Long Island Wins Calls for a Boycott of Arizona Over Draconian Immigration Law

 Posted by on 2010/04/27
Apr 272010
 

“Thinking about traveling to Arizona anytime soon? We’ve got a better idea: Stay home,” says Maryann Sinclair Slutsky, director of Long Island Wins.

Port Washington, N.Y.–In light of a recently passed anti-immigrant bill in Arizona—which will force immigrants to carry documentation of their immigration status at all times, and invite racial profiling by police—Long Island Wins is joining a nationwide call for a boycott of the state’s goods, services, and tourism.

“The boycott isn’t just punishment for a piece of legislation that tramples on the civil rights of Arizona residents,” said Maryann Sinclair Slutsky. “It’s for everyone’s own safety.” On Friday, Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law, authorizing the farthest-reaching anti-immigrant legislation ever passed by a state. Since then, the bill has been condemned by everyone from religious leaders to President Obama.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a statement on Friday that focused on the business repercussions of the bill:

“As a country, America will be badly hurt if more states follow Arizona’s lead,” Bloomberg said. “Foreign investment and tourism are critical to our national economy, and this new law sends exactly the wrong message to international companies and travelers.”

The bill–which will go into effect 90 days after the current Arizona legislation session ends–requires police to charge residents with a misdemeanor if they are not carrying proper immigration paperwork.

The bill also requires police officers to inquire about a person’s immigration status if an officer has a “reasonable suspicion” that a person is an undocumented immigrant.

At a December 2009 forum hosted by Long Island Wins, Nassau Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey stressed the importance of trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement—the kind of trust that would be annihilated by a law like SB 1070.

“It would be virtually impossible to solve crime effectively if victims and witnesses, no matter what their residency status, had some reluctance to come forward for fear of being deported,” Mulvey said at the forum.

With that in mind, Long Island Wins is supporting a boycott of goods, services, and tourism from Arizona. Democratic Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva is also backing the boycott:

“We’re going to overturn this unjust and racist law, and then we’re going to overturn the power structure that created this unjust, racist law.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contacts:
Maryann Slutsky
mslutsky@longislandwins.com
516-304-5641 (o)
516-506-3505 (c)

Ted Hesson
thesson@longislandwins.com
516-304-5644 (o)
516-506-3447 (c)

Related posts:

  1. Economic Boycott of Arizona to continue despite defeat of Anti Mexican legislation pushed by Russell Pearce
  2. National Boycott of Georgia imminent if anti immigration law is not vetoed!
  3. National Hispanic Group Calls for “Brisenia’s Law” To Fight Domestic Terrorism
  4. Anti-Immigrant Bills all but dead in Arizona for the year
  5. La Ley de Jaime Cuervo alive in Alabama as State passes repressive immigration law

  • Sandra

    No contradiction…I'm saying if you have no respect for one LAW then how can you squawk about what you consider an "ILLEGAL" LAW? Can't you see that to advocate trampling on any law makes all laws susceptible to the same treatment, and "SO WHAT", because you have basically voided all laws.

    The civil rights (right to receive equal treatment, free from unfair treatment or "discrimination") of LEGAL Arizona citizens are being trampled on daily in the following ways, relative to the categories you mentioned;

    1. Education; Illegal residents do not support the school system, yet burden it with expenses that legal residents must subsidize through higher property taxes. That isn't "fair" to the legal citizen who is forced to pay, not only for legals' educations, but for illegals' educations as well. That really discriminates against legal residents, and especially against the responsible, stable, home-owner types.

    2. Employment; Illegal residents take jobs that unemployed legal residents could be doing. With the U.S. economy in the toilet and unemployment running near 10% nationwide, there is no excuse to keep paying out welfare for deadbeats while employing illegals under the table. I know from personal experience that many of the jobs illegals take are higher paying jobs, not the lettuce picking jobs that "no lazy white man will get off the couch to do". That is a stereotypical argument that is racist and not "fair" , and very discriminatory to the many white and black people undercut by illegals for decent paying construction and manufacturing jobs.

    3. Housing; This one really frosts me. There are plenty of hard working, tax paying legal citizens, of all colors who cannot qualify for any kind of subsidy for housing because their income is "visible"…meaning legal and taxed. Yet many illegals get housing subsidies because they work under the table, invisible to the taxing agencies. That certainly isn't "fair" to those of us who must pay the taxes that support those handouts. It most certainly is "discriminatory" against the law-abiding, taxpaying citizen who cannot receive assistance when needed because he "made too much money last month". Never mind that he's starving and homeless THIS month.

    Furthermore, it is unfair, discriminatory and unequal treatment ..and racist, to apply the laws of the land to one group of people and not to another. This is so obvious I cannot understand why some cannot comprehend it. Seriously, it is those who do not live with the problems created by the illegals who don't have a clue. It may appear to be political pandering by outsiders, but it is a much appreciated stand for the rights of legal citizens to those of us who live here.

  • Advocate

    How are the civil rights of Arizona citizens being trampled on daily by undocumented immigrants? Do you even know what Civil Rights or? Or Civil Liberties? Do you know the difference?

    "Civil rights" are the rights of individuals to receive equal treatment (and to be free from unfair treatment or "discrimination") in a number of settings — including education, employment, housing, and more — and based on certain legally-protected characteristics.

    Historically, the "Civil Rights Movement" referred to efforts toward achieving true equality for African-Americans in all facets of society, but today the term "civil rights" is also used to describe the advancement of equality for all people regardless of race, sex, age, disability, national origin, religion, or certain other characteristics.

    Most of the undocumented in Arizona that this bill will effect, are no different from you, with one difference. A 9 digit number!

    And if the law is illegal, So What? You contradict yourself. If it's illegal, and I believe the courts will find it such, then it will be overturned.

    This political pandering, by your Governor who hasn't got a clue, a Senator who has know idea what he sponsored and another Senator, Ready, who has close ties to the National Socialist Movement (NSM) is going to cost your state immensely.

  • Sandra

    "“The boycott isn’t just punishment for a piece of legislation that tramples on the civil rights of Arizona residents,” said Maryann Sinclair Slutsky. “It’s for everyone’s own safety.” On Friday, Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law, authorizing the farthest-reaching anti-immigrant legislation ever passed by a state."

    First of all SLUTSKY, the civil rights of Arizona citizens are being trampled on daily by the ILLEGAL acts of ILLEGAL immigrants. Secondly, what part of ILLEGAL don't you get? It is not anti-immigration, it is anti-ILLEGAL immigration that is being addressed by the bill. Thirdly, why should I, as a LEGAL, taxpaying, colored citizen be forced to follow laws I may not like while others freely trample all over them because they are of a different color? I and my white friends must show identification frequently for various reasons. You don't find that racist, SLUTSKY? Finally, SLUTSKY, if the law is ILLEGAL, as you and certain others like you claim, then SO WHAT??? You have no respect for the LAW. You can't have your cake and eat it too. You either support the laws, like them or not, and do what you can LEGALLY to change those you don't like….or you have no basis for complaint. So.. get over it.