Arizona's largest paper fills front page with editorial castigating McCain & Kyl

[Bluebear]

PHOENIX – Arizona's largest newspaper criticized U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl and a host of other elected officials in a rare front-page editorial Sunday, saying the politicians have failed to find solutions to illegal immigration.

The state has become the target of calls for boycotts since adopting a law that requires local and state law enforcement officers to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally.

"The federal government is abdicating its duty on the border. Arizona politicians are pandering to public fear," The Arizona Republic said in a full-page editorial. "The result is a state law that intimidates Latinos while doing nothing to curb illegal immigration."

Doug MacEachern, an editorial writer for the Republic, said the newspaper has put editorials on the front page over the years but this was the first time one filled the front page.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100502/ap_on_re_us/us_immigration_enforcement

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Maybe it'll get McCain's and Kyl's attention.

Maybe.

Good for the Arizona Republic.

[lame54]

5. I hope the print is big enough

[mitchtv]

2. Lost in all this

Gov. Brewer removed same sex partner benefits to state employees.But I am supposed to support another demographic without reciprocation? There comes a point when you say to yourself "should I care?". I am not anti Immigrant, just getting tired of being bumped.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. How are you supporting immigrants?

[mitchtv]

8. I have hired many an immigrant

and always paid competitive union grade wages as I am union myself. There is no field help that is not immigrant except a few highschoolers , who don't know how to do field work. and I voted against prop 187. I am now out of the farm , but we still have an immigrant gardener.

I have also attended many a demo for I rights. Too bad I am unable to post photos

[mitchtv]

15. Ps I married one

and had to smuggle him into the county (statute of limitations long expired" )

[Bluebear]

4. The time has come for all oppressed minorities to finally band together.

Only in our collective numbers will we have the strength to make changes.

[mitchtv]

9. yeah, Guess who will be shunted aside?

wanna bet?

[Bluebear]

11. Well.

THAT goes without saying.

[sabrina 1]

7. I can only say this. The outrage about this issue is not just about

immigrants, it is about returning to one of America's very dark eras of not so long ago. Because if this law is allowed to stand this cancer will spread to other states.

This fight doesn't personally affect me either in an immediate way but imho, this law must be addressed right now. It is urgent. And if it is not, and it spreads, you need to wonder what that will do to gay rights. Do you think these bigots, should they have a victory here will stop with 'brown people'?

This is just one battle in a war against bigotry of all kinds. Think of it as a battle we need to win to stop the enemy at the gates. That helps all of us. But if we let them in, you can forget about anyone's rights.

[mitchtv]

10. er... these bigots started with Gay people

they just now landed on a larger group to fuck with. Yeah yeah its so much more important blah blah blah. I don't need to win shit, if the immigrant rights movement doesn't take a committed, inclusive approach to rights they can do it themselves. Unions have come around, immigrant rights groups, had best step up and make an outreach. Sorry I can't invest myself in the rights fight of another group, without a certain commitment. Want I don't want to see is immigration reform that leaves Gay Immigrants at the back door

[sabrina 1]

12. Do you think there are no gay immigrants? As for

these bigots starting with gay people? I think they started with black people unless you've forgotten about slavery and the fact that it took centuries and many people having to give their lives, right up to not that long ago, to stop it. And as this law demonstrates, it is still there, bubbling under the surface.

Fortunately not all gay people feel as you do. You are free to only protest when something affects you personally. But it's a good thing everyone doesn't feel that way or we'd still have slavery in this country and who knows who would have been added to the ranks of slavery had good people who themselves were unselfish enough to join a fight that they could have, as you are doing, ignored since it didn't affect them.

I guess what you're saying is that even if something is the right thing to do, you won't do it because you want a guarantee of something in return. I really am glad that throughout history when the rights of some people were trampled on, there were enough others who saw the injustice and didn't think only of themselves.

This law is not asking gay people to show proof that they are not gay. It is asking people who 'don't look American' to provide proof that they are here illegally.

I am also glad that you are not representative of the gay community most of whom realize that this is a constitutional issue and even if only for selfish reasons, all of us need to be concerned that this could happen to anyone in this country.

[mitchtv]

13. there are plenty of Gay immigrants

summarily excludes BTW. Gay people are learning

[mitchtv]

14. Well you are certainly representative of the straits , sadly

to patronize a second class citizen. No One is going to give me my equal rights, certainly not one who can't fathom the idea that allies help allies and that leadership of the Gay movement depends on Gays,, not the privileged class. go tell your strait friends who to support


THE RIGHT THING TO DO? Ha that's a laugh We've been doing the right thing and supporting the right causes , and what do we get? our fellow Democrat citizens shit in our faces and give us prop 8, good fellow liberals. It's always fun to hear the strait liberals squeal with rage when a Gay says "I'm not playing"

[sabrina 1]

16. How sad your post is. You resort to profiling

to defend your position.

As for 'rage' ~ is that what you were going for? If so, you failed. Opinion does not equal 'rage'. But your own rage appears to be blinding you.

I believe, and apparently this is where we disagree, in full civil and human rights for all human beings. I also believe that to achieve that we don't get to pick and choose whose rights are worth defending. That you don't is not my problem.

As I said, for the sake of Gays who are working hard to achieve the same rights as every other U.S. citizen, I am glad that YOU are not representative of them.

'Allies help allies'. Yes, that was my point, a point you apparently don't agree with since you don't seem to understand that it does work both ways.

[mitchtv]

unfortunately it only works one way

allies disappear when teh gay comes up for action

[mitchtv]

18. unfortunately it only works one way

allies disappear when teh gay comes up for action

[sabrina 1]

19. Not with everyone. With some yes. But that is true of everything.

If the goal is to ensure equal rights for everyone, rather than be distracted by those who are too selfish to understand that when one group is excluded, everyone's rights are threatened, including their own and people stay focused on the goal itself supporting all efforts to ensure it, it is far more likely that it will be accomplished, for everyone.

I understand your anger. People can be very disappointing, but I still believe that there are enough people who believe in equality for all, no one excluded, to make it happen. It's happened before even when it seemed impossible. Being part of the fight which really is bigger than any one excluded group, gives energy to the 'ideal' of equal rights for everyone. And that means EVERYONE!

[Coventina]

21. 1+

Fascism needs to be fought on every front. Every group needs to be defended. Just because we lose a battle, doesn't mean we surrender the war. Just because Prop 8 passed in CA, doesn't mean fascist crap can't be resisted in AZ.

Just because I'm a woman, and still not treated as equally as a man, doesn't meant that I don't fight for GLBT, minority, animal, and environmental rights with all my available energy and resources.

[EFerrari]

22. Being told to take a back seat gets really, really old, agreed. n/t

[pinboy3niner]

6. I posted a related story: Violence is not up on Arizona Border

Despite claims by McCain and others that border violence is increasing, crime stats--and local law enforcement offricers--tell a different story. More great work by the
Arizona Republic:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8258127

[Catshrink]

17. Here's another thread on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8257763

I posted it earlier today after I read the newspaper. I was stunned that the AR actually was this strong in its response.

[TomCADem]

20. McCain and Kyl Are Filibusterring Everything, But Then Complaining About Inaction

It is nice that they are called on their hypocrisy at least sometimes. Okay, rarely.