Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Sen. Sylvia "6,000 years" Allen, Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen (R) says Earth is 6,000 years old. - YouTube, testified before the Appropriations Commitee on Tuesday for her bill to create an "Arizona State Guard" of teabagger border patrol guards, SB1083. She agreed to rename it the "Arizona Special Missions Unit" -- Arizona's own version of the "A Team."
"I love it when a plan comes together."
What makes this so ridiculous is what is motivating Sen. Allen. She believes that Hezbollah is recruiting and training Mexican drug cartels for acts of terrorism against the United States.
What I find curious in the reporting on this story is that our crack political reporters do not appear to have demanded that Sen. Allen provide her source(s) to substantiate her claims. I have noted where this wingnut conspiracy theory got its start. Senate panel votes to give the Governor a state militia for the border:
This bit of paranoia, as best as I can tell, appears to have started with the certifiably insane Alex Jones on his hate radio show and spread to other right-wing conspiracy sites such as the Free Republic, World Net Daily and, of course, FAUX News Fraudcasting. This is a great way for teabaggers to combine their anti-Muslim bigotry with anti-Mexican bigotry -- "Mexicans are really Islamic terrorists! They're going to impose a Caliphate and Sharia law on us God-fearing Tea-Publican Christians."
The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) at least makes an attempt to debunk this nonsense. Middle East terror group cited as reason to put armed volunteer militia on Arizona-Mexico border - Arizona Capitol Times:
A senator who wants to create an armed volunteer force that can stop crimes along the Arizona-Mexico border repeated claims Tuesday that terrorist organizations based in the Middle East have formed alliances with drug cartels to the south.
“We are being invaded by criminals who have formed alliances with mid-eastern terrorists who use violence in the most evil of ways to intimidate, control and protect their drug-human smuggling multi-billion dollar business,” said Sen. Sylvia Allen, a Republican from Snowflake.
In an earlier committee hearing, Allen specifically mentioned Hezbollah. She also referred to reports that the group is training Mexican drug cartels.
[T]he Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact, which looked into the claim, said while there’s some evidence that the group’s sympathizers and fundraisers are working in the tri-border area between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and perhaps it even has recruiters and trainers in Venezuela, there’s little evidence that the Hezbollah is “working” in Mexico.
PolitiFact also said there’s even less public support for the idea that the group’s presence poses a “very significant threat” to the U.S, adding the U.S. State Department says there are no known operational cells of al-Qaida or Hezbollah in the hemisphere.
OK, let me stop you right there. Any news organization that continues to cite Politifact for fact checking is undermining its own credibility as a legitimate news organization. Just stop! Politifact has completely destroyed its credibility over the past year and has made a mockery of fact checking. Rachel Maddow has done an excellent job of documenting Politifact's self-inflicted demise. She did another segment on Tuesday night.
Sen Allen's "Arizona Special Missions Unit" would get $1.4 million each year, and would be under the control of the governor. It will be separate from the Arizona National Guard.
As envisioned, the unit would be authorized to pursue criminals, detain and arrest and also seize property.
* * *
[T]he amended bill is more stringent about recruitment.
Like the previous measure, recruits must be citizens or legal residents who have declared their intention to become citizens.
Also, individuals who have been dishonorably discharged from any military force in the U.S. are barred.
But there are additional requirements.
Volunteers must also submit fingerprints for a state and federal criminal records check.
They’re also subject to psychological screening and polygraph testing to ensure they’re fit for the job.
Whoa, wait! This is exactly what I have been proposing for anyone running for the Arizona Legislature for years. You first, lady. I don't think you're going to pass. New Rule: Mental Competency Exams for Politicians.
The bill narrowly passed, 7-6, after a spirited debate in the Appropriations Committee.
Sen. Sylvia "6,000 years" Allen reminds me of the "Hezbollah Lady" that called into the Randi Rhodes radio show when she was on Air America. The "Hezbollah Lady" became a running gag on Randi Rhodes' radio show for years -- "Hezbollah!" Sen. Allen, was that you?
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