It is a tale of the times that America’s highest court, the Supreme Court, could rule on the controversial issue of immigration, and both sides could claim victory.
If ever one wondered if the court was a profoundly political institution (if one could dare question after the Bush vs. Gore debacle), Arizona v. United States provides us abundant ammunition in the affirmative.
For the court, 5-3, struck down 3 of 4 state initiatives, saying the Arizona laws encroached on federal jurisdiction.
And yet, the Court let stand, with qualifications, the fourth most controversial law: the so called ‘Show Me Your Papers’ program.
Thus, state and county law enforcement personnel can, for the time being at least, stop anyone suspected of being in violation of a law or statute, and (by the way) inquire into that suspect’s immigration status.
And who do you think are ‘the usual suspects?’
Canadians? Irish? Basques?
Seriously?
We all know that this law was based on one thing, and one thing only; forcing Hispanics out of the sphere of work, and hopefully, out of Arizona.
It’s based on the fear of a brown state.
Nothing else makes sense.
Many Americans, especially white Americans, are terrified of the nation’s fastest growing minority. They fear that these 50+ million people will forever transform the nation of their memories.
That was the genesis of Arizona’s SB 1070.
It’s behind the ‘Show Me Your Papers’ provision in that Act; and that’s why the Supremes gave it a pass.
Fear.
And it ain’t over.
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
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