What is the Arizona law SB1070 really about?

[SargeUNN]

I have been reading and listening to all the reasons and the statements about SB1070 which affects the state I live in and have for 3 years. I have done Progressive Political Talk radio here for 3 years and have contacted many involved such as Russell Pearce, Jan Brewer, and others from the pro side of it, as well as those against it, even going as far as to look at other places where this problem has happened years ago. I just Saturday night talked with the co-producer of 9500 Liberty Movie which is a movie about a law very much like what we had passed here, what it did to their community and how they got it changed. So while what I am going to say is my opinion and only my opinion, that is what it is based on and you can judge for yourself what you think. I guess I should also add since I will cite rascism as part of it, that I was born in New Orleans and grew up in South Mississippi during Jim Crow, remember the separate drinking fountains and such, played with Walter Payton in my backyard as a little boy, and being raised in a family that was racist that tried to make me one as well, I think I am pretty well qualified to know racism when I see it. So with that disclaimer I will give you the opinion of what is really behind it all and why.

The law as Rachel Maddow reported was written by F.A.I.R. as was the one in Prince William County Va. and here in Arizona it was introduced by Russell Pearce a former Cheif Deputy to Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The story goes that Pearce's son was killed by "illegal immigrants" and he has made it his mission to rid the nation of such people, and along with his pals Joe Arpaio and J.T. Ready, as well as others, he has gained the influence to power through such stuff as this bill, and tried but not as of yet successfully to get the "Birther Bill" through. He got F.A.I.R. involved in writing this bill and of course Joe Arpaio was more than glad to add his support since many of Arpaio's voters thinks the number one threat to Arizona is "illegal immigrants" which makes a great political issue for them. The death of a rancher near Casa Grande was just the right event to trigger this issue, even though the death is still unresolved, the reporting on it strongly implied it was "illegal immigrants" who did the murder. Some are saying it might have been a drug deal gone bad and the rancher himself was involved, but the truth is it isn't known what happened, but truth be damned let's take action. This is the kind of story that F.A.I.R. loves to wait for and true or not they are more than glad to react. Naturally you can expect people like J.T. Ready a self proclaimed neo-nazi, to jump aboard. The voter suppression thing is likely part of the story but not a big part because it is really about racism. I heard many talk about how those "illegals" are clogging up the hospital emergency rooms, draining our social programs, stealing our jobs. I have heard those type stories back in my youth too. Now not so suddenly Arpaio is considering a run for Governor so think this is not about political posturing? When Dan Saban was running against Arpaio last time, he guest hosted my radio, then on KPHX/Nova M and spent the entire hour on the immigration problem and how he would handle it as sheriff. Shortly afterwards I caught the wrath of Arpaio supporters in threats to boycott my sponsor, and sometimes they would call in to disrupt the show. Once I was talking to a man in Mississippi about a Katrina Issue and one of them tried to hijack the show to talk about Arpaio. So if you want to know what is really behind it, it is racism and nazism. It is the end to the latino people in the state and if they could find a way they would just as soon kill them off just as Hitler tried to do with the Jews. With a group like F.A.I.R. to provide them with political tactics and author their hate legislation as well as how to work it with the propaganda avenues, they are using an event to sell this hatred. Recently a sheriff's deputy in Pima County was wounded by drug runners, and of course it is stated it was from Mexico. Pima County Sheriff Balbo is one of those who aspires to being the next Joe Arpaio although he doesn't say so in so many words, I have talked to him and heard him enough to know he is. That is what is the core issue of this bill as I see it.

The big question is where is it going to spread since Texas and at least 6 other states are considering similar legislature. Well, as long as we don't educate people on F.A.I.R. and the Pioneer Fund, it will spread. Maddow is right to focus on them and I agree they need to be exposed as the racist they are, because that help to reduce the KKK and it needs to be done with this bunch of vipers.

[BlooInBloo]

1. 1) As of a couple days ago, it was up to 11 states...

in various stages of enacting similar Jim Crow laws.

2) External pressure from the rest of the country will fix it, regardless of AZ' shitty electorate. Just like always.

3) What is white Arizonan support for Jim Crow at anyway? 80%? 90%? Higher?

[SargeUNN]

2. The number really isn't known and is just a guess

the poll stating 70% was done with a sample of 500 and was done by Rassmussen or however it is spelled. I have tried to get a better estimate of it, but honestly it is hard to do so. I asked several long time residences that I know and they say 60% is more likely and some say the 70% is likely true. The percentage that most seem to settle on is 60. Remember this is just people's guess and isn't meant to be set in stone, but my personal thought is 60%.

[BlooInBloo]

3. Oh - and forgot linky to 1)

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/it-spreads.html

[SargeUNN]

5. interesting

how much you want to bet F.A.I.R. is right in the middle? I have no doubt and I also raise the question, was F.A.I.R. involved in the law in 96 that has been used to deport even veterans who commit even a small violation like a bounced check. I don't know what law that is to cite it, but since I have contact with several of these veterans that issue is in my head which makes me wonder if that too was the handywork of F.A.I.R.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Uh.... that's kind of the point of the link I gave you...

The information ultimately being at least over a week old now.

[EFerrari]

4. Balbo was on CNN sometime today -- I think it was live, anyway.

You're right about him. He's slick, has all the talking points down, speaks in racist code effortlessly. He's more slick than Joe ever was. That guy wants to go places and he wants to do it on hatred.

[napi21]

6. My guess is that AZ will feel the $$ hurt very soon and will

work to repeal this law very soon after it's enacted, IF it ever is. There are already suits against AZ, two if I remember, and many more to come, and law suits aren't cheap! When the other States see what happens to AZ, I think this whole mess will go away.

I must admot, I snicker every time I hear of another thing that's being boycotted. I know I won't do business with any on the list to boycot, andI'm an old white lady. I can just imagine how many latinos are doing the same!

[SargeUNN]

8. Oh most definately in more ways than one

I highly urge everyone to go to youtube and search for 9500 Liberty and see the financial collapse they had there until the fixed their law which was much like the one here in Arizona. Again F.A.I.R. wrote the law and what happened there was awful. Here in Arizona just on the results it will cause in the spending loss of Latinos alone will be a major hit, add in if the big sporting events that usually generate large paydays for the area don't come here and any other losses due to this law, this will be a blow that will take a long long time to overcome. I have heard people say the sporting events won't do much but if you know this state and you know Phoenix, it is not hard to imagine how big a blow it will be. Remember Phoenix is the 5th largest metro area in the U.S. and tourism and such is the major industry.

[ArizonaLiberal]

7. Thank you four your insights. n/t