Arizona Governor Signs Hateful Immigration Law

For some time one of the undercurrents of the Republican Party - besides fomenting anti-gay hatred - has been a constant anti-immigrant drumbeat. The GOP is increasingly a party that caters solely to white, heterosexual Christianists that conflate religion with the civil laws. Arizona now gives a preview of what the whites only GOP would like to take nationwide. As I have noted before, the irony is that so many of these GOP adherents wear their Christianity on their sleeve and constantly congratulate themselves on their godliness, yet all the while acting in a hateful and totally un-Christian manner towards the hosts of people they dislike: blacks, Hispanics, gays, non-Christians, etc., etc. As I have written before, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (pictured above) is a religious nutcase and opponent of gay rights and belongs to the Missouri Synod branch of the Lutheran Church which is 180 degrees in the opposite direction from the tolerant - and in my view truly Christian - ELCA. The law's enactment has horrified civil rights groups and will no doubt end up in litigation. Here are some highlights from the Washington Post:
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Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law Friday the most restrictive immigration bill in the country, setting the stage for a showdown with the Obama administration and reigniting a divisive national debate less than seven months before congressional midterm elections.
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Even before it was signed, President Obama criticized the Arizona law, which requires police to question anyone who appears to be in the country illegally. Obama called the effort "misguided" and directed the Justice Department to monitor its implementation, warning that it could violate citizens' civil rights. Immediate legal challenges were expected from outside groups.
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With the stroke of a pen, Brewer unleashed the passions of activists and politicians on both sides of the issue. Hispanics across the country, a key political bloc, promised an energetic push to elect Democrats in November. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), an advocate of immigration reform, issued a statement describing the law as "harsh."
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Under Arizona's new law, to take effect in 90 days, it will be a state crime to be in the country illegally, and legal immigrants will be required to carry paperwork proving their status. Arizona police will generally be required to question anyone they "reasonably suspect" of being undocumented -- a provision that critics argue will lead to widespread racial profiling, but that supporters insist will give authorities the flexibility to enforce existing immigration laws.
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The law could also have diplomatic and economic repercussions. The Mexican Senate voted unanimously to urge Brewer to veto the bill, saying it could lead to persecution and harassment of Hispanics, and the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed great concern and said the measure could harm cross-border relations "for generations."
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E. J. Dionne has a biting op-ed in the Washington Post that is also worth a read. Here is a snippet:
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It is nothing short of astonishing that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Friday signed a bill that could make it dangerous just to look Hispanic.
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The need to carry proper ‘papers’ falls squarely on Arizona's Latino population -- including those born and raised in the Grand Canyon State. The bill invites racial profiling and ignores the fact that Latinos are an intrinsic part of Arizona's history and its future. Arizona's senators should know that.