Rep. Duncan D. Hunter of California–a guy who owes his career to his father and the population of the Congressional district who continually re-elected him–thinks that being born in the US shouldn’t be all it takes to become a citizen. Why? “It takes more than just walking across the border to become an American citizen. It’s what’s in our souls.” California District 52, this is your guy. Do something.
The Major League Baseball Players Association wants the law repealed. More than a quarter of the players on opening day rosters are foreign-born. There’s also pressure for MLB to move the 2011 All-Star Game from Phoenix if the law isn’t repealed. More on MLB’s reaction from Think Progress.
Just how crazy is the new law? Texas Governor Rick Perry, who recently claimed to have shot and killed a coyote while on a morning jog, thinks the law goes too far.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer thinks illegal immigration is the same as a terrorist attack.
3 responses
An Arizona cop was just shot by a border crosser with an AK-47, and SB 1070 was just revised. Neither of those stories are newsworthy, but the reaction of MLB is? What a joke.
The latest news on the police officer who was shot is that he was shot by drug smugglers, which is a separate problem that this legislation doesn’t address in the slightest. And the changes to SB1070 were cosmetic at best–the practical difference between “lawful stop” and “lawful contact” is nil.
But in economic terms, the reaction of Major League Baseball is significant. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry in the US, with more than a quarter of its players from Latin American countries, and Arizona is home to not only a Major League team, but also to Spring Training for half the teams. With labor negotiations coming up soon, there’s a chance for significant economic turmoil if MLB decides that it wants to reduce its footprint in Arizona. There are lots of other states that would welcome that sort of economic infusion.
He was shot by illegal immigrants who were smuggling drugs, so it’s not a separate issue. Pretending that illegal immigration and smuggling are separate issues is a baseless shibboleth of the left. And it’s ridiculous to suggest that MLB is going to move a franchise or spring training — and incur the costs, lawsuits, and logistical nightmares that would entail — because some of the players don’t agree with a state law.
But that’s not my point. Regardless of personal or partisan opinions on the issue, it’s disingenuous to have an “Arizona News Links” about immigration and somehow not mention either of the two top national news stories about the topic: that an Arizona cop got shot with an assault rifle by an illegal immigrant, and that the law itself was changed. To acknowledge only the news that agrees with your perspective makes you no different from the Fox News and Glenn Becks of the world.
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