The Zen Master has spoken. (Again. Remember? The Zen Master Speaks on Curses, Karma and Mitzvahs)
When asked about the Arizona Immigration Law – state Senate Bill 1070, by ESPN.com columnist J.A. Adande, Jackson raised a few eyebrow. In fact he raised enough eyebrows that a protest is planned for tonight’s game at Staples Center in Downtown LA.
The LA Times has a full report here: Activists protest Lakers Coach Phil Jackson’s comments on Arizona’s new immigration law
What did Jackson say that set off the protesters?
During their Playoffs Series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns wore Jerseys that paid tribute to the Latino community by tweaking the name of the team from Suns to Los Suns. That this is somehow a strong political statement is a stretch in my mind. Some people (including the players) felt that by wearing Los Suns on their jersey it was somehow a protest against the law. I don’t see it that way.
Nevertheless, Adande asked Jackson what he thought about the Suns political statement.
First Jackson, who has showed lefty leanings in the past, indicated he had no problem with the controversial state Senate Bill 1070.
“Am I crazy, or am I the only one that heard [the legislature] say ‘we just took the United States immigration law and adapted it to our state,’” Jackson said.
I told him they usurped the federal law.
“It’s not usurping, it’s just copying it is what they said they did, and then they gave it some teeth to be able to enforce it,” Jackson said.
Sometimes I feel exactly like Jackson. Am I crazy?
When the bill was passed the NY Times had this to say:
Arizona is the first state to demand that immigrants meet federal requirements to carry identity documents legitimizing their presence on American soil. (Full article here.) (emphasis added)
The law just enforces a Federal Requirement. Uncle Righteous (that’s Coach Jackson’s other nickname) is just standing up for Uncle Sam.
So Jackson is right. Yet the law has set off a firestorm. Why? I can think of a lot of reasons. But it seems misguided to take out your anger on Phil Jackson, or even the state of Arizona! This a Federal Regulation!
Anyway, I digress. There are two things I want to mention.
First, Adande makes a foolish assumption. He assumes that if a man is a Democrat or a liberal then he falls in line and supports every single policy of fellow Democrats. The money quote:
That was surprising to hear coming from a man who not only supported Bill Bradley for the Democratic presidential nomination, he wore a Bradley campaign pin on his suit during games.
Why is it surprising? Each issue has its merits and demerits. Why must we be pigeonholed once we hold one way in one issue that now in every other issue our opinion is pre-determined!? This bothers me a lot. Jackson has every right to feel one way on one issue and side with “liberals” and on other issues side with “conservatives”. If not, we cease to think and become party line robots.
Finally, sports and politics don’t mix. To me that means that an athlete or sportswriter or coach can have an opinion but it is not nearly as valuable as their relative expertise on sports. Is Jackson influential in political spheres? Absolutely not. So why protest his statements? Let the guy coach basketball and ignore everything else that he says.
That’s what I do…
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