What could really put the hurt on Arizona:

[Are_grits_groceries]

Sports

Last night Keith said,"Boycott the Cactus League." That is the spring training league for MBL in Arizona. The other is "The Grapefruit League" in Florida. They're lucky that phase is over this year.

If MLB, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and the NCAA among others call for condemnation or some action, that will really sting. The players associations of these organizations should also step up.

I know there will be people who will have a dozen reasons not to do that. However, unless action is taken on every level to put this heinous law in sharp focus, it will not receive enough approbrium.

If you want this law to take on national significance and be brought to the attention of people who otherwise may not take note of it, use sports. That's a guarantee that a whole lot of people everywhere will sit up and pay attention.

Sports are not sacred and untouchable. On the contrary, change has often been begun in sports or moved ahead by them.

Players this week wore the number "42" in honor of Jackie Robinson. That's an impact.

Don't tell me that it would be unfair to this, that and the other. What's unfair is being stopped because you don't look "right."

In addition, while people have rightly said that this will adversely affect Hispanics most, who's to say how else it will be used. EVERYBODY has a dog in this fight.

[NotThisTime]

1. Personally I wonder how the players of Arizona feel about this since some of them are of Spanish

heritage....

[baldguy]

2. How big of a story will it be when the first one gets arrested for being brown?

[izquierdista]

12. He alrady has been

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x458296

Nothing like a zealous cop jumping the gun.

[mikeSchmuckabee]

5. Well the diamondbacks suck right now

and only one latino player is batting over .200 (Abreu) and no latino pitcher with an ERA of under 3. It's players for the visiting teams that need to worry. Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina could be detained, thus crippling the Cards. Likewise Johan Santana and Jose Reyes of the Mets (except the Mets suck right now also.)

I think the message is clear, get your H-1B laminated and wear it prominently.

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. The mind reels at the thought

of Manny Rodriguez being pulled over.

[tsuki]

3. I cannot travel to Arizona. I do not have my original birth certificate. nt

[Raspberry]

7. Isn't a valid

driver's license from any state adequate proof of legal citizenship?

[tsuki]

8. Thom Hartmann reported that a Hispanic driver that pulled into

an AZ weigh station was arrested for not being able to produce his original birth certificate. He had a CDL class A (I think that is what Tom said). He had to call his wife in Fresno to bring his birth certificate, and she brought his, and hers, to make sure she was not arrested.

[WeDidIt]

9. Doesn't California issue driver's licenses regardless of residency status?

I thought a law was passed there.

So obviously a CA drivers license would be inadequate proof of citizenship in Arizona.

[Berry Cool]

13. No. If you don't know that, you've never tried to leave or go to the US on a driver's license.

In the days before you actually had to have a passport card or a passport book to visit Canada and be let back into the US, a driver's license was not considered proof of citizenship. If you were a US citizen and you didn't have a passport, you had to produce a birth certificate. A driver's license wouldn't cut it.

Now, it's true that many people crossing the US-Canada border in private vehicles were only quizzed verbally about their citizenship and if they said "US" and were in a vehicle with US plates, they oftentimes were not asked to produce proof. But if you were going over on a bus or train, oh my goodness, you better have that birth certificate or else.

Of course, those days are gone now and you need a passport card, at least, to cross the Canadian border.

Edited to specify: You need only a passport card to travel by land, but the book to travel by air.

[ixion]

4. Money. That's where it hurts them. Lost tourism,

fewer people moving to the state. These are the things that make politicians wake up and smell reality.

[WeDidIt]

10. One humorous aspect to it...

Birthers are claiming Obama can never travel to Arizona after the law goes into effect.

They're also talking about filing a lawsuit against Arizona if a law enforcement agent doesn't require Obama to produce proof of citizenship should Obama travel to Arizona.

[old mark]

11. Rec - thanks. nt

[drmeow]

14. That's basically what forced

AZ to honor MLK day. Super bowl XXVII was yanked from AZ due to pressure from the NFL Players Association when Arizonans refused to create an MLK day holiday. The Cactus League is an even bigger deal since it brings steady money into the state rather than money during just one year. If this was made a real threat I think you'd see the law appealed quickly (assuming it is not struck down by the courts before hand).