Steven Begakis’s column about the Arizona immigration bill is a joke, proposing no solution to the immigration issue and instead playing the blame-Obama-and-the-Left-game once again. He is woefully ignorant of, or perhaps just incapable of understanding, the consequences this law has. Even with the provision that an officer can only arrest someone on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant after they’ve already been stopped for some other illegal activity, officers are still able to racially profile people. [media-credit id=20105 align=”alignleft” width=”140″][/media-credit] Just because the law says racial profiling is not allowed, it doesn’t mean racist police officers won’t do it. Someone could be pulled over for having a brake light out on their car, or having their registration sticker expired, and then arrested if they have an accent which causes the officer to suspect them of being an illegal immigrant (i.e., anyone with a Hispanic-sounding accent). A license or green card does not clarify this issue, as the person may just be visiting the U.S. and not actually an immigrant. To hold the belief that this law does not promote racial profiling is simply moronic, and shows that Begakis’s view of the immigration situation is fundamentally flawed.
Furthermore, why is the whole immigration and drug trafficking issue Obama’s fault? I seem to remember these same issues being around during Bush’s presidency, and he surely did not fix them. Where were you then, Steven? This is not Obama’s fault, as these issues were around long before he became President. Your whining about Obama makes it clear that you just prefer to blame him and liberals for everything you view as a problem, the same as you do in most of your columns, while simultaneously ignoring any conservatives who are to blame, as well as not offering any sort of solution to the problem. Get your head out of your ass.
Your argument is fundamentally flawed as well:
“Just because the law says racial profiling is not allowed, it doesn’t mean racist police officers won’t do it.”
You’re arguing against the existence of the law, by calling into question the method of enforcement of the law. They are two different things.
The bit about people visiting the United States is illogical as well. Driving without a license is already a crime serious enough to warrant legal action.
I completely agree with you. Great post.