A quick review of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (with amendments) indicates to me at least, though not at all a legal expert, that Arizona's "show me your papers" law violates -- or has the potential to violate -- basic human rights; certainly it is and will provide -- until overturned by legal or legislative means -- an opening for abuse by those most excited about enforcing it. Snippets from The Civil Rights Act of 1964 below. For the whole thing plus all sorts of other cornerstones of American civil society (as well as some real stinkers like the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Dred Scott decision), see: http://www.ourdocuments.gov/
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964
TITLE II--INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION
SEC. 201. (a) All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin. [Since expanded to include protection against age, gender, disability and various forms of sexual harrassment].
SEC. 202. All persons shall be entitled to be free, at any establishment or place, from discrimination or segregation of any kind on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin, if such discrimination or segregation is or purports to be required by any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, rule, or order of a State or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
SEC. 203. No person shall (a) withhold, deny, or attempt to withhold or deny, or deprive or attempt to deprive, any person of any right or privilege secured by section 201 or 202, or (b) intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person with the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by section 201 or 202, or (c) punish or attempt to punish any person for exercising or attempting to exercise any right or privilege secured by section 201 or 202.
Exceptions: private clubs. Who opposed The Civil Rights Act of 1964? One hundred years after the American Civil War, all-white male Congressional delegations from the defiant former Confederate States nearly all voted against it: 100% of Southern Republicans and about 95% of Southern Democrats, or Dixiecrats as they were sometimes called, voted against civil rights. So did Arizona's Barry Goldwater. Nice folks.
Arizona's "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act" is set to go into full effect on July 28, 2010. At first, a majority of people living in Arizona and around the USA supported the Draconian law, but I suspect things will change. This law cannot stand. This law will not stand.
(Above image: Public Enemy, "By the Time I Get to Arizona" single from the critically acclaimed platinum selling Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black, 1991).
Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.
3 comments:
You remember the movie where Cheech gets trapped in Mexico without identification and can't get back across the border. I think it was called "born in east LA." This Arizona thing makes me think that that could really happen to some hispanic Americans.
Good grief Erik! I had trouble with the test on this stuff the first time around! Thanks for the reminder, tho!
Yeah, weren't these called "Pass Laws" in pre-democracy South Africa?
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