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Hazing Arizona

on May 6, 2010

To elected officials in Richmond, there is nothing “controversial” about Arizona’s recently passed law, which gives state and local police new powers to demand documentation of people they suspect of being in the country illegally.

Instead, it’s “horrible” and a “hate law” that “profiles our Latino community,” Mayor Gayle McLaughlin told the crowd and a local television audience at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

After a lengthy session in which nearly every council member and several members of the public criticized the polarizing state law, the council voted 6-0 to declare opposition to the law and to establish a moratorium on city workers setting foot in the state while on city time.

The city’s resolution also declares that Richmond won’t initiate any new business companies based in Arizona, while exploring whether it can sever any current contracts with Arizona-based firms.

City Councilman Jeff Ritterman reminded the audience of Arizona leaders’ longstanding opposition to recognizing the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, which was in part overcome by economic activism, including by the National Football League, which moved the Super Bowl site from Arizona in a show of opposition.

Arizona became the last state to recognize King’s holiday in 1999.

“These kinds of actions become more than symbolic,” Ritterman said of Richmond’s resolution. “I think it’s essential that we raise our voices. We have huge numbers of people here who would be stopped in the street if we had this sort of law in Richmond.”

About a half-dozen residents also spoke out in opposition to the Arizona law, which was signed by the state’s governor on April 23. Many inveighed passionately against the measure on moral grounds, equating targeting immigrants with persecutions of African Americans and German Jews.

Richmond’s declaration that it will sever economic relationships with Arizona joins a growing chorus of other cities adopting similar measures. The Oakland City Council approved a similar resolution the samw night as Richmond.

Other cities include Santa Ana, San Diego, West Hollywood, Boulder, CO. and St. Paul, Minn. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has halted city travel to Arizona except for police and public health.

Councilman Nat Bates was absent from Tuesday night’s meeting.

17 Comments

  1. Benito on May 6, 2010 at 11:56 am

    I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. All of us ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated, but this is not the case.

    I know the proponents of this law say that the majority approves of this law, but the majority is not always right. Would women or non-whites have the vote if we listen to the majority of the day, would the non-whites have equal rights (and equal access to churches, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, schools, colleges and yes water fountains) if we listen to the majority of the day? We all know the answer, a resounding, NO!

    Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics and do what is right, not what is just popular with the majority. Some men comprehend discrimination by never have experiencing it in their lives, but the majority will only understand after it happens to them.



  2. Tony Suggs on May 6, 2010 at 12:34 pm

    I have read the Arizona law before and after the amendment that prohibits race being the only reason for asking someone to prove that they are in the country legally.

    Will someone please show me in the law where it allows any law enforcement officer to just stop anyone on the street and ask for their “papers?”

    It is not there!

    If someone is stopped for traffic violation, the police ask for identifation. I get asked of ID, everyone does.

    To compare segregation or womens suffrage, to illegal aliens, there just is no comparison there.

    Women and blacks were in this country legally from birth and had laws against them were based on race or sex. The Arizona law does not, repeat does not differentiate by race.

    It will apply to africans, asians, hispanics, etc equally.

    Maybe some of you may not know this but, when someone is arrested in Contra Costa County, even though the local police may not ask or seek to determine the immigration status of the person, because of this sanctuary city non sense, when they are booked into the county jail, if they do not have a U.S. government issued ID or any other way of proving who they are, they are reported to ICE.

    So, is our sheriff being racist by trying to determine the immigration status of an individual?

    Guess what, Marin, Alameda, Sacramento and most other counties throughout the U.S. do the same thing when they suspect someone may not be here legally.

    Its up to ICE to then follow through and make the final determination of ones status.

    Now, as far as people wanting to be free and seeking to better themselves, I am 100% for that.

    However, we no longer live in the time when countries did not have borders or rules for coming into a country.

    I know some wish to do away with all borders and let people go wherever they want to.

    Sorry, it will never happen!

    Also, we can argue who was here first and who are the “native americans” for ever and not be able to agree with each other.

    We have to deal with the here and now. If Mexico and any other country has millions of citizens leaving it, then they need to address their problems and stop exporting it to other countries.

    I have a simple solution to the immigration problem.

    The U.S. should adopt the same laws that Mexico and Canda have. The U.S. should also follow Mexico’s lead in their border security on its southern border with Guatemala.



  3. old cal bear on May 7, 2010 at 9:46 am

    Arisona, has every right to deport illegale aliens, It’s the LAW, According to the 14th Amendment of the U.S constitution. No one has the rgiht to cross the U.S. border illegally. U.S. law!Under U.S. law the Richmond city counsel are traitors definding U.S.immigrantion laws. All illegals have to go back.



  4. old cal bear on May 7, 2010 at 10:03 am

    Immigrantion, is not a state law it’s federal law but the federal govenment has failed the protect our borders. After Mexico shooting across the U.S. border and a killed amercain, how it’s time to act.Under U.S. the constitution that is a act of war, now Arisona is acting but you people are to stupid to realize it.



  5. Tony Suggs on May 8, 2010 at 11:08 am

    There are many federal laws that the states also enforce.

    Here are just a few;

    Counterfeiting U.S. currency
    Kidnapping across state lines
    Drug trafficking across state lines
    Bank robbery

    In most of the above crimes, it is a local law enforcement agency that makes the initial arrest.

    Under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, Section 237, there is nothing in that law that prohibits local law enforcement OR any other government official from detaining and reporting to ICE, someone who is suspected of being in the country illegally.



  6. old cal bear on May 8, 2010 at 12:34 pm

    Tony,
    The city,state and fed’s has every right under the law and U.S. constitution to enforce any law on the books, no matter what law it is.The city government and state can arrest illegals and turn them over to immigrantion department for deportation, that is the LAW, but the latinos are disregarding the law and so is the Richmond city counsel.Now it time to take the law in our hand and clean up Richmond.



  7. Benito on May 10, 2010 at 9:35 pm

    “All Men are created equal”! The founders had it right, when attempting to form a perfect union and they also knew that they were not there yet but knew we one day would get there. Lincoln moved us forward as did JFK and LBJ. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.

    It is my contention that this AZ law is not constitutional and will fail when challenged (unless they keep adding more amendments), pretty funny for a perfect law, now why hitch your wagon to this dead white elephant? I do not understand. “See You In Court”.



  8. Good O' boys on May 11, 2010 at 10:16 am

    The United State of America was founded by the white man and no other race, because they did not have the education like the white man to do so, that’s how the U.S.A was born do your history stupid Benito.If it wasn’t for the white man, you latino’s still be riding a jackass and the black people still be throwing spears and the indians still be hunting buffalo,its a proven fact. The U.S.A is keeping Mexico free from the drug cartel Benito, if you don’t like U.S. law and our constitution then get on your jackass and move to Mexico



  9. Good O\' boys on May 11, 2010 at 10:24 am

    Benito,
    illegal aliens do not have any rights under federal law, stupid oh by the way Benito read the 14th amendment U.S.Constitution



  10. Tony Suggs on May 11, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    No one is saying that all men and women are not created equal. They all have the right to life,liberty and pursuit of happiness.

    That does not however mean that any country has to open its borders to anyone seeking that pursuit of liberty and happiness.

    If that was so, then the U.S. needs to let in all the Haitians, Somalians, Cubans, Chinese, Russians, Iranians, North Koreans, etc that want freedom or happiness.

    The world has changed in the 200 plus years since the founding of this and all other countries. There has been many laws inacted by the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and other countries to protect it citizens rights and safety.

    If the the Arizona law is not constitutional, then the U.S. immigration laws are not constitutional either. As the Arizona law does not preempt or superceed the U.S. law.

    If this law is unconstitutional, then thousands of law enforcement officers have been guilty of breaking federal law already. Because in most sane cities and counties, when a person is contacted by LE for a criminal or vehicle violation, that LEO must positively identify that person. If they can not because they do not have a valid government issue ID, they like most reasonable people, would suspect that person is not legally in the U.S.

    They then report them to ICE. What is unconstitutional about that?

    Finally, I do hope it is challenged in court. It is true that the federal government is charged with controlling its borders and immigration.

    However, every law enforcement official when taking their oath of office, swears to uphold the laws of their state and the laws and Constitution of the United States.

    To Good Ol Boys, if you keep your replies civil, we can argue your point on the basis of facts. If you result to name calling or defamation, no matter how correct you are, you will be dismissed as a racist, zenophobe, etc and that will shut down the exchange of ideas and information.



  11. Good Ol boys on May 12, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    who cares about being bias and racist. If the
    fed’s state and city govenment fails to obay U.S. constitution then we the people have the right to take the law in our own hands, that’s why we have the right to bare firearm just in case the government fail to protect the amercian people its in the constitution, Tony. I don’t care what other people think. If we have to inforce the U.S. border with the KKK and nazi skinheads then so be it.You need to come to the Richmond city counsel meeting and speak your peace,I will. P.S no one will never shut us down.Some amercans and latinos are not respecting the U.S. constitution and the law, they are stupid.



  12. Geneff on May 18, 2010 at 2:23 pm

    It is sad that Good Ol Boys can’t put together an intelligent discussion.
    Politicians overreacting during election season again. I wonder how many jobs the Richmond politicians are providing these poor people. This sanctuary policy makes no sense.
    If you have ever traveled or worked extensively throughout the world you would know that you must carry your immigrant visa/passport with you. Some kind of ID is required. I have been asked for my ID, passport and visa in Italy, the Bahamas, and of course Mexico.
    We of course had no problem with them being racist because we were black, brown and whites working or on vacation there. Time to use a little common sense. There are many bad consequences associated with undocumented populations being exploited on both sides of the border and this just plays right into the hands of people that just don’t care or know better.
    The biggest trouble I have is Mexicans or anyone else coming here and protesting about our laws, when obviously the BIG problem is at home in Mexico City!



  13. Bruce on May 19, 2010 at 9:40 am

    Immigrantion, is not a state law it’s federal law but the federal govenment has failed the protect our borders. After Mexico shooting across the U.S. border and a killed amercain, how it’s time to act.Under U.S. the constitution that is a act of war, now Arisona is acting but you people are to stupid to realize it.



  14. Good OI boys on May 21, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    Keep it short stupid, these illegals latinos in the U.S. don’t care about U.S. law they are criminal and that’s the law. The Richmond city counsel favor the latinos to come in the U.S. illegally. The reason why the counsel hazed Arizona is to get the latino vote and the U.S. Government has failed to protect the borders, that’s my we need to overthrow the city government and richmond is the best place to do it, wait a see.



  15. Bruce on May 21, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    “All Men are created equal”! The founders had it right, when attempting to form a perfect union and they also knew that they were not there yet but knew we one day would get there. Lincoln moved us forward as did JFK and LBJ. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.

    It is my contention that this AZ law is not constitutional and will fail when challenged (unless they keep adding more amendments), pretty funny for a perfect law, now why hitch your wagon to this dead white elephant? I do not understand. “See You In Court”.



  16. Good OI Boys on May 22, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    when those illegals liens latinos shot a killed a rancher in Arisona that is a act of WAR under the U.S. constitution and these wetback continue to kill Americans. I’m calling on all Ameicans to gather firearm and protect your rights from these intuders in Richmond,Ca.and across our nation against illegal latinos and amercian latinos who surpport them.



  17. […] its May 5 meeting, shortly after Arizona passed SB 1070, Richmond’s City Council had voted unanimously to formally oppose Arizona’s immigration law and pledged to have city staff refrain […]



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