Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The Circus Continues

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

The Arizona craziness shows no signs of abating. Governor Brewer spoke on local radio today and succeeded only in highlighting her intellectual limitations. She could do little to justify her support for the racist SB 1070, but did get rather dramatic talking about all of the evil things that the drug cartels and other dirty Hispanics have perpetrated on the state of Arizona. I read the local papers, closely, and I have never seen stories about any of the outrageous things that Jan claimed to be fact. She is, in reality, doing little more than being her political self - pandering to the tea baggers, birthers, and other fools who are more numerous than the rattle snakes, scorpions, and other varmints who slither around this sandy patch of hell.

One of the local television stations spent several minutes of air time tonight talking about the boycott, and citing specific meeting and convention cancellations. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and St. Paul have all moved to keep from spending any money in Arizona, and Washington, DC, will soon follow suit. Some communities are even talking about boycotting Arizona products. That movement seems to have caught fire. Poor Jan said this law will help the state's economy. That claim, of course, is crap.

The sheriff of Maricopa County (Phoenix), Joe Arpaio, is all for this bigoted bill because he realized a long time ago that there are headlines to be had in chasing and harassing Hispanics. He has said that he intends to support the legislation vigorously. Poor Joe has always felt somewhat slighted because God dealt him a county that does not border Mexico, but he does his best to pose for the press as a one-man border patrol anyway.

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of Pima County, (Tucson) Arizona, does have a county that borders Mexico. But Dupnik, unlike Arpaio, is too busy with real law enforcement to be bothered with the political nonsense generated by SB 1070. Sheriff Dupnik referred to the new law as "racist," "disgusting," and "stupid." Dupnik said that he will not enforce the legislation. The way the law reads, he can be sued by citizens if he fails to enforce the law, but Dupnik said that he would rather chance that than being sued over racial profiling.

Unfortunately, it is all just a game to get the right-wing stirred up and to the polls in November. However, it is beginning to look like this political maneuver may backfire. Tourists are staying away, a bad economy is getting worse, and Hispanic voters are suddenly figuring out which party is really on "their" side.

I am looking forward to the November elections!

3 comments:

Xobekim said...

My mind's eye sees a bumper sticker with that famouns kicking Democratic Jackass in red white and blue. Then you read the words, printed in black, !SI, SE PUEDE!

Unknown said...

I may look like the jackass, but what does Si, Se, Puede mean?

Pa Rock said...

Si se puede! Yes we can. The phrase was reportedly first used by farm worker activist Delores Huerta when the United Farm Workers was organizing in the 1960's. When candidate Obama decided to make those words part of his appeal to Hispanic voters, he contacted Ms. Huerta and requested permission to use her phrasing - which she gladly granted!