Playing to the crowd

The Oklahoman: In voting for a bill that would have Oklahoma disregard the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Republicans in the state Senate Judiciary Committee did little more than play to the party’s most vocal wing.

The bill was filed by freshman Sen. Ralph Shortey, who says he has strong backing from Hispanics in his district who are in this country legally. That may well be the case, but it doesn’t make the bill any less unconstitutional.

The 14th Amendment states that people “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Shortey disagrees with the interpretation that the amendment means babies born here are automatically granted citizenship.

Perhaps he and Republican members of this committee are unaware that the 14th Amendment has been upheld repeatedly by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This sort of effort is little more than pandering to those who fear we’re being overrun by illegal immigrants from Mexico. Census data showing our state’s Hispanic population grew by 85 percent from 2000-2010 will only fan those flames — although Hispanics make up less than 10 percent of the state’s overall population.

The bill has a long way to go before it reaches the finish line. Oklahomans should hope it doesn’t make it.