Dobbs: Protests Against Ariz. Law Just "Theater"
Organizers say they expect hundreds of thousands of people to turn out at dozens of rallies across the country Saturday calling for federal immigration reform and protesting the new anti-illegal immigration law in Arizona considered the nation's toughest.
But nationally syndicated talk show host Lou Dobbs says the events are nothing but "political theater" and brand new changes in the Arizona legislation make it "pristine," and not a license for police to engage in racial profiling, as critics charge.
The measure requires officers to question anyone they have "reason to suspect" is in the country illegally, and has been a lightning rod for both praise and condemnation since its recent enactment.
Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer Friday signed into law amendments strengthening restrictions against racial profiling, saying they make it "crystal clear that racial profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated in Arizona."
"Clearly," observed "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Chris Wragge, "there was some question -- and she was concerned -- about the constitutionality of the law."
Dobbs deflected that, saying he's "always concerned about constitutionality," but that, "This (the planned rallies) is a political piece of theater going on -- the outrage, the attack on the state of Arizona. This is not about substance. And that's too often the case when we talk about illegal immigration and border security."
" … The revisions to that law make it crystal clear that there is no racial profiling," he added. "As the sponsor of that legislation ... said, it's to eliminate the games and the ability for those advocates to attack the legislation on any basis. They made it absolutely crystal clear this … -- right now - looks like a pristine piece of legislation."
Dobbs says, "Right now, we have an opportunity to do something positive and constructive in this country. We have people attacking the state of Arizona, news organizations around the country, national and local, not reporting the fact that 70 percent of Arizona citizens support the law, not reporting the fact that Phoenix is the kidnapping capital of the United States, (with the) second most frequent kidnappings in the world. Thirdly, that ... Phoenix has a crime rate, the capital, that is just about the same as New York City, which is eight times larger."
Wragge pointed to a new Gallop poll showing more than three-quarters of Americans who responded had heard about the new law, and of those, 51 percent said they favor it and 39 percent opposed it.
Yet, noted Wragge, the big rallies are expected Saturday against it.
"And that's political theater," Dobbs reiterated.
"What we have to do," he asserted, "is bring everyone together on solving the border security crisis in this country, solving the illegal immigration crisis in this country. … We have to solve the problem. We've got to stop the nonsense."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. But nationally syndicated talk show host Lou Dobbs says the events are nothing but "political theater" and brand new changes in the Arizona legislation make it "pristine," and not a license for police to engage in racial profiling, as critics charge.
The measure requires officers to question anyone they have "reason to suspect" is in the country illegally, and has been a lightning rod for both praise and condemnation since its recent enactment.
Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer Friday signed into law amendments strengthening restrictions against racial profiling, saying they make it "crystal clear that racial profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated in Arizona."
"Clearly," observed "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Chris Wragge, "there was some question -- and she was concerned -- about the constitutionality of the law."
Dobbs deflected that, saying he's "always concerned about constitutionality," but that, "This (the planned rallies) is a political piece of theater going on -- the outrage, the attack on the state of Arizona. This is not about substance. And that's too often the case when we talk about illegal immigration and border security."
" … The revisions to that law make it crystal clear that there is no racial profiling," he added. "As the sponsor of that legislation ... said, it's to eliminate the games and the ability for those advocates to attack the legislation on any basis. They made it absolutely crystal clear this … -- right now - looks like a pristine piece of legislation."
Dobbs says, "Right now, we have an opportunity to do something positive and constructive in this country. We have people attacking the state of Arizona, news organizations around the country, national and local, not reporting the fact that 70 percent of Arizona citizens support the law, not reporting the fact that Phoenix is the kidnapping capital of the United States, (with the) second most frequent kidnappings in the world. Thirdly, that ... Phoenix has a crime rate, the capital, that is just about the same as New York City, which is eight times larger."
Wragge pointed to a new Gallop poll showing more than three-quarters of Americans who responded had heard about the new law, and of those, 51 percent said they favor it and 39 percent opposed it.
Yet, noted Wragge, the big rallies are expected Saturday against it.
"And that's political theater," Dobbs reiterated.
"What we have to do," he asserted, "is bring everyone together on solving the border security crisis in this country, solving the illegal immigration crisis in this country. … We have to solve the problem. We've got to stop the nonsense."
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If the Right Wing really wanted to impress the status of undocumented workers then, they would support legislation that punished the Employers for hiring (taking advantage) undocumented aliens.
Other then that, the GOP and the AZ Law are just Political Theatre in an election year in which they have nothing to run on.
The law as is, is no doubt and unarguably, racist. Meaning, it specifically targets Hispanics with Indian features (sorry, no PC word for 'Native Mexicans').
I can be an Italian, or Polish or Russian illegal immigrant and not be stopped by Arizona cops. See the stupidity of the law? What did they expect?
What about enforcing current laws? What about imposing heavy fines on employers hiring illegal aliens? How about asking for immigration documents when law breakers get arrested instead of going after people in the street solely because of the way they look?
We are supposedly the model of capitalism, but we do not understand the basis of the laws of supply and demand!!!!!!
Drugs = No users, no drug dealers
Illegal Immigration = No illegal employers = no jobs, no illegal workers
Also, lets stop invading half the planet. Maybe then, we will not get an influx of people from the nations we 'conquer'. If we want to be an empire, then lets accept the responsibility that comes with it!
How about this--when there is probable cause, regardless of the race of the person, the AZ police MUST check immigration status?
Is that better? Will this law be okay with you and people like you if the police begin to net somalian, Indian, Irish, Japanese, Romanian, Italian and other illegal immigrants?
Why not make EVERYONE stopped for a speeding ticket, shoplifting or loitering prove they are legal? Why not combine ICE with the FBI and Police and make it one big enforcement system with overlapping information capabilities?
I know that every time I go to Europe or the Caribbean, or Asia, or even Australia--I am advised to keep my passport and ID with me as I can be stopped at any time and questioned to my immigration status.
It really is the law in many countries--why not here? And since the law has not yet been put into effect, why are people clamoring or like you stating HOW it will be enforced when you have no proof?
They may indeed apply it to all people regardless of race/creed/ethnicity--then what?
the bad thing about protesting this law is that it is being protested before it has ever borne fruit--and if you are wrong, what takes its place? We already have evidence of the government's continual complicity when it comes to illegal immigration.
Accepting illegals or granting modified amnesty is just asking for the problems to continue and giving the green light for the next wave to begin their 10 year oddysey to citizenship--illegal style.
But over the decades, your government starts ignoring the laws on the book concerning who gets to be inside their borders legally and instead panders to the corporate contributions being deposited into their bank accounts. And what if eventually the immigrant workers decide not to abide to the law of the land and not leave after their visa has expired once they realize no one is pursuing their infractions of the law in this foreign country they work in.
So your government, run by two influential parties that constantly fight each others agenda just to further their own perceptions of what a future America is going to be like that hopefully will benefit their party the most, does nothing to enforce its own laws on the federal books despite the constant clamor over the decades from the citizens of the country that elected them into office in the first place.
Lets pretend that on TWO previous occasions a President of this country (one from each party) gave amnesty to over ten million people each time with the promise to it's citizens that "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!" (1976-Carter..1986-Reagan)
But over the years the enforcement of these laws erode away despite your constant screaming voice to your elected representative in a futile attempt since 'THEY' have no need to patronize you anymore now that they are now in office. They are instead influenced by the mega billion dollar corporate empires that are throwing millions of dollars at EACH party to make sure their agenda is priority over the voters. No matter WHO gets elected into office, their corporate agenda will be perpetrated.
Now picture this, the only time your elected official wants to hear from you is when they are up for reelection the upcoming year, and suddenly this person has changed for the better and is now your best friend and "Understands Your Concerns" ...promising to vote the way you want them to once in office. After a few years of disappointment and no change from who you elected, a representative from the other party is elected into the office of your district and nothing changes once again! The people of this country start to realize over time that there's still a robber at their door! Even though they may have a different mask on, the results are the same!
Picture once again that this whole country is represented by every nationality and race of the world we live in. A country in which for hundreds of years there was a line of smiling faces waiting to become a member of this society willing to put in whatever it may take to become a viable asset and give a contribution to this growing country all in the legal way!
But when the situation arises of an illegal alien invasion on this sovereign nations border that is perpetrated by many different countries all using the same easy unsecured entrance into said country, the opposition singles out the fact that it's a racial issue. Even though this country is more diverse than any country in the world with all colors and races represented, a certain race is singled out as racist when they ask the elected officials to enforce the previous amnesty laws that were pushed onto the voting citizens of this country on many occasions before. The fact is ignored that every race in this country is represented in the outcry of opposition to this new amnesty, but in fact they single out the majority race as the obstacle to their infiltrating agenda!
WE NEED TO VOTE OUT EVERY CAREER POLITICIAN FROM OFFICE NOW!
It's not 1840 anymore and Washington isn't a three week ride away! We can speak for ourselves and accomplish more if we get fresh people in congress that want to make real change to this country! Vote in someone completely new that listens to what we want and bring down the political parties!
Copy/Paste everywhere if you agree-Eddiespaghetti007
The first few paragraphs of your opinion, were wonderful. I agree there should never be another amnesty as that given by Ronald Reagan! And we should definitely enforce our current laws, find ways to solve the problem and come up with a solution. Targeting a segment of our population whom, by the way, were native to these lands way before we were, is just not right.
Because though many claim they believe in reform--anything other than zero tolerance is begging for more of the same.
Then why are the police depts in Phoenix, Tuscon & Flagstaff against the policy?