National Geographic

In Alabama it's now a crime to "knowingly give a ride" to an undocumented immigrant. It's also a crime to enroll your undocumented child in public schools. And cops are now permitted to research the immigration status of any person stopped for any reason.

Gov. Robert Bentley said the law is the nation’s toughest, and groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center agree. The groups say they plan to challenge it. The legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mary Bauer, said Thursday that she expects a lawsuit to be filed before the provisions of law are scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1. "It is clearly unconstitutional. It’s mean-spirited, racist and we think a court will enjoin it,” Bauer said. Bentley, who campaigned on passing the toughest anti-illegal immigration bill possible, said he believes the measure can withstand legal challenges.

An aide to former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore revealed today that Moore plans to join the GOP 2012 presidential field. Moore was booted from office in 2003 after refusing to abide by a federal ruling that he had to remove a two-ton monument bearing the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse.

The aide, Zachery Michael, said Moore's platform will be focused on repealing the health care overhaul law, replacing the progressive income tax with a flat tax and bringing "commonsense solutions" on immigration and border control. Michael said Moore is entering the fray because "we're just seeing the same type of politicians run for president." He said Moore is someone "who can connect with over 300 million Americans across the country, which is something we've been lacking with today's leaders across society." Michael said Moore should not be thought of simply as a culture warrior, arguing that he has been a strong advocate for limited government. "He not only stood up for his faith, he stood up against the tyranny of government," he said.

Last year Moore finished fourth in his bid to become Alabama governor. Earlier this month he spoke at an anti-gay rally held on the steps of the Iowa state house. Video below.

Clip description:

The Gay Preacher: A small group of Christian radicals came to Auburn University screaming at the students about how the are living unholy lives and how they are all going to hell, the students decided to respond back to the radicals.

I love that he quotes the scripture of RuPaul.

"If anyone from other religions felt disenfranchised by the language, I want to say I am sorry. I am sorry if I offended anyone in any way. I will never deny being a born-again Christian. I do have core beliefs and I will die with those core beliefs." - GOP Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley on his highly-criticized statement that non-Christians "are not my brothers."

Newly-elected GOP Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley made it clear yesterday that non-Christians will have a tough time under his regime.

Bentley made the remarks during a speech at Dexter Street King Memorial Baptist Church, the Montgomery church once led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., saying that non-Christians were “not my brother” and he hoped they would convert to Christianity. During the speech at the church in recognition of the King holiday Monday, Bentley told a packed audience that he is color blind to race, and then talked about his religious beliefs.

“But if you have been adopted in God’s family like I have, and like you have, if you’re a Christian and if you’re saved, and the Holy Spirit lives within you just like the Holy Spirit lives within me, then you know what that makes? It makes you and me brothers. And it makes you and me brother and sister,” he said. “Now I will have to say that, if we don’t have the same daddy, we’re not brothers and sisters. So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother.”

The Anti-Defamation League was quick to denounce Bentley's remarks, saying he was "dangerously close" to violating the First Amendment, which forbids government from promoting an official religion.

The latest installation in the American Atheists' national billboard campaign has gone up in Huntsville, Alabama declaring that "You KNOW they're all SCAMS." The sign contains symbols for five of the world's major faiths and promotes the group's regional conference, which takes place later this month. The group's last billboard, "You KNOW it's a MYTH," went up over the holidays at the entrance to NYC's Holland Tunnel and resulted in an answering billboard from the Catholic League at the exit of the tunnel.