Cross-posted from Blue Mass Group
Today's GOP, even in Massachusetts, is at times an astounding thing to behold. Here's the latest, from a newly-elected state rep. Cross-post follows.
I could not - and would not - make this stuff up. But State Rep. Ryan Fattman, a 24-year-old, newly-elected Republican from Sutton, had this to say regarding the ongoing dispute over the "Secure Communities" program:
Mr. Fattman dismissed concerns of some law enforcement officials — cited by the governor — who said using local police to enforce immigration laws could discourage reporting of crime by victims who are illegal immigrants.
Asked if he would be concerned that a woman without legal immigration status was raped and beaten as she walked down the street might be afraid to report the crime to police, Mr. Fattman said he was not worried about those implications.
“My thought is that if someone is here illegally, they should be afraid to come forward,” Mr. Fattman said. “If you do it the right way, you don’t have to be concerned about these things,” he said referring to obtaining legal immigration status.
"They should be afraid to come forward." Wow. Yes, Ryan, clearly the far more serious threat to law and public order is the student who overstays her visa, as opposed to the rapist who attacks her.
Oh, and lest you think that Fattman is only concerned with illegal immigrants who have also committed other crimes:
“If they are here illegally, they have committed a crime,” he said. However, under federal law, illegal status is usually a civil offense.
“My philosophy is a little different,” Mr. Fattman said. He said he believes all illegal immigrants should be deported, including the children of immigrants who came with their parents to the U.S.
So, there's today's GOP, in a nutshell. Caveat emptor.