Justin Beller's posterous

I was hoping not to get sucked into the debate about the recent bill that was signed into law in Arizona, Senate Bill 1070, that reinforces the federal law on illegal immigration.

Now that it involves my favorite basketball team, it seems I have no choice. The owner of the Phoenix Suns and the players have decided to use their jerseys as a sort of political statement to support the Latino community.

When the "Los Suns" jerseys were introduced earlier in the season, they were nothing more than a marketing ploy to pique the interest of the Latino community. It's widely known the NBA and its teams have a vested interest in tapping in to the Latino community. Almost all market research shows they are a demographic worth reaching out to, but is sports the place for political statements especially one as divisive as immigration?

As a fan, I use sports as a means to create a diversion from everyday life. The only ups and downs I experience while watching a game come from whether my team is winning or losing. Ideologies are not at play, only skill and strategy. Throughout history, fans and the media have placed political and ideological significance on athletic competition. The Miracle on Ice – USA vs. Russia in the 1980 Winter Olymipics is a prime example. At the height of the Cold War, for the US to beat what was considered at the time the best hockey team in the world in the Soviets was a unheard of, but it happened. It gave a tremendous boost to national pride for the US.

It’s fine with me if fans want to place political and ideological significance on athletic competition, but unfortunately the media tends to egg it on forcing the owners of teams like the Suns to placate to certain segments of the population out of fear they may receive some backlash that will hurt them financially. I’m sure I’m not alone as some fans of the Suns, I believe, would rather the debate stay outside the arena and off the court so we can focus on what we love about the game – the spirit of competition and athletic achievement.

No need to worry, though. I still love my Suns.

By Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 6:30AM BST 27 Apr 2010

 

Mr Chavez speaks to the nation for hours every Sunday on his radio and television program but on Twitter he will be limited to much shorter messages of just 140 characters each time.

His use of Twitter also marks a new tactic in his approach to the internet and social networking.

In January Mr Chavez said that using Twitter, the internet and text messaging to criticise his regime was "terrorism."

He has now decided to use the social networking tool for his own purposes.

"Comandante Chavez is going to open his Twitter account soon to wage the battle online," Diosdado Cabello, director of Venezuela's state-run telecommunications agency, said on Venezuelan television, according to Bloomberg News.

"I'm sure he'll break records for numbers of followers."

Mr Chavez is the latest leader to start using Twitter. US President Barack Obama has nearly 3.8 million followers on the social networking tool.

Bring it on! I can't wait. For someone who has a tendency to ramble on for hours in public speeches, I'm sure he'll find Twitter to be the best place to spread his nonsense and lies.

The trademark suit sported by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is now in fashion worldwide thanks to his greatness, Pyongyang's official website said Wednesday.

If you want to know the real reason why I'm opposed to socialism, it's largely due to their fashion sense. Very drab and dreary. Earth tones are my personal preference, but Kim's wardrobe is not my thing. He could use a little color. Perhaps he could liven up things with a colorful accessory? A brightly colored European man-bag, maybe?

No, I can't say I'll be running out to JC Penny for the Spring Socialist Collection, but I must know - where did you get those glasses Kimmy? I love them!

I saw this image and I had to put on the breaks.

No, you DON'T have a right to heard.

You have a right to gather... peacefully
You have a right to speak...

But, I don't HAVE to listen to you. In other words, I don't have to grant you that right. You can have the privilege of my attention, but I don't HAVE to hear you.

I get irritated by people who don't know the difference between a right and a privilege. There's a big difference.

Now, if the sign said, "We have a right to speak our mind.", then I've got your back.

Seriously? Maybe anyone who holds the title of Senator or Representative needs to be re-educated or reminded how bills are supposed to be passed in Congress. I thought I knew how bills became laws, but before these last two weeks I never heard of "deem and pass" or "reconciliation". Maybe I need to go back to school.

PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona has launched a two-day, countywide crime and immigration sweep that authorities say will focus on drop houses, drug violators and human smuggling vehicles.

Four hundred deputies and volunteer posse members are taking part in the patrols. The sweep, which began Thursday, is Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 14th since early 2008.

During the sweeps, deputies flood an area of a city — in some cases heavily Latino areas — to seek out traffic violators and arrest other alleged lawbreakers.

Critics say Arpaio's deputies have racially profiled Hispanics. The sheriff says deputies approach people only when they have probable cause to believe people have committed crimes.

Seems the reporter for this story wanted to take a swipe at the Sheriff as a "profiler" with heavy-handed tacts. However, the law is the law and if circumstances make it so that a certain ethic group is largely responsible for much of the crime, that's nothing we can control. I'm sorry that's the case, but the facts are what they are.

Sean Penn Wants Reporters Jailed for Calling Chavez 'Dictator'

If Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn had his way, any journalist who called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a dictator would quickly find himself behind bars.

via foxnews.com

Please answer me these questions:

• What's behind Hollywood's love affair for this DICTATOR? There I said it. I'm no journalist, but I'll call him a DICTATOR and FASCIST all day long. 
• Why should I take anything seriously from the guy who played Jeff Spicoli on Fast Times at Ridgemont High?

Who is hiring these MSNBC hosts?