In the NBA if a foul is determined to be intentional, a flagrant foul may be called and the player may be ejected from the game.  In the NBA referees enforce the rules of civility and decorum.  When Sarah Palin addressed an audience in Illinois on Wednesday there were no referees in attendance.  While addressing the Highland Park High School, Palin interjected her ideas about “going rogue” by using the girls’ basketball team to promote civil unrest.  Palin referred to Illinois as “enemy territory” and promoted rebellion among high school age kids.  When referring to the administrator’s decision that the students would not be allowed to travel to Arizona for safety reasons, Palin said “we’re going to see about that”. Palin further incited the crowd by saying: “them are fightin’ words when you say a girl can’t play in the basketball tournament … for political reasons …” Palin should have been ejected.

Palin has often misstated facts, and this circumstance is no exception.  Palin indicated that the reason for withdrawing from the tournament was “for political reasons” but in fact it was for the safety of the players.  In an earlier e-mail to Pioneer Press, school district assistant superintendent Sue Hebson said the decision is “not a political statement, but rather for the safety of students”. Ms. Hebson explained that the school had a diverse student population, and thus the school couldn’t allow its students to play at a place where the “students’ safety or liberty might be placed at risk because of state immigration law”.

Even if the decision of the school had been for political reasons, Palin’s remarks were still out of line and totally inappropriate.  She encouraged the girls to “go rogue”, suggesting that they should rebel against the authority of the school. Parents often face the difficult challenge of instilling respect in teenage children for their school teachers and administrators.  Perhaps Sarah Palin doesn’t place a premium on education or respecting teachers and administrators.  Most of the rest of the parents around the country do not want our kids challenging the authority of a high school teacher or administrator.

Palin has repeatedly mocked Barack Obama by denigrating his former role as a Constitutional law professor. This attitude is consistent with the lack of respect she demonstrated and encouraged toward the teachers at Highland Park High.  Sarah Palin has never been a professor of anything, and has never attended any form of graduate school.  Thus, it is not surprising that Palin is not familiar with the 4th Amendment to the Constitution which provides that people in this country should be, “… secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, …” The term “probable cause” has been the subject of a multitude of Supreme Court cases devoted to the importance of preventing “unreasonable search and seizure”.  Of course Sarah Palin wouldn’t understand the significance of the 4th Amendment or something called “probable cause”.  The new Arizona law would allow a person walking his dog or going for a morning run to be stopped and required to show proof of citizenship. In the absence of such proof, the officer could arrest, detain, and potentially deport a citizen who did not have the requisite papers.  If an Arizona law enforcement officer wanted to stop any member of the girls’ basketball team, and demand proof of citizenship, this new Arizona law makes that possibility a probability.

The Arizona law in question is unconstitutional.  Pursuant to Senate Bill 1070 of the State of Arizona any law enforcement official may arrest a person if there is a “reasonable suspicion” that the person has committed “any public offense” and that person becomes “removable from the United States”. Even more frightening is the provision that “A person is guilty of trespassing if the person is:  ‘present on any public or private land’” (as if the person could be present on anything other than public or private land).   This law is so contrary to basic human rights that six United Nations experts have indicated that it may violate international standards, which are binding on the United States.

Palin suggests that the school’s decision is appropriately described as “fightin’ words”. Webster defines “fight” as to “oppose physically or in battle, as with fists or weapons, etc.  Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th edition.   Sarah Palin spent five years in college to obtain a four year degree.  Even if she didn’t own a dictionary, surely she knows what “fighting” means.  Given the context of her remarks, she was encouraging not just rebellion, but physical violence as well.

Thus, in a simple speech Palin advocated violation of the civil rights of citizens of the United States, she promoted disrespect for the authority of a school decision attempting to protect its students, and she encouraged rebellion of students through violence.  This time Sarah Palin has gone too far.  If she fundamentally objects to an action by the government, a peaceful protest, by adults, may be appropriate.  However, violence is never appropriate, especially when children are involved, and especially when the violence would be students disrespecting their teachers and administrators.  The hypocrisy of Palin has never been more obvious than in this instance.  She was inciting children to rely upon violence to promote her own political agenda, while the school was attempting to ensure the safety of its students.  We must stand together as a nation and claim “foul”.  Palin’s acts were intentional and calculated.  Anyone who hires Palin in the future is put on notice.  We must hold anyone who hires her accountable for any violence she inspires.  She has been allowed to play this celebrity game for long enough.  Now it is no longer a game.  She should be ejected and prohibited from returning.  The comments of Sarah Palin were made intentionally and with conscious disregard to the safety and security of the children at Highland Park High School.  Those students certainly can’t appreciate the risk to their personal safety that could be encountered in Arizona, if some law enforcement officer should decide that he/she “reasonably suspects” that one of the girls is an illegal immigrant.  The girls on the Highland Park team are not accustomed to carrying proof of citizenship in their gym bags.  In the absence of carrying such proof of citizenship, the students would be at the mercy of any law enforcement officer who might have a daughter on the opposing team.

Palin will be speaking at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association in North Carolina. At least people are supposed to be 18 to own a hand gun, so hopefully the people in attendance at that speech will not be children.