iBear's Political Blog

So it turns out all kinds of horrible, horrible things happen around my birthday: Oklahoma City was bombed...Columbine HS was shot up...and now this year an explosion aboard a floating offshore oil rig caused what is quite possibly the largest oil spill in recorded history.

Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are already deep into cleanup operations, as the oil slick has been drifting northward. But due to concerns that it might find its way into the Gulf's Loop Current, the US Coast Guard recently set up a command center in St Pete, in the Tampa Bay area of Florida where I live.

The message sent by this spill is that offshore oil drilling is not as safe as we would like to believe. The cause of the original explosion is still unknown, despite Rush Limaugh's appalling suggestion that it was deliberately caused by 'radical environmentalists' to strengthen the language of the upcoming Cap-and-Trade Bill.

I propose a different, and in fact somewhat less ridiculous explanation: as Rush Limbaugh has long been known as an outspoken critic of environmental laws in general, and Cap-and-Trade in particular, I suggest that it was he who planned the destruction of the rig.

He certainly has a better chance of obtaining access from the oil companies; can you imagine that BP would ever allow someone they knew to be a 'radical environmentalist' near their multi-million-dollar platform? But Limbaugh...he's on their side.

His comments prove that he doesn't consider this an environmental disaster, either: "The ocean will take care of this on its own if it was left alone and left out there. It's natural. It's as natural as the ocean water is."

So there we have it, folks. He was opposed to Cap-and-Trade...and now Cap-and-Trade has been postponed. He had a much greater chance of being allowed access to the structure, and it goes without saying that there are thousands of 'radical conservatives' willing to follow his marching orders. And finally, he does not consider this a disaster. No doubt he expects everyone will see how quickly and easily the ocean 'take[s] care of this on its own' and the hubbub over environmental protection will fade away.

Mr. Limbaugh, I find it extremely ironic that you would level a ridiculous accusation at a group of people who are idealogically opposed to the action you accuse them of.

Shifting the blame, perhaps?

Monday, April 26, 2010

And while I'm thinking about it...

...I thought I'd bring up another topic that I find rather unpleasant--one that had been kinda' pushed out of the spotlight by Revolution Muslim and their stupid zealotry. (Or was that zealous stupidity? I think it works either way.)

Longtime readers will know what I'm talking about, folks. (Okay...I'm just saying that. They don't really know:P)

I'm talking about Arizona's new Immigration Law, SB1070; the one that requires police to confirm immigration status if they suspect someone is in the country illegally. Critics immediately raised an outcry, rightly denouncing the law as racist. Arizona's Governor Brewer claims this is false, and that great pains will be made to discourage racial profiling.

I call bullshit.

I did some digging around, and FINALLY came up with the actual text of the bill. The most relevant--and by that I mean egregious--sections are quoted below:

FOR ANY LAWFUL CONTACT MADE BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR AGENCY OF THIS STATE OR A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE WHERE REASONABLE SUSPICION EXISTS THAT THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN WHO IS UNLAWFULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED STATES, A REASONABLE ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE, WHEN PRACTICABLE, TO DETERMINE THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PERSON.

This is the section that gives police officers the responsibility to check up on someone's immigration status if the hideously vague standard of "reasonable suspicion" is met. Now comes iBear's question: what exactly is a Arizona's police officer's "reasonable suspicion" going to be based on, if not racial profiling?

A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WITHOUT A WARRANT, MAY ARREST A PERSON IF THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED ANY PUBLIC OFFENSE THAT MAKES THE PERSON REMOVABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES.

This section simply adds teeth to the first, ensuring that police officers don't need a warrant to make an arrest if they think a person looks like an illegal immigrant and he/she can't provide paperwork to the contrary.

NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER LAW, A PEACE OFFICER MAY LAWFULLY STOP ANY PERSON WHO IS OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE IF THE OFFICER HAS REASONABLE SUSPICION TO BELIEVE THE PERSON IS IN VIOLATION OF ANY CIVIL TRAFFIC LAW AND THIS SECTION.

And again we see this "reasonable suspicion" phrase, here allowing police officers to pull a vehicle over if the driver appears to be an immigrant.

Now I'm all in favor of immigration reform; in fact I see a permeable border as not only a bad idea, but a possible threat to National Security. But give me a f***ing break, people! Is there anyone in this entire country who honestly believes we're going to deport a single Canadian because of this law? This bill was aimed squarely at Mexican immigrants, and now Arizona police can start pulling people over for no other reason than because they look Latino.

Governor Brewer, you're lying through your teeth. SB1070 might as well be known as the "Racial Profiling Law". It is grossly unconstitutional, and I can only hope that it will be overturned in court.

YouTube video: South Park vs Islam.

I had a really great video linked here, but apparently it used one-too-many still frames from South Park and Viacom had it pulled for copyright violations.

.....And so, I present the mirror video:)