We Will Say Goodbye to Everyone

It's been hard to not do a write-up of the new laws passed by the state of Arizona. But now that things are heating up a bit, it's time to dive in. Most are already aware that Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, recently signed what many are calling the toughest law on immigration ever while others are calling it the most racist law in a century, leading even President Obama to criticize the law as "misguided."

Even Hollywood is chiming in. Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane (an often-times provocative voice for social and political commentary), made the comparison between this law and the laws of Nazi Germany, stating, “Nobody but the Nazis ever asked anybody for their papers.”

And MacFarlane isn't the only one sharing that sentiment. Florida Rep. Connie Mack (R), when speaking to TheHill.com, said, "This law of 'frontier justice' – where law enforcement officials are required to stop anyone based on 'reasonable suspicion' that they may be in the country illegally – is reminiscent of a time during World War II when the Gestapo in Germany stopped people on the street and asked for their papers without probable cause."

Now that the verbal back and forth has reached a tipping point, the city of Los Angeles is stepping forward with action. In a nearly unanimous vote (13-1), L.A. will now be boycotting any new contracts with Arizona and prohibiting city department trips to The Grand Canyon State until the law is repealed.

According to the Associated Press, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said the boycotts are unfortunate and misguided, primarily because the law mirrors a federal requirement that legal immigrants carry immigration papers.

And while recent polls show an unexpectedly large amount of support for the law, others worry that this will set a precedent for other states to follow and fear that this is a step in the wrong direction with regards to civil liberties. What are your thoughts?


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The title of this post comes from a track on Hammock's last record, Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow.