripture yourself did you?

Nope!

Didn't think so.
Besides He quotes from the NIV (New Infidel Version) bible.
Doesn't know the difference between "sojurn", and "dwell with", either.

Satan just loves to twist the truth.

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 8:30PM

"Satan just loves to twist the truth."

Tex, if Satan voted for Obama, what would you write? that Satan doesn't need you to send him to Hell because it's already his address?

Alan Brooks| 7.14.10 @ 8:32PM

pardon,
Condemn, not send. You merely want to condemn me to Hell if I vote for Obama.
How ECUMENICAL.

Convet| 7.15.10 @ 4:01PM

Ate any GOOD BOOKS lately?

Eric Carman| 7.14.10 @ 11:50AM

We do treaty them well. We assume they are lost, find out where they are from, take them in custody, feed them, shower them, give them a place to rest and then give them a bus ride back to where they came from. See - pretty nice, heh? I'm sure their families are happy to see them, fed, showered and looking bright eyed and bushy tailed! Let's do more of that!

darcy| 7.15.10 @ 1:50AM

Excellent retort, Eric.

Anna K. from Emory U.| 7.14.10 @ 9:17AM

Mr. Gades,

Your post is clever, and you are so correct in pointing out the selectivity of right-wing Christians when quoting the Bible to back up their arguments.

And Toto, how appropriate for you to call attention to Mel Gibson's violent and obscene rants.

A right-wing, conservative Roman Catholic, Gibson's hateful remarks about "niggers, wet backs, and fags" horrifies those of us who adhere to any standards of decency.

Gibson, evidently, has little respect for anyone.

But you will not hear the Christian Right condemn him, for after all, he was the director of their much-loved antisemitic "The Passion of the Christ."

These right-wing Christians. Puzzling, aren't they?

Eric Cartman| 7.14.10 @ 10:49AM

Uh oh! It's Anna the Smug from Emory U! She has declared that She and She alone hands down The Word! Grab your white out bottles, sinners! Erase those sins right out of that Book!

Well, Smugly, how come the Left is not paying attention to The New Black Panther Party's threats of killing white mothers and babies? (And BTW, what if the NBPP killed Obama's mother when she was carrying him? Wasn't she a White hippy?)

Instead Anna the Smug and her Lefty hordes focus on a washed up and obviously disturbed actor who - as far as I know - hasn't threatened anybodies mothers or babies or harassed people going to vote.

Anna the Smug, it ain't gunna work this time. You and your Lefty aholes are going down in November. Have a blessed day :-)

Anthony| 7.14.10 @ 2:30PM

Well said Eric, Anna the Smug, (great moniker by you,btw) like the rest of her fellow coddled, clueless lefties, has selective sensitivities.
Why would Ms.Smug be upset about the New Black Panthers wanting to kill "crackers and cracker babies"? Where was Ms. Smug when Jessie Jackson,( the black John Edwards) uttered his Hymmie Town epitaph? Or the clueless,elitist NAACP calling Tea Party participants racists?
Nooooo, when it comes to Lefty tar and feathers, it's all in with everything they've got.
So, dear Anna the Smug, if there is any group of individuals who have no respect for anyone, it's you hateful, intolerant, lefties.
Gibson may be a drunk, a bore, even a racist, but at least Gibson isn't seeking to shut down my 1st amendment rights, my 2nd, and the rest of my guarantees under the Consitution. Nor is Gibson governing against the will of the people, like Obama and his mindless minions ( that's you Anna dear). BTW Anna dear, get your money back from Emory, you've been had .

Eric Cartman| 7.14.10 @ 2:44PM

Exactly right, Anthony. Gibson has some deep problems, but he can't raise my taxes, send my children into war, ignore the law, etc., etc. Her Smugness is just an ahole Liberal spouting the desperate gasps of her failed beliefs.

Boom!| 7.14.10 @ 6:49PM

ZING!

Kishego| 7.14.10 @ 12:05PM

O.K. listen up Anna K and Toto, I am the Christian Right and I condemn what Mel Gibson said, says and does. He is a moron, as are both of you.

wukong| 7.14.10 @ 2:04PM

Jesus and the New Testiment are equal opportunity patrons. Dictums are applied equally, as Jesus stopped the stoning of the adultering woman, he also admonished her to "go and sin no more."
If you are here illegally you should not be mistreated. But you also have a requirement to get right with the law. We should help illegal aliens to return safely home and assist wherever possible to become legal with our laws.

RAMIII| 7.14.10 @ 6:20PM

wukong: You are correct!

It is very interesting to me how Antonio, Toto & Anna can "rant" about the "Christian Right" and how they don't observe the Bible. The key fact is that A,T & A are hypocrites, since they don't really believe what the rest of the Bible says.

They just enjoy cornering others on THEIR supposed hypocrisy. Well as someone else said here: It ain't gonna work! When these caustic haters of what is good and right (who love to throw the Bible verses at others in judgement) believe the whole book and in the God who gave it to us because He loves us, then I will give some credibility to their "concerns" and trust that they are motivated by the truth.

crookedwren| 7.14.10 @ 9:39AM

Not a Bible thumper, but I do place my hope in Jesus Christ.

As for treating the stranger in our midst as Christ himself, don't we in fact treat illegal aliens pretty well in this country? I saw an interview with a woman who had been here for 15 years -- illegally -- had had 10 children born here. She was speaking Spanish only -- I heard not one word in English from her during the entire interview. I wonder why. If I were a stranger living in, say, Mexico -- illegally -- I would have been spending all my time in jail or would have been deported very soon after being caught. But if I hadn't been caught, common sense would tell me that I should learn the language of the nation in which I was an inhabitant. If I were receiving health care from that country (having one of my ten infants on foreign soil, for example), I might want to speak directly with the physician or the nurses who were helping assist me, those taking care of me and my newborn.

If I were living in a foreign country because that country afforded me greater financial freedom, then I imagine I would have a tender heart towards that country.

I might not fly that flag upside down.

I might actually try to learn a little of its language, so that if I were interviewed by someone, say, I could respond.

Christians who long for a secure border do not long to mistreat the stranger in their midst.

They do know that hospitality is a major virtue -- and treating the stranger as one would treat Christ is a Biblical "command."

But observing the law of the land is important, too. I believe that there are some "render unto Caesar" quotes we could pull from that same Bible.

Drug runners are using these people for ill. Kidnapping and human trafficking is a leprosy that has come from this "open" border (or pseudo-open) "policy" -- a policy that has become tacit rather than explicit. A policy that is in direct conflict and opposition to established Federal Law.

Also, when these dear strangers live amongst us, working for lower wages, it seems that we are engaging somewhat in unethical and immoral equivalencies of slavery or servitude.

Closing the border and enforcing immigration law is not necessarily antithetical to Christianity.

cl| 7.14.10 @ 11:46AM

do you wish to adopt all the statements in the old testament as our law, such as the sharia law under the koran? tell us what you would adopt and what you would not.

Kishego| 7.14.10 @ 11:59AM

The bible also tells us to OBEY THE LAW. I respect any law abiding alien living amungst us, and will do anything to assist them in a time of need. It's the law breakers (you know that ILLEGAL thing) that I do not respect.

Paevo| 7.14.10 @ 12:05PM

No one is suggesting "mistreating" aliens. This is a red herring. They are suggesting that immigration be subject to the law of the land. Your attempt to disguise your sophistry as the word of God is supremely disgusting...

Tim*| 7.14.10 @ 12:10PM

Good ! You just made Arizona's case .

We'll punish these Illegal Aliens for breaking Laws just as we punish the Native Born for breaking Laws.

Thank Yewwwww !

Marty Luther| 7.14.10 @ 12:40PM

Antonio, why is it mistreating aliens for the U.S. to enact immigration laws, to regard aliens who evade those laws as law-breakers, or to impose penalties on them for breaking the laws?

I reject, as I think most Americans do, any suggestion that U.S. immigration laws shouldn’t be enforced because to do so is xenophobic, racist, or un-Christian. I don’t advocate cruelty towards aliens, but if helping people who could use help is the beginning and ending of government policy towards aliens, then the government will soon be broke and unable to help even its own citizens. International welfare outreach has already significantly harmed the U.S., and people on the right, many Christians included, are dismayed to see the Obama administration doing so little to enforce current immigration laws or secure the southern border, which it is doing to curry favor with the left and Hispanics.

The passage you quote (Lev. 19:33, 34) has traditionally been viewed as one of the divine commandments imparted by God to Moses after the Israelites had escaped from Egypt and before they established themselves in the land of Canaan. It isn’t clear to me that this passage means God prohibited the Israelites from making or enforcing immigration laws, which I am inclined to doubt were anything like modern American immigration laws, if indeed the Israelites had any national immigration laws at all before they ceased their wanderings in the desert. Maybe the passage just prohibited the Israelites from injuring resident aliens for no reason or for amusement. In any event, there are many other passages in the Old Testament that most Christians no longer consider binding on themselves today, including passages prohibiting the wearing of mixed linen and woolen garments (Lev. 19:19), commanding the scourging of any betrothed slave girl who has sex with a man (Lev. 19:20), and commanding the stoning of wizards (Lev. 20:27). I’m no biblical scholar, but I doubt that most Christians think God’s injunction to be kind to aliens means that the U.S. or Arizona must stop enforcing immigration laws in the name of kindness.

As for Anna from Emory, the self-proclaimed divinity student, it sounds as though her real concern is leftist politics, not divinity. Pride goeth before a fall, priestess.

gypsy| 7.14.10 @ 1:03PM

Mr(?) Gades
Since you seem so caught up with quoting the Bible,here's a few you left out:

Lev 20:13 "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death."

1 Cor 6:9 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals"

2 Kings 9:22 (NIV) When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?" "How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"

Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live

You still want to play little mental conjuring games, you absurd little pygymy?

Oh btw, not a Christian, never have been; I just simply despise fools like you Antonio, who want to bend and twist stuff that's not theirs for the sake of pointless ball busting

Kerry Marvin| 7.15.10 @ 11:39AM

Gypsy,

OW!
I guess Tag your it! would be appropriate?

As my "Grandmother said", Think before you speak. Then think again before you commit to the act, there are alway's, Consequences!
ergo; Quote: A handshake is all it takes to feel your friends mind.
For it's not the act, Just the Fact, that you are trying!

There they go, to find themselves accepting the unacceptable! to Reward is to act! The Law is and, should be followed but is usually ignored, or subverted for political, expediancy.

I find your comment, Very nice!
Maybe, they will think Twice?
But, I doubt it! Fools Rush in. etc. etc.
2010! Never Again! 2012! With Resolve!

Mark MacInnis| 7.14.10 @ 3:05PM

I'll see your Leviticus and raise you a Matthew...."Render unto ceasar what is ceasar's, but render unto God what is God's"...when the illegals start carrying their share of the tax burden, when they start paying for their health care, when they obey the laws of OUR land and do not murder, kidnap, steal from or terrorize our citizens, then we'll treat them all with the same respect. Other posters have noted how WELL they are treated by our government/law enforcement as they are processed. What more would you have us do? Is it your position that immigration from Mexico be completely unfettered and open? Please don't just criticize my position without explaining what your position is and explaining why you think it is better.....

Flee| 7.14.10 @ 3:24PM

I don't believe the Bible states "illegal" aliens should be loved as native born. I believe the USA does indeed show a lot of love for legal aliens. Always has and always will. It's how it was designed from the beginning. We are not inclined to show a lot of love to law breakers and neither were the writers in the Bible. Amazing how one little word can make such a difference with your point.

Big Bob| 7.14.10 @ 3:34PM

I've learned over the years to be VERY skeptical when ANYONE quotes the Bible to "prove " their point, one way or the other.

When it happens to be someone who demeans "Christ-followers" by referring to them as Christianists, I can't imagine how anything they say from the Bible would be in context or honest. As a reference, Satan confronts Jesus in the desert with nothing but...quotes from the Bible.

That being said, applying God's edict to Israel as a carte blanche rule is very misguided. I suggest that what God directed Israel to do in a "kingdom" setting is very different from what He would have us do in an orderly, law abiding land. He specificially tells us to be subject to authority. How is it right that those who come into our country illegally have any standing other than being subject to immediate deportation?? BTW, more than likely, the intended outcome of such grace to be shown to the alien was to convince them that Jehovah was the one and true God. But that is another topic. Anyone who wants to uphold the law wants to uphold ALL the laws. That's why we call them: ILLEGAL immigrants. You may tyr to change the meaning of the word,
but it wont work.

Garry| 7.14.10 @ 11:22PM

How about an original thought,have you ever had one? try it ! most Liberating! (THINK JUNKIE)

Jim| 7.15.10 @ 11:29PM

Love it when morons try to use the Bible. Could you please explain how it is mistreating illegal aliens to give them a free ride home? And a lot of illegal aliens are mistreated here in the U.S. so we are doing them a favor sending them back to their homes. Of course the Bible also tells you NOT to break the law, which the illegal aliens did. Maybe Antonio is upset because he's an illegal alien.

Ed| 7.16.10 @ 1:22AM

I'm sure that verse refers to LEGAL aliens! You idiot!

Ken Roberts | 7.18.10 @ 3:37PM

way out of context my friend read more to find the real meaning of this scripture . Sure the Lord wants us to be nice to each other , but he also tells us in the same book to abide by the law of the land, last I looked it is illegal to be here from another country with no real means of supporting why. It is not nice to go to another country and break their laws . All the American people want is equal protection under the law and if you are here illegally then you must leave. the Constitution does not apply to Mexico or any other country just ours.

martin j smith| 7.14.10 @ 7:46AM

I think that Jan Brewer et al were brilliant in passing the Ariona Law because it has now made the issue of illegal immigration much more real for the American People. We are talking really about drug cartel violence and a government failing to do anything.. This is what the average person will get about the siutation in Arizona and illegal immigration. The issue is the rule of law. Obama and Holder come thru as members of the mexican drug cartl protecting their interests. The American people do not buy that.

darcy| 7.15.10 @ 2:00AM

Valid point, mjs: O and H siding with mexican drug cartels at the expense of the citizens of AZ (of which I am one). Everyday, another nail in Obama's political coffin.

Enemy of the State #666| 7.14.10 @ 8:14AM

Look a vote for this criminal is a vote nonetheless. Obama and his crew, holder, dingy harry, the hildabeast klinton et, al are anything but smart people. Their disdaine for the average American is so smelly it will take years to get the foul odor of progressive/marxist taste out of our mouths.
I think the next move for the Az. lawmaker is to move this country in the direction of impeachment for the "won". This move to sue them for having the audasity to follow the Law is beyond traitorist, it's out n' out treason on both the pretender-n-thief and the top crook holder. They need to be sent packing to their chioce of a communist/marxist statis country, have their names scrubbed from all books, documents, laws or whatever. Make it a crime to publicly pronounce their names and leave it at that. I can see a war in our future, a war for the reawakening of this Republic for which it stands. You are either with us or you are against us, which is it obummer-boy?

Louis Jenkins| 7.14.10 @ 8:49AM

So what is it going to be? Climb back in your hole Arizona or stand and be counted. For now it appears that Arizona is standing pat and has every intention of seeing this issue played out. And yes, the Pretender n Chief seems more interested in the stage of international opinion rather than getting this right. There is something wrong with America obviously, and while I cannot put my finger on it exactly, I'd dare say that it started with Obumar. Plus, if he were pulled over in Arizona he might be found out. Where is that long birth certificate at?

Periwinkel| 7.14.10 @ 8:53AM

An interesting, often overlooked aspect of all this is the provision Arizona added to its voting laws in April. Presidential candidates must show proof of eligibility (i.e., birth certificate) before being placed on the Ballot of the General Election.

Remember Ace is from Chicago and they play hardball. This to be simmering on the back burner as the Administration plans to go to war with Arizona over illegal immigration.

Mimi| 7.14.10 @ 9:17AM

Can you imagine if every state in the Union passed this " Proof of Eligibitity" law ?

DonDuke | 7.14.10 @ 9:54AM

Mimi, You mean What would happen if all immigrants were required to carry evidence of their status? Doh! It's the law! I guess what would happen would be that immigrants would be obeying the FEDERAL law of the land!

Eric Cartman| 7.14.10 @ 1:50PM

GOOD! The Arizona can help the Feds along by having a law that mirrors the Federal law - unless you think the police should no longer assist the FBI, DEA, ATF, etc. in say, bank robbery or drug interdiction. Glad you agree Arizona has it right.

jzink| 7.14.10 @ 10:43AM

Bible Thumper Here:

"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt."

Plenty of aliens live in this land, are are accepted and treated as ourselves. These are the ones who obey the law of the land, and have completed the tasks to become legal citizens. If these illegals citizens would follow the law of the land, then they too will be rewarded with acceptance.

It is a honor and a privilege to live in this great country, but one must follow the rule of law to become a legal and accepted citizen.

AMENBRO| 7.14.10 @ 10:46AM

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC ASININITY would better describe the INTELLECTUAL VAPIDITY of the ABSURDITY Sir.

I guess when YOUR IVORY tower
& YOUR GD JOB is threatenend you'll start actually taking off the gloves. GIVE ME A BREAK

How many academical colonoscopies does this topic warrant.

ARE YOU OUTTA MATERIAL or IDEAS like the rest of the ipshits laying claim to having the brains in this country

L. Ross| 7.14.10 @ 11:27AM

All caps. Incoherent rambling. This thread has just officially "Jumped the Shark".

J.T. Haire| 7.14.10 @ 11:47AM

L. Ross,

There's a lot of "incoherent rambling" on this site. I don't know why AmSpec doesn't delete some of these crazy postings.

These shrill, angry, sarcastic posters (I won't name them) make all of us look like fools for even attempting to make sensible contributions to the thread.

Eric Cartman| 7.14.10 @ 2:04PM

Yeah! Stupid sarcastic posters! Snarky sarcastic little . . . I'd like to take them and . . . I'll show them . . . . stupid sarcastic posters . . .

intern| 7.14.10 @ 2:34PM

J.T., I am an intern for this site and we don't delete these posts because of the First Amendment, unless they use outright profanity which is against Amspec's policy. Some do slip through the cracks however.

Eric Cartman| 7.14.10 @ 2:49PM

Stupid intern, always going on about the First Amendment . . . thinks he's a big shot intern, always not deleting sarcastic posts . . . can't stand interns . . . always thinking their better then me . . . I'll show them, with their First Amendment . . . garblegarblegarble.

John II| 7.14.10 @ 6:57PM

Oh. That explains how something I said to somebody some time ago never showed, despite its lacing with wit. Well--thanks for the service; if it HAD been posted, I'd have been ashamed later. Better to feel sheepish than shamed, I always say.

amenbro| 7.15.10 @ 11:27PM

Hardee har har, Pardon my exuberance. what is really incoherrent is the dribble that dripsfrom most of you numbskulls braincells.
You're right i should take my vitriol elsewhere.

Its just a shame that this Periodical was once such a great source of info.

I reckon even with Interns you cannot keep it diverse or refuse to do the work or pay the price to do so.

My apologies. But it is such a patern. One day this Cantwell peter is praising the next he is condeming but like almost all of you aside from like me raising hell only about me.

You have no point, no framew of reference, you are all like children wandering into the room in the middle of a story.

Nite younguns..

martin j smith| 7.14.10 @ 10:49AM

Hey Mimi or is it MoMo ?--Elidgibility for what ? If you mean proof of citizenship--you offered a great idea. Lets see, you get arrested for criminal behavior and you are asked for your ID--that means proof of who you are. Now it seems logical to me given the fact that there is so much ID theft that the POLICE can verify your ID -right ? since you were picked up for criminal behavior so suppose it is cound you have a false ID then what ? Someone who is picked up by the Police should be somone who is seen committing a crime-even speeding is a crime don,t you know or suspicious behavior. A example, someone who enters a security zone or someone seen with explosives or someone carrying a gun or other weapon that is inappropriate for the environment like a subway platform in NYC or someone who is agitating other people in a crowded area. e like in a crowded airport or train station etc. I believe in the rule of law and those folks ;who do these sorts of things should not onlybe picked up but be questioned as to thei identity. The BHO regime is a lawless regime.

Al Adab| 7.14.10 @ 11:24AM

None of this debate adresses the main question of Federal responsibility to protect the States from foreign invasion. If the gunfire, murders, kidnappings, etc. along the southern international border doesn't qualify as a threat, what in heaven's name does? Is it only invasion by a foreign army that is contemplated or do outlaw bands ala Pancho Villa qualify?

And Ken, what the heck is Rick Perry thinking?

Ken (Old Texican| 7.14.10 @ 1:07PM

Al Adab,

Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AmjENXC3zA

The sad fact of the matter is that Texas is under all out attack from Obama and crowd.

Governor Perry, simply quietly accepts that Texas is too BIG...........economically sound, and a serious threat to the communist, (pardon the shorthand), agenda.

Mr. Perry is carefully parsing his words. Timing timing timing.

Now if you are truly interested...go to youtube and type in his name. You can hear every public utterance.
Al,
Texas is too big and too successful for Obama to tolerate. Hell, you have read my posts here for two years. These scumbags are going to kill me......

Mr. Perry has a LOT of lives counting on his timing and his words. Nevertheless, go watch a few of his speeches on youtube.
You will swallow your tongue when you read between the lines...when you read him like native Texans read him. Whooooooooah!

I hope you trip over the youtube with Mr. Perry and the Texas Rangers.

have you ever heard the Rangers' slogan? "One riot, one Ranger...there ain't but one riot ain't there?"

Most every single officer in the "Texas Department of Public Safety", (huge State trooper organization), works very hard to be "invited" into the "Rangers".

Remember the TV show..."The Lone Ranger"?

Duh...who in the hell do you think that "Ranger" was?
Read very caREFULLY NOW...murder a Texan?

" The eyes of Texas are upon you...you cannot get away."

Our Rangers take that seriously. That young lady at Fort Hood that took the terrrorist down?

Heh, she is damned sure on the list for induction...invite...to the Rangers....and nobody will ever quite know it.

So yeah, Al!
We are simply too "big" to ignore...unlike Arizona.

Not only that...we transport and produce ...and refine...the blood of the whole damned country.

OKOK! I have let the cat out of the bag. Hunker down, fellow Texans. Here they come.

Thank God for the Texas Rangers covering my hiney.

Al Adab| 7.14.10 @ 3:18PM

Sorry for the delay, my real life sometimes gets in the way of more important things.

Good thing the Rangers are there. Once AZ had Rangers too. Maybe Brewer could call up her state militia for that border.

Perry's comments concerned me because they indicated a lack of support for AZ. Isn't a similar bill in the TX legislature?

Anyway, thanks for your reply.

ABNCP| 7.14.10 @ 11:55AM

This administratin and its A.G. are beyond pathetic. They don't read the AZ1070 but yell and scream that it is a race discrimination bill. Then OMG when filed the law suit doesn't even mention race discrimination! So why wasn't race discrimination part of that action? Could it be that these idiots finally read AZ1070 and realized it was crafted by some very good lawyers to follow Federal immigration policy which has been in place for decades and is constitutional? Then the media talking heads notice the problem and say, what's up with that? So now we have this twit A.G. playing CYA and threatening to file another law suit against Arizona to stop any race discrimination (which is prohibited by AZ1070). Of course the majority of the country is against him filing the first damm law suit which will cost a ton of tax money, which we don't have and will have to be paid for by the citizens who don't want the damm law suit anyway. Hey, who cares when you be the big bad man what am in charge.

Anthony| 7.14.10 @ 12:00PM

This "litigation" brainchild of the Obama/Holder Justice Department is merely a Leftist polemic disguised as a lawsuit. As I posted previously, a first year law student could have drafted this pathetic piece of legal tripe.
As Mr. Goldstein points out, the assumptions, conclusions, and contradictions, as fully stated within this lawsuit, are breathtaking in their illogical tautology.
The cherry on top of this tower of legal babel is that Holder will file a second lawsuit to address the "civil rights" violations, i.e "racial profiling", that presumably were the base concerns of the 1st lawsuit.
Wow! So this is what an Ivy law degree gets you. I believe that both Obama and Holder should be disiplined for impersonating lawyers.

Ken (Old Texican)| 7.14.10 @ 1:11PM

Al Adab, In case you missed my reply above:
Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AmjENXC3zA

The sad fact of the matter is that Texas is under all out attack from Obama and crowd.

Governor Perry, simply quietly accepts that Texas is too BIG...........economically sound, and a serious threat to the communist, (pardon the shorthand), agenda.

Mr. Perry is carefully parsing his words. Timing timing timing.

I hope you trip over the youtube with Mr. Perry and the Texas Rangers.

have you ever heard the Rangers' slogan? "One riot, one Ranger...there ain't but one riot ain't there?"

Most every single officer in the "Texas Department of Public Safety", (huge State trooper organization), works very hard to be "invited" into the "Rangers".

Remember the TV show..."The Lone Ranger"?

Duh...who in the hell do you think that "Ranger" was?
Read very caREFULLY NOW...murder a Texan?

" The eyes of Texas are upon you...you cannot get away."

Our Rangers take that seriously. That young lady at Fort Hood that took the terrrorist down?

Heh, she is damned sure on the list for induction...invite...to the Rangers....and nobody will ever quite know it.

So yeah, Al!
We are simply too "big" to ignore...unlike Arizona.

Not only that...we transport and produce ...and refine...the blood of the whole damned country.

OKOK! I have let the cat out of the bag. Hunker down, fellow Texans. Here they come.

Thank God for the Texas Rangers covering my hiney.

Mike| 7.14.10 @ 1:22PM

I can't help borrowing a phrase from Orielly, wise up; when will people get it? Regarding the issue of Obama v Arizona there is one serious problem that I see. The senerio is already written! That's right, Eric Holder said he would wait and see if anyone cries racism and you don't think Obama and Co. already have their people lined up who will play the parts of being racially discriminated against? I would be willing to bet within the hour that goes down, and it will on the first day, the DOJ will be in court. You and I both have seen how these people operate and our challenge I believe is to think ahead of him before he can fool and con so many Americans again. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Best regards and God Bless America.

Dustoff| 7.14.10 @ 1:22PM

CBS Poll: 74% Like Arizona's Law Or Think It Doesn't Go Far Enough

martin j smith| 7.14.10 @ 1:31PM

Dustoff, the Obama administration does not overtly care about polls. They do not care period. Lawless and rogue--that is BHO and his regime.

Dustoff| 7.14.10 @ 1:42PM

Martin
Dustoff, the Obama administration does not overtly care about polls. They do not care period. Lawless and rogue--that is BHO and his regime
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Very true, yet voters vote. (-:

Ken (Old Texican)| 7.14.10 @ 1:51PM

Dustoff,
God bless you, sir. I am afraid that other than in Texas...votes might not count....or be counted.

Proactive now?

Ken (Old Texican)| 7.14.10 @ 2:08PM

Dustoff,
Think I am a paranoid Texan? Watch my REP on youtube.
http://us.mc819.mail.yahoo.com.....nd=2126164

God bless John Culberson.

Marc Jeric| 7.14.10 @ 2:41PM

What did you expect from Abu Hussein al-Mombassa (or wherever in Kenya this communist Muslim was born) and from his AG Holder (pardoner of the Puertorican terrorists and the Castro's lawyer in the Elian Gonzalez case)?

John II| 7.14.10 @ 7:05PM

Fair enough, but I'd have expected a tad more political savvy from Professor Obama and his handlers. One doesn't commit political suicide in the present in order to gain theoretical political advantage in the future, unless one is too besotted with ideology and self-importance to apply even a rudimentary level of prudence.

But then prudence is the queen of the virtues, and the Professor and his retinue are not virtuous people. Oh well. Less than four months to the November election.

qrstuv| 7.14.10 @ 10:23PM

... "unless one is too besotted with ideology and self-importance to apply even a rudimentary level of prudence. "

Ding ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Watson| 7.14.10 @ 5:43PM

Obama and Holder have made "poopie" on themselves by their actions against Arizona. They thought that the racism canard would silence the American people. Wrong. This whole mess has brought all manner of left wing twaddle into the light.

dollface| 7.14.10 @ 6:25PM

They're not "illegal aliens", they're "PDV's"--potential democrat voters.

Oldefarte| 7.15.10 @ 11:38AM

While I applaud Aaron's excellent/informative editorial, it uses POLITICAL CORRECTNESS to avoid explaining why this administration is suing Arizona. The answer is: PARTISANED POLITICAL OPERATIONS BY TAXPAYER SUPPORTED GOVERNMENT TO BENEFIT DEMOCRATS! With the November elections, this administration is showing to the Hispanic voting population that it is sympathetic to illegal immigrants [since they are also HISPANIC]. When OUR government should be enforcing the enacted laws of the land to the benefit of its citizens, it is playing advantage political games to secure votes for Democrats, which is not what these political leaders/administrators were elected to do. The solution to this criminal activity: Americans need to go to the polls in November and begin the process of removing their congressional supporters!!!!!!!!!!!

David | 7.15.10 @ 11:46AM

Aaron, nice way to take it apart. I share your sentiment on the audacity of 'elected' leaders, and commented on it at http://www.thenewsbeats.com/news/ as follows:

"Illegal Aliens Indispensible Crime Fighters"
July 5th, 2010 by David Dansker

The mayor of Philadelphia has unveiled a secret component of the city’s law enforcement so vital that removing it would cause irreparable harm to crime fighting. The disclosure came when Michael Nutter revealed he is opposed to giving full access of arrest records to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) so that they could identify illegal aliens. Nutter himself refuses to identify illegal aliens, who continue to break that law by staying here illegally, as “criminals,” and refers them as merely “undocumented.”1 In his effort to get other city officials to support him in defying ICE, Nutter is touting the illegals as a special pool of “victims and witnesses” who are keeping the Philadelphia justice system from collapsing. Nothing, like enforcing immigration law, must be done that would impede their feeling “comfortable in coming forward and giving us information. Otherwise, the system will fall apart,” according to Nutter.2

At least here is where the term ‘undocumented’ really applies; there is absolutely no way such a ridiculous claim can be substantiated. But it’s more than ridiculous, it’s insulting. In other words, what Nutter is saying is Philadelphia’s entire law enforcement system of discovering, aprehending, and prosecuting criminals depends on the eyes and ears of illegal aliens and their ongoing contribution of information gathering and reporting. These criminals are so dedicated to the spirit of law and order, and to the law abiding citizens around them, that they have comprised an undercover crime fighting network practically sworn to uphold the law. In essence, Philadelphia’s illegal aliens are always working tirelessly to keep Philadelphia safe from lawbreakers.

Next we expect Nutter to reveal that the motto of these undocumented crusaders is ‘honor, service, integrity.’ It is hard to imagine a more insulting, cold, wet slap in the face to every police officer, detective, and city attorney working long hours, risking life, health, and vexation of spirit responding to and dealing with the victims and criminals in a modern American city in 2010. Hopefully, they are all registered voters come November.

Notes:

1 - 2. Stephen Clark, “Philly Mayor Wants to Block Immigration Officials Full Access to Arrest Records,” FoxNews, July 3, 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....t-records/

Mac-101| 7.15.10 @ 12:12PM

Wish I could support the BUYCOT of Arizona. Ain't got enough money to travel there or figure out what they sell here in Kentucky.

friedtoad| 7.15.10 @ 7:16PM

"One need not be a lawyer..."

but it would have helped since you clearly have no idea what you are writing about.

Cybergeezer | 7.17.10 @ 9:22AM

'Racial profiling' is what these two black prosecutors are engaged in; (Obama and Holder).
Racial profiling and discrimination against the people of Arizona.
Arizona should file an EEO complaint against Obama and Holder in Federal Court.

Saskia Valentine| 5.10.11 @ 7:46PM

In the 1970's when the media was reporting on boarder states being overwhelmed with the costs of trying to control the flood of illegals coming over the boarder, overburdened schools, jails and hospitals being forced to provide services without compensation to women coming across to have anchor babies, the Feds refused to help insisting boarder enforcement and public services are state issues. I think 60 Minutes covered this.

Saskia Valentine| 5.10.11 @ 9:05PM

We hear so much talk on the virtues of immigration as if we were somehow lacking immigrants and if the boarder closed shut tomorrow in 9 months all our babies would be inbred and loose their color.

We hear so much talk on the virtues of immigration as if we were somehow lacking immigrants and should the border close tomorrow in 9 months all our babies would be inbred and loose their color!

Saskia Valentine| 5.10.11 @ 10:05PM

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