Commentary by James L. Lambert

The passage of AB 1070 several weeks ago by Arizona lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer has created a huge tumult across the nation. The liberal media is initially to blame for this response due to the fact that they jumped to conclusions and did not properly research the new law. In fact, most of AB 1070’s opponents have not even read the law, although they continue to misrepresent the truth and avoid explaining the contents of the new Arizona state law to the public.

 

AB 1070 does not give law enforcement the right to indiscriminately check AZ inhabitants for immigration / visa violations. It does give AZ law enforcement the right to follow up on suspects (for stopped crimes) and verify their immigration status. Note- this is after they have valid cause for being detained or stopped by the authorities in the first place.

 

Millions of Americans were infuriated when Mexican President Calderon scolded Americans before Congress that the AZ law will lead us to “harmful discrimination” and “racial profiling.” Calderon is perfectly aware that his own country’s laws regarding legal immigration are much more rigid than the United States. In an interview with Wolf Blizter (Situation Room) President Calderon had some interesting statements. 

 

Wolf:  “so if people want to come from Guatemala, or Honduras or El Salvador or Nicaragua; they want to just come into Mexico, they can just walk in?”

Calderon: “No, they need to fulfill a form, they need to establish their right name, we analyze if they have not criminal precedence…coming into Mexico.”

Wolf: “Do Mexican police go around asking for papers of people they suspect are illegal immigrants?”

Calderon: “Of course, of course, in the border, we are asking the people, ‘Who are you?’”

 Wolf: “So, in other words, if somebody sneaks in from Nicaragua or some other country in Central America through the southern border of Mexico; they wind up in Mexico they can go get a job, they can work?”

 

Calderon: “No, if somebody does that without permission we send back them.” Additionally, President Calderon’s country’s immigration laws calls for measures to not impede ‘the cultural balance’ within their own border.

 

(Of note: CNN later pulled the Blitzer/Calderon video; however it can be viewed on youtube.com, thanks to radio talk show host, Mark Levin).

 

Calderon also denounced Arizona’s new law from the podium of our House of Representatives chamber several weeks ago. Over 240+ Democrat Congressional members, (as well as Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano), stood up and gave the Mexican President a standing ovation. “Lawmakers on the Republican side of the isle remained seated.”  (Huffington Post 5/20/2010) 

 

What is so mind boggling about this is that soon after criticizing the AZ law, both AG Holder and Homeland security chief Napolitano, (when directly questioned), said they had not read the 17 page state law. Yet both were eager to publicly condemn AB 1070 as discriminatory. Operation PUSH leader Jesse Jackson (when questioned by Megyn Kelly on FNC 6/1; 2:15est) refused to respond to Kelly’s question regarding the details of the law, citing “it would create chaos.”

 

The simple fact is that leftists such as Rev. Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, House Speaker Pelosi (D-Ca.) and Senate leader Harry Reid (D-NV.) are ignoring the sentiments of the majority of the American public, who support the Arizona bill.

 

Local citizens here in San Diego have decided to strike back at these politicians who won’t listen. Poll numbers say that the majority of us are tired of politicians who side with lawbreakers. A group called Support Arizona-Boycott San Diego Coalition (SABSDC) has decided to take action (see attachment). They are urging people from Arizona and around the country to boycott the San Diego tourist economy this summer, due to San Diego City Council’s recent condemnation of Arizona’s law. SDCC members have even sided with political groups that are boycotting Arizona because of AB 1070.  SABSDC, accordingly, has decided to respond (see press release).

 

For decades tourists from Arizona have traveled to San Diego during summer to escape the desert heat. SABSDC is now asking Arizonans and Americans from all over the country to boycott the City of San Diego during the prime upcoming summer months. This action will help express their outrage towards the SD City Council’s call for condemnation of AB 1070. Americans from across the country are urged to call (619-236-6330) or write the San Diego Major ( jerrysanders@sandiego.gov) or (cityclerk@sandiego.gov ) the City Clerk’s Office.