Arizona law misinterpreted by writer
I read a letter from Worcester, �Boycott of Arizona right thing to do� (Telegram & Gazette, June 7). Although, like the letter writer, a member of ACLU, I find his argument against the new law signed by the governor of Arizona to be based on a misreading of that law as racial profiling, an error also made by thousands of protesting illegal immigrants.
On May 2, �Arizona�s Warning� appeared on the editorial page. It described the Senate bill signed by the governor as �a symptom of the deeper problem of the failure of Washington to tackle immigration reform.� It does �not empower law enforcement officials to randomly stop anyone on suspicion of being in the country illegally, and may not solely consider race, color or national origin.� In signing this bill, Gov. Jan Brewer declared that she won�t tolerate racial profiling; only legal contacts can be made to determine the immigration status of any suspects. Aliens are required by law since 1940 to carry registration documents.
In an interview with John King on CNN, the governor emphasized the bad conditions that call for a crackdown on illegal immigration in Arizona. Texas, New Mexico and California may be next.
On April 29, The New York Times published, �Why Arizona Drew a Line,� by Kris Kobach, who helped draft the statute. His definition of its five major provisions leaves no doubt of this law as �humane and legal.� Also recommended is �An Unexpected Governor Takes an Unwavering Course,� (New York Times, April 25).
ERIC W. CARLSON