The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Strangler Lewis]

Survey says: "lawful contact."

Upon rereading, I see that Scaeagles' article mentions this as the saving grace. I think it's where all the mischief lies.

[JWBear]

Puma County Sheriff will not enforce new immigration law

[JWBear]

[innerSpaceman]

And heheh, Lady Liberty started out brown-skinned, and only greenified with age.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Ha!!! Good point.

[wendybeth]

Excellent post, Alex- VAM.

[Alex]

Figured I'd share a response to the Arizona bill that might have some resonance here:

Q: Do you agree with the recently passed law in Arizona that empowers law enforcement officials to check whether a person being stopped or detained is a U.S. citizen? It's not my place to agree or disagree.

A: I understand why it was passed and why 70 percent of the people of Arizona support it. They're angry, they're frustrated, and they're scared. There are a half-million illegals who have poured into their state. ... They feel under siege, and I understand that. What does concerns me is that if it's not carried out and applied carefully, you could end up in the situation where people are indiscriminately stopped who are absolute citizens. ... America is a lot like Disney World in that once you get a ticket, you're in. You don't have to keep showing your ticket to keep riding the rides. That's the whole point of liberty.

[innerSpaceman]

Cute ... but what an ignorant analogy. We weren't denied any liberty when each attraction required a ticket - and you had to not only keep showing them, had to keep buying them throughout the day? More inconvenient, maybe. I wonder if it would work out cheaper than the roughly hundred bucks it takes you to have full "liberty" at a Disney park nowadays.

I don't see how the ticket book system was racist. So person A is a dope. (though of course, his simple analogy that would pass muster with 99% of casual Americans has an instantly-recognizable point.)

[wendybeth]

I think the author was referring to the current system, iSm, not the former.

[Alex]

Yeah, he's saying citizenship is like the current system at Disney World, you don't have to continuously provide proof you belong (the obvious hole is that while as a practical matter you'll only ever be asked for such proof when trying to get back in, just like the new Arizona law if at any time Disney security decides they have reason to suspect you don't actually belong they could ask for confirmation and eject you if you can't provide it, even if you had purchased a ticket).

It does not carry that he's saying that the ticket book system was racist.