Apr 30, 2010
Aliens, Road Kill and Tanning Beds
Tennessee has a “you kill it, you grill it” law. Texas doesn’t allow anyone under 16 1/2 to use a tanning device. And Arizona passes legislation against illegal aliens. Now some groups and states outside the state decide to boycott Arizona. The federal government may challenge the newly passed statute. Most importantly, some celebs have weighed in on the issue. Since when does the federal government get to intervene in laws passed by states that elected the very people who vote on the bills? And how can non-Arizona residents consider it any of their business? Don’t these people have enough to worry about? Isn’t it up to state legislators to govern their own states? If I hit an animal with my car, we’re dining in the driveway cause them’s the rules in Tennessee. If I’m too young to buy a tan in Texas, I’ll show them gun-totin’, cowboy-hat wearin’, beef-eatin’ politicians by baking myself at the beach. People, wake up and smell your own coffee. Surely you have plenty of other issues brewing in your own kitchen.
The virtual Cup of Joe Award from EveryDayPR spotlights our pick of the week for a public relations performance – good, bad or ugly. If you’d like to make a nomination, contact shart@hartpr.com or www.Twitter.com/susanhartpr.
Amen! There are some crazy state laws on the books but they are STATE laws. Let the individual states and the voters figure it out.
Considering that you live and work in Arizona, your opinion is especially meaningful and logical. Thanks for commenting!
Awesome!
How can boycotting a state be helpful? Every state is hurting for dollars, so to stop supporting that principle may come back to haunt California – like that state is a stellar example of how to govern. Basically if the mayor of San Francisco endorses something, just do the opposit.
How can boycotting a state be helpful? Every state is hurting for dollars, so to stop supporting that principle may come back to haunt California – like that state is a stellar example of how to govern. Basically if the mayor of San Francisco endorses something, just do the opposit.
Good point, Tony, about California. If the divisiveness continues, California may become home to even more undocumented aliens than before as people leave Arizona in search of day jobs in California.
People are commenting on and discussing this issue because it is clearly going to be a question of States' rights vs. Federal. The Civil War being the pre-eminent example of such a debate. I'm all for shipping them out and checking their legal status if a crime has been committed, but asking for "papers" because someone has different skin color is a bit creepy for me.
I feel that the best way to stop the immigration is to enforce the laws that require legal working status. If they can't work, they can't survive and won't stay around.
Totally right on the California boycott…. a ridiculous idea!
Seems like California could use some revenue, but they shouldn't be looking to Arizona as it's highly unlikely tourism ad campaigns and the like will come to fruition. Thanks for your insights on the financial picture here.
Big brewhaha around the Arizona law. I have yet to see a paper that has printed the law or a news report that quotes it. All the angst is about what could happen. Sometimes that is warranted, but other times it is best to see if good sense prevails in the administration of the law before getting upset. Legislators apparently have too much time on their hands judging by all the laws that are going on the books. How about taking a few off before the legal code is as bad as the tax code?
All I've heard is that the bill is 17 pages long, and I believe there is a link to it. You're right about the speculative enforcement of the law – you'd think police would be well trained on the do's and don'ts of the law. This is just another situation where the news about the news becomes the news! Geez! As always, thanks for your insights, Don!
Considering that you live and work in Arizona, your opinion is especially meaningful and logical. Thanks for commenting!
With ya, Tony! As a SF area native – it makes me sick to my stomach to see what people I grew up with do with their time… Let the people in CA who are boycotting pay the expenses for all the illegals – oh wait, they went bankrupt paying for their OWN illegals in their state….
Well said Jon! I completely agree with you – the enforcement of the law is an entirely different issue than the process of making laws. And yes, it could be a PR disaster if abused or incorrectly implement. My biggest fear is your main point – states' rights vs. federal oversight. Just don't want any precedents set that could cause irrepairable harm in the future. Thanks for your points.
Let me think about what Arizona has done. The police now can people ask for proof of legal citizenship. I can't beleive the brutility of this, descrimination. But serriously, they should do this in Arizona and every state. Just who is in favor of lf allowing non-citizens to populate the country. Are these same people who beleive government should pick up the tab on goods and services for all curtiousy of the people who work? The oppisituition to the Arizona law is proof there there is little hope for this country. As sure as I am writing this the next step for the Obama socialist government is to leagalise un documented workers and render the Arizona law a mute point.