New Arizona Immigration Law a Disgrace to the Constitution (Part II)

The commentary on the new Arizona anti-brown people law is starting to come in. The New York Times has an article highlighting the divided opinions on the measures which includes this choice bit, which, incredibly enough, doesn't come from The Onion:

In a nearby neighborhood, Ron White, 52, said he felt a sense of relief that something was finally being done about “the illegals” — whom he blames for ills like congregating on the streets, breaking into homes in his neighborhood, draining tax dollars and taking jobs from Americans.

“I sure hope it does have an effect,” Mr. White said of the new law as he packed his car with groceries. “I wouldn’t want to show proof of citizenship, but I also don’t feel it is racial profiling. You are going to look different if you are an alien, and cops know.”

Yes, that's true. If you're an alien, you might look something like this and the cops will definitely know who you are. Doesn't the opinion of this Ron White seem to underscore the fact that it's really not about wanting illegal immigrants out, but basically everyone who came from south of the border?

Meanwhile, John Judis in The New Republic points out some interesting facts and statistics indicating that during The Great Depression many states began arresting and deporting Mexicans despite a near stand-still in Mexican immigration to the US. Furthermore, the Arizona bill arrives at a point when immigration is at a low most likely due to the recession:

The recession has sharply curtailed illegal immigration to the United States. According to Princeton political scientist Douglas Massey, the number of undocumented residents in the United States peaked at 12.6 million in 2008 and fell to 10.8 million in 2009. Nowhere did it fall more sharply than in Arizona, where the number of illegal immigrants dropped by 100,000 over the last year. But Republicans in Arizona are acting as if illegal immigrants are pouring across the border and must be stopped by any means necessary.

Finally there's The Atlantic's James Fallows who likens the situation to Communist China, where he lived and where it is also a requirement for all people to carry documentation. He notes, as a small sign of hope, that he rarely encountered officials asking for ID on a whim. But he provides nothing short of a stinging ironic indictment of how the Arizona law enforcement will have to learn the proper techniques:

With some notable and serious exceptions, I typically did not see Chinese police asking for papers on a whim. Usually something had to happen first. Maybe soon the Chinese State Security apparatus can travel to Arizona and give lectures to local police and sheriffs. They can explain how to avoid going crazy with a new power that so invites abuse. "Civil Liberties: Learning from China" can be the name of the course.

I have spent four years living as an illegal immigrant in a foreign country. This happens to be a country where it is required to always carry identification documents. I accepted long ago that if I were ever caught and deported then that's my tough luck for being here illegally. I wouldn't want anyone to feel I was wronged. However, it's important to recognize the main reason I've never been caught, including when leaving and re-entering the country. I've been incredibly lucky not because I've never been stopped, but because I'm a white man whom the police are unlikely to ever find reason to stop.

I have, on occasion, seen Latin Americans presenting ID to police. Granted, I have no way of knowing the circumstances in those instances. Although the last time involved a line of about 7 or 8 young men in a park presenting papers one by one. Nothing about the scene struck me as if there'd been any crime committed other than perhaps drinking in public (which is done by virtually everyone here, especially in parks).

My very strong feeling is that you can't maintain a free society in which citizens are required to carry proof of identification. The Arizona law runs deeper than the wrongs that will likely be perpetrated against people with dark skin. A human being is not some object in need of being catalogued and tracked by the government. This is a freedom the people should not be so willing to give up.