# Lord help me, I agree with Sarah Palin **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 13, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361 "2010-05-13T23:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/81 "2010-05-17T23:47:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You keep saying that, and it’s wrong. Cite the part of the law that says citizens have to prove their citizenship. This is stupid. ANYBODY WHO IS ASKED will have to prove they’re in the country legally. You can’t seriously think that undocumented residents need only say that they’re citizens to be left alone. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/82 "2010-05-18T00:09:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > American citizens are harassed every day because of various laws. Does this mean that it’s a good idea to put a **new** law into place which is virtually guaranteed to increase the harassment. No. Because American Citizens are currently harassed every day, it does not logically follow that an increase in harassment would not constitute a problem. Combine this with the probability that this new law will result in increased harassment to citizens of a particular “look” (ie Mexican “looking”), means that this is a bad law. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/83 "2010-05-18T01:14:29Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > This is stupid. ANYBODY WHO IS ASKED will have to prove they’re in the country legally. You can’t seriously think that undocumented residents need only say that they’re citizens to be left alone. IOW, you are unable to cite the portion of the law that supports your claim that American citizens will have to prove they are citizens. Quit just saying this. Back it up with a cite. If it’s “stupid”, it should be easy to give a cite to show that it is. > [@EP](#): > > Does this mean that it’s a good idea to put a new law into place which is virtually guaranteed to increase the harassment. I original thought it was guaranteed to increase harassment, but that was before I actually understood what the law said. So, I’ll just say that I don’t know that it will increase harassment, although I already posted earlier today that I don’t think this is good policy. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/84 "2010-05-18T01:51:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > IOW, you are unable to cite the portion of the law that supports your claim that American citizens will have to prove they are citizens. It’s in the portion of the law that mandates cops to verify legal residency. Duh. Why is this so difficult for you. Let me ask again – is it your contention that if anyone says “I’m a citizen,” the cops must desist with their inquiries and that no documentation be provided? Is it your contention that no citizens will be asked if they are in the country illegally? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/85 "2010-05-18T02:05:40Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I think it would look a little closer to this: Sure. How else _could_ it work, really? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361/86 "2010-05-18T02:27:48Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Sure. How else _could_ it work, really? **John Mace** seems to think that since there is no portion of the law that provides that American citizens will have to prove they are citizens, that it therefore follows somehow that in real life, all anyone will have to say to the police is “I’m a citizen, really!” and that will be that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-help-me-i-agree-with-sarah-palin/539361.md?page=4)