OPINION:
Do as I say, not as I read. That’s the message being sent by liberals screaming bloody murder about the new Arizona law on illegal immigration. They doth protest too much. When pressed, most admit they haven’t even read what they are criticizing so violently.
Members of the Obama administration who were attacking the law in the starkest terms are now admitting they never read it. Last week, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. made the admission. On Monday, it was Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s turn. On Tuesday, it was State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley who had egg on his face. Given how inaccurately these liberals have been describing the law, and the contortions they have made to apologize for it, they really have no option but to fess up to the fact that they haven’t read it when cornered with specifics.
The law clearly states that, “A law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city or town or other political subdivision of this state may not consider race, color or national origin.” Other provisions in the very short law add additional safeguards against profiling. Despite this, liberals claim that the law is explicitly racist and will lead to profiling. Either these people haven’t read it or they are purposely inflaming racial tensions.
Failing to read the brief few pages of new material in the Arizona law is hardly a small oversight when someone powerful is working overtime to stir up a racially charged brouhaha in appearances on talk shows such as NBC’s “Meet the Press” and ABC’s “This Week.” Obama officials made reckless charges of racial profiling and racism on both of these national platforms. Take Ms. Napolitano’s warning on “This Week” on May 2. “Unfortunately, I think it does and can invite racial profiling,” Big Sister claimed. If the various “news” shows had been doing their job, they would have challenged Ms. Napolitano and other hysterical hacks about these explosive assertions. Simply reading verbatim from the law would have been enough to force officials to admit their ignorance.
In Ms. Napolitano’s case, the admission did not come until Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, asked questions of her as she appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee. When the dust settles, there is the sneaky suspicion that Obama officials might be feigning ignorance to avoid admitting that they knowingly are fanning racial flames.
The O Force also has been apologizing to foreigners for Arizona’s law. The Mexican president’s visit this week has been one long mea culpa by Democrats. “We brought it up early and often. It was mentioned in the first session and as a troubling trend in our society, and an indication that we have to deal with issues of discrimination or potential discrimination,” Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner said on May 14, after diplomatic talks with Chinese officials. Someone needs to remind Mr. Posner that his job is to represent this country, not deride it.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has pinpointed the reality of these false attacks. “Our border is being erased, and the president apparently considers it a wonderful opportunity to divide people along racial lines for his personal political convenience,” she said. So much for Barack Obama’s promise of post-racial politics in America.
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