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Some don't buy Arizona boycotts
A sign reading 'Arizona, The Grand Canyon State Welcomes You' along the state's New Mexico border on Interstate 10
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Kai Ryssdal: Seattle is the latest city to boycott Arizona. Kind of. The Seattle City council approved a boycott last night to protest Arizona's tough new immigration law. But they managed to do it in a way that maintains the only substantive contract the city has with an Arizona company: $1.3 million to run Seattle's red light cameras, if you're curious. But even token protests like that can add up. Other cities have approved actual economic boycotts. So those who favor tougher immigration laws are fighting back, trying their best to support Arizona financially.
Janet Babin reports.
Janet Babin: Genevieve Peters vacationed in southern Nevada this past weekend. But the L.A. native also went out of her way to cross into Arizona.
Genevieve Peters: We went over there and spent money. We filled up our gas tank, and we ate breakfast before we traveled home.
Peters is what's called a "buy-cotter." She uses her pocketbook to support Arizona's new immigration law. Los Angeles, Boston and New York are among a growing list of entities boycotting Arizona because of the bill.
Peters says they have no right.
Peters: Have you checked with the people? Have you taken a poll? No, you haven't.
Not only are some groups supporting the buy-cott, they're hoping 13 others states enact similar laws.
Opponents of the bill say it could lead to racial profiling. It certainly led to funny comedy skits, like this one from Second City that features a Latino tourist running from the law.
Sound of police siren in Second City skit
Man in skit: Arizona, it's not for everybody.
Woman in skit: From the Arizona Office of Tourism. Come for the barren desert wasteland, stay for the hospitality.
That's the type of profiling Kristen Jarnagin with the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association wants to avoid. The group's trying to put a face to the people the boycott impacts the most.
Kristen Jarnagin: We have 200,000 people in our state employed by tourism. When people cancel meetings or they decide not to come, those people who are hurt the most are the hourly employees.
Jarnagin says the first goal is to stop the bleeding, and prevent other cities from joining the boycott. Then, the group will focus on the long-term challenge of getting tourists back to Arizona.
I'm Janet Babin for Marketplace.
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There's a distinction that anti-Arizona pundits are deliberately blurring -- and that is the difference between illegal and legal immigration.
I support legal immigration and the process that allows a reasonable flow of newcomers into the country.
I do not support a wholescale invasion of newcomers who have no apparent interest in learning our language or conforming to our laws, but nevertheless expect to enjoy all the benefits and privileges of legal residents and citizens.
'Civil' rights, by definition, belong to citizens -- not to foreigners. Immigrant invaders may have human rights, but these do not include free admission to the United States.
Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans were found and deported en masse in the early 20th century, and we can certainly do this today, with the right application of will and funds. The project will pay for itself in saved Medicaid and welfare subsidies that deported aliens no longer exploit.
My hope is that the Arizona law stands up in court and the lawsuits are all thrown out. Boycotts will fade from memory and a mass exodus will take place.
Be warned that thousands of illegal immigrants will arrive in CA, TX and NM. Mostly because we have been abandoned by our leaders. Now that AZ wants to do something to stem the tide of illegal immigrants ruining their cities and bankrupting their states, every Latino group has had a big LOUD response. Win by force.
Arizona has the courage to stand up for the rights of their citizens. I only wish that California would do the same.
American citizens really need jobs and we are left to compete with illegal immigrants for the scant jobs available.
Sadly, in California if you need a job, you better learn to speak Spanish because all the available jobs require it. Americans beware, as goes California, so goes the nation.
I support the new immigration law in AZ whole heartedly. What part of illegal do these folks don't understand. If you are in this country illegaly then you should be deported. I am personally a legal immigrant and I still support this law. B'coz of illegal immigrants there has been a skew in lot of things including proposing a law that makes them legal citizens overnight whereas people like me who have been here legally for the last 10 years are still awaiting citizenship. On top of that I not only pay taxes and SS but if I dont get my citizenship then i will forgo all of those benefits if i leave this country. I doubt any of these illegal immigrants are paying their dues to taxes but in fact is costing a hell lot of money to other taxpayers.
I dont remeber seeing on the news Phoenix Police beating the shit out of an innocent hispanic, I recall that it was the Seattle police who said they would beat the beener piss out of the person. Koin.com will have the news report. But their sorry so it must be fine. I love Seattle but doubt I will return because they apologized for racial profiling.
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