What is Going On in Arizona?

[Gaspar]

That is only if they are pulling over every car that happens to be traveling down that particular sidewalk that night.

Well. . .There's your probable cause.  If you're driving on the sidewalk I think you should be stopped. 

[guido911]

Arizona doubling down. Bill approved by both houses and sent to Gov. Brewer would stop all ethnic studies programs.

Under the ban, sent to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer by the state legislature Thursday, schools will lose state funding if they offer any courses that "promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment of a particular race or class of people, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

The article adds that the state is cracking down on English teachers with heavy accents.

Meanwhile, in a move that was more covert until the Wall Street Journal uncovered it, the Arizona Department of Education has told schools that teachers with "heavy" or "ungrammatical" accents are no longer allowed to teach English classes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/arizona-ethnic-studies-cl_n_558731.html

[Gaspar]

According to Rasmussen, 70% of Arizona voters approve of the law.  23% disapprove. 

[we vs us]

Arizona doubling down. Bill approved by both houses and sent to Gov. Brewer would stop all ethnic studies programs.
The article adds that the state is cracking down on English teachers with heavy accents.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/arizona-ethnic-studies-cl_n_558731.html

I really thought this was a joke.  Turns out it's not. Wow. 

[guido911]

I really thought this was a joke.  Turns out it's not. Wow. 

It's almost as if Arizona is taking a scorched earth approach to the immigration issue.

[Townsend]

It's almost as if Arizona is taking a scorched earth approach to the immigration issue.

I visited Sierra Vista last year and there are alot of older white retirees there.

I was standing on the front porch looking  at a range of hills and told by one of them, "That's Mexico".  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, one of them would be telling my wife about all the damned Mexicans.

Yup.

On the other hand, they have one of the nicest grocery stores I've ever seen.

[dbacks fan]

When an LEO comes into contact with someone, isn't the second question they ask, regardless of the contact, "Do you have some indentifacation on you, or some way to identify who you are?" has been around for a long time. I can speak on this because of an incident that happened to me in 1982, when I friend I was riding around with was pulled over for drag racing on 41st between Harvard and Yale. The circumstance involved that he was driving and I was a passenger, and yes we had been imbibing Millers while out on a Saturday night and I know that the officer could smell the beer in the car since it was late Febuary. When the officer asked me for ID the only thing I could give him was a temporary paper reciept from the OHP, because I had gotten a speeding ticket the weekend previously while going to a concert in Norman. The fact that I was truthful, and gave identification that showed who I was, and could prove who I was was all the officer needed, and he was able to verify who I am.

I guess what I am saying is, if you can prove who you are legally to LEO, has been around longer than this new bill/law.

[nathanm]

I guess what I am saying is, if you can prove who you are legally to LEO, has been around longer than this new bill/law.

In most states, you aren't legally obligated to provide identification unless you are being arrested (presuming you aren't driving). In some, you can refuse even then, although you'll never make bail that way.

[azbadpuppy]

I visited Sierra Vista last year and there are alot of older white retirees there.

Bingo. There is a huge population of retired people in AZ, predominantly white and conservative. They also tend to vote in huge numbers. AZ is filled with gated, master planned 'cities' filled with these types of people. It's interesting because you don't typically see the retirees because they stay in their 'safe' walled in areas of cities like Sun City, Anthem, Sun Lakes, Sierra Vista, etc. but they are a huge driving force of the politics of this state.

[guido911]

Bingo. There is a huge population of retired people in AZ, predominantly white and conservative.

Like this person?

[azbadpuppy]

Like this person?

Unfortunately she's wrong. I have yet to hear anyone explain what AZ's definition of 'lawful contact' is, most likely because it is undefined.

She also doesn't change the fact that AZ is filled with white retired conservatives....what's your point?

[azbadpuppy]

Arizonal lawmakers changed the wording:

http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/181111/arizona_lawmakers__tweak_immigration_bill%3B_%E2%80%98lawful_contact%E2%80%99_out,_%E2%80%99stop,_detain_or_arrest%E2%80%99_in/

Apparently even they realized that, as originally written, the law would never hold up in court.

At least it looks better now....on paper.

[Red Arrow]

I guess it's a crime to be a retired white conservative living in AZ.

Or is it a crime to just be:
retired ?
white ?
conservative ?
live in AZ ?

or any combination of the above?

Venting on retired white conservatives living in AZ sounds like profiling to me.  Stereotyping for sure.

[guido911]

I guess it's a crime to be a retired white conservative living in AZ.

Or is it a crime to just be:
retired ?
white ?
conservative ?
live in AZ ?

or any combination of the above?

Venting on retired white conservatives living in AZ sounds like profiling to me.  Stereotyping for sure.

Yep!

[azbadpuppy]

I guess it's a crime to be a retired white conservative living in AZ.

Or is it a crime to just be:
retired ?
white ?
conservative ?
live in AZ ?

or any combination of the above?

Venting on retired white conservatives living in AZ sounds like profiling to me.  Stereotyping for sure.

Where did I say anything about a crime?

I was pointing out that having such large numbers of that demographic, who also happen to vote in large numbers, totally affects the political climate of the state.