Alright, so this business in Arizona is getting crazy. I, for one, FULLY support law enforcement's right to ask for proof of residency and citizenship. When I get pulled over, I EXPECT the police officer to ask for my driver's license and other pertinent paperwork and documents. If I do not have a driver's license (I shouldn't be driving; one) I should at least have some form of ID. If I don't have any proof of ID after that, what would USUALLY happen to me? Trouble, that's what. And it has nothing to do with my race, heritage, political opinions, or sympathies. It's because I failed to show the required documents. If I didn't have any of these, if the officer asked, "Are you even a US citizen?" that would well be a valid question, as I don't even have proof of my STATE citizenship.
Now, moving on.
Accusations of racism and hate crimes irritate me the most. Maybe it's because I'm white and I'm first in line to be called racist. Maybe it's because I'm always the racist one, but any sort of ethnic-prejudice against me isn't valid. Maybe it's because I'll never be considered a minority, even though I've often found myself the only Anglo-Saxxon in my education situations. Whatever it stems from, it's still irritating.
I saw protestors in Arizona with their fancy-schmancy poster-painted epithets and one-liners (and misspellings) and anger. One that initially threw me (but I later reflected I should have expected) claimed that this was nothing more than racism against Mexicans.
Now, this will make me sound like a racist (of course). But let's look at another group that makes anti-race claims as well.
When the news reports stories of police officers beating African-Americans, it's always portrayed as a hate crime and racism before anything else (even if the cop is black).
Now, asking someone (and I'll wager that yes, mostly Hispanics) if they're a citizen when they cannot show proof of it is a racist action.
Seriously?
I can understand violence and "police brutality" being shot off as racism, but asking for proof of citizenship? Really?
I have to show my proof of residency (conveniently also my proof of being allowed to drive) whenever asked for it. So simmer down. Sheesh.
Racism my foot.
2 comments:
Oh Letha.... I'm as conservative as you are... but I am SOOO against this bill. SO SO SO against it.
And not because of "racism." I'm against it because it's infringing upon people's 4th amendment rights.
:-(
The 4th amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. I don't see what's unreasonable about asking if someone's a citizen if they don't have an ID.
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