It's Time to Boycott Arizona

[The_Lady_Snow]

Which leads me to wonder if ALL of the other *white* Presidents were ever investigated as much as our Black President.

I don't believe W was ever asked for his papers, or proof of birth cerficicate.

Racial profiling became a top priority once our President was black, it just got worse.

[Nat]

I live in Texas and would have mixed feelings about a thread aimed at boycotting Texas because I do love my state. But sometimes being on the side of justice is to be at odds with the government and the majority of citizens within one's home state. Texas has passed some terrible laws and is capable of passing a law very similar to this one. Despite my love love love of my state, I would support any measure that would bring a greater level of justice to my home. To me that means staying and fighting injustice as long as my life and livelihood are not at severe risk. I cannot defend Texas when it comes to state-sanctioned racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, homophobic and transphobic intolerance, the death penalty, the arrest of the homeless, the criminalization of poverty, the lack of services for the mentally ill, the state of the prison system, the revisionist and propaganda-filled history taught in our public schools, the fundamentalist religious beliefs that embrace intolerance, bigotry and violence. I love my state and would be sensitive to a thread criticizing Texas or threatening the economic well-being of this state, but I hold justice as a higher value than state pride. Many people have chosen to leave Arizona rather than be faced with the very real dangers of continuing to live there, but I would encourage anybody who feels privileged enough to stay in the state to really work their hardest toward making it a just, compassionate, neighborly place to live and/or visit rather than putting one's effort into defending the truly indefensible actions of arizona's racist policies.

It's the people who stay who have the most power to use their power as voters, as citizens and as consumers to make Arizona (or any other home state) a place of justice, equality and neighborliness.

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."

-James Baldwin

[QueenofSmirks]

I, too, live in Arizona. However, even though yes, I can read, I haven't lived here long enough to have an opinion about local politics.. yet. I refuse to gain all of my "knowledge" from reading articles and other peoples' opinions.

However, I do think Cody is and has been bashed for his opinions. And I do think much of what he has said has been taken out of context and pounced upon.

Someone stated that they wanted to see Arizona collapse. Really? So, all the people who voted against the current government should go down in flames too? Unbelievable.

[Nat]

I want Arizona to feel the full economic effects of choosing racial injustice and intolerance and I hope the effects are palpable and that their cause is clearly discernible.

I feel the same way about Texas. That's the only way a capitalist democracy can move toward justice when the majority of the state votes for a xenophobic and racist government.

When people vote to support racist government in order to have more for themselves. That is truly selfish. And for people who fought against these laws, I hope they continue to fight for justice. Sometimes justice means acknowledging that you yourself do not deserve the biggest cut of meat. Sometimes justice means giving up privilege and learning to share. It means advocating for equality even if doing so means you yourself have to give up some privilege.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Originally Posted by QueenofSmirks

I, too, live in Arizona. However, even though yes, I can read, I haven't lived here long enough to have an opinion about local politics.. yet. I refuse to gain all of my "knowledge" from reading articles and other peoples' opinions.

However, I do think Cody is and has been bashed for his opinions. And I do think much of what he has said has been taken out of context and pounced upon.

Someone stated that they wanted to see Arizona collapse. Really? So, all the people who voted against the current government should go down in flames too? Unbelievable.

The articles we all posted about what was going Arizona contain nothing but facts, what your Governor did, tried to do and has been doing is something we did not make up, lie about, and distort. When cody came upon this thread he was clueless to what was going on in his own state. Here is the exchange:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nat
Panelists: Arizona SB 1070 has had profound impact on Native Americans

since the bill became law, racism has become legitimized, and violence against Native peoples "is more blatant than ever." Recently, "tribal members out in the desert chopping wood have been handcuffed and beaten because they didn't have any identification on them," he said. Although the people were on their tribal land, he noted, "somehow the border patrol saw this as a legitimate way to detain people and abuse people violently."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cody



is this happening here in az? i live here and watch the news daily.. ive heard of no such thing. i also have many native american friends that well most of them like the seperation of themselfs not being clumped in. i dont care for the law much but there are alot of untruths flying around about it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by cody
is this happening here in az? i live here and watch the news daily.. ive heard of no such thing. i also have many native american friends that well most of them like the seperation of themselfs not being clumped in. i dont care for the law much but there are alot of untruths flying around about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quote:
Originally Posted by AtLastHome



The article is by Native American spokespeople and stems from a panel of Native Americans as part of a discussion among Native activist leaders. It isn't from a news broadcast depicting one specific news event.

Now, I do remember that Gov. Brewer did take back her initial statements about headless bodies in the desert due to criminal Latino immigrants a couple of months back. That seemed to be a rumor and entirely false. Good she cleared that up.


He dismissed it by comparing it to a one squeaky wheel being overheard in a group of wheels.


Then this morning he comes in and says

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cody



gawd i dont like this thread... az is my home and i love it.. i dont always like what the gov. does here.. but there is so much more to this state that i will not boycot.. also there are still alot of unthuths about this..


Now, had he read the whole thread from its inception he would see that it was started to discuss what was happening (truths) in AZ with its law that lead and would of lead to racial profiling. People aren't saying everyone in AZ should perish, die, or disappear. We aren't denying it's beauty and ethnic history.

What we did do is discuss what everyone should be discussing when it comes to legal human rights. Once we turn a blind eye to a law that profiles one particular *look* of people we are headed for some incredible fucked up trouble.

No one is jumping Cody or saying Cody shouldn't be here etc etc. What I do see is people who are passionate express themselves about what is going on and its injustice.

It kills me when someone says something that is going to get an unpopular response use the deflective *I am getting piled up on* defense.

FFS cody came up in here using terms such as "that look" and brushing it off with the claims of Native American heritage and state love etc etc. It's ridiculous to cry *pile on* when you say something that may or may not be read as offensive.

It would be as ridiculous if I went to the nilla there and said:

"gawd i dont like this thread... BDSM is my life and i love it.. i dont always like what the all the play parties and there different rules.. but there is so much more to BDSM that ya'll don't know about so why do you need this space?.. also there are still alot of unthuths about this... WOW how rude."

I am pretty sure and I would expect my ass would get handed to me for coming up in a space and pointing my finger at folks.

I am no holier than though, hell I am nowhere close to this term, what I am is passionate about this matter not only because it's the right thing to do, but it affects me since I am one of those people this state considers undesirable.

Oh as for the economic demise wished upon your state- Sometimes we need to give up things to get what we must have. I would rather have nothing then stand by and watch someone stripped of their human rights, I sometimes envy those who pick comfort over what is right, till we are all willing to hurt a lil, bleed a lil, lose a lil, then nothing is ever going to change.

[QueenofSmirks]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

No one is jumping Cody or saying Cody shouldn't be here etc etc. What I do see is people who are passionate express themselves about what is going on and its injustice.

I'll agree to disagree.... You call it being passionate, I see it as something else .

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Oh as for the economic demise wished upon your state- Sometimes we need to give up things to get what we must have. I would rather have nothing then stand by and watch someone stripped of their human rights, I sometimes envy those who pick comfort over what is right, till we are all willing to hurt a lil, bleed a lil, lose a lil, then nothing is ever going to change.

My comment about the economic demise wished upon this state has nothing to do with me personally. I can go anywhere; I'm not tied here, I don't have family here. This is not to say I would run away, but I do have other options if things get crazy.

I do stand up for human rights, and I'm rather vocal about it. My point was that I'm concerned about the people you all claim to be so concerned about. What will happen to THEM if Arizona collapses? Do you think they'll just dust themselves off and start over??? Do you really think an economic collapse of this state is going to magically fix everything?

[Corkey]

I think that the state won't collapse as you say, but I do think if the people, you know that 70% who agree with that racist law, feel the economic sting of the boycott then it is well worth the fight. You see those are the folks who don't care about the welfare of their brothers and sisters, and are likely the vary people who would deny you your rights.
So yes the political pressure of the boycott will have consequences, and I sure hope folks start paying attention to what is happening because of racist laws.
We are not a free society if the least of us are not free.

[Kobi]

Corkey,

I hope you know how much I respect you even tho we don't always agree on issues.

This is really bugging me because we all seem to be operating on the idea that the problem is because of everyone else. It is not US, it is THEM.... however you see us and them.

The us and the them is a nasty way of looking at unpleasant issues. Because sometimes, WE are THEM or US and it "aint" pretty.

Example......have you seen the movie "Flag Wars"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359281/ It is a fascinating wake up call when groups that are oppressed actually become the oppressors.

In this documentary, a Black neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio was invaded by white, gay and lesbian people. The butch real estate agent did her best to force the city to enforce building codes. In doing so, she singlehandedly, threw people out of their family homes because they lacked the resources to bring the properties up to code and, because they were poor and Black, they couldn't get loans to cover the costs. Hence, here is a neighborhood of cheap homes ripe for the picking by white persons of queerness who acted like vultures in snatching up as many underpriced properties as they could.

It sickened me to watch my brothers and sisters act like unfeeling robots focused only on the attainment of property without any regard as to how they came by it or what deviousness was used for them to have this opportunity.

But, were the queers out there saying hey, this isnt right? This isnt ethical? Did our queer buds give a crap about the people they displaced? Did we queerfolk care that we were taking advantage of people who had no means to defend themselves or their homes? Were we out there marching and protesting and calling for boycotts? Nope.

This is US doing to THEM, just as WE have been done against. This was, quite simply, the most disgusting display of white priviledge, white audacity, queer audacity, and simple inhumanity.

My point is before we start pointing fingers, assigning blame, and acting all righteous and stuff....we need to take an inventory of ourselves. It is really easy to be liberal and loving and concerned for equality in a vacuum like this. It is quite another to live it out there in the real world where we are faced with difficult, complex, sometimes disgusting choices.

Life is just not that simple. Answers are just not that simple.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Corkey,

I hope you know how much I respect you even tho we don't always agree on issues.

This is really bugging me because we all seem to be operating on the idea that the problem is because of everyone else. It is not US, it is THEM.... however you see us and them.

The us and the them is a nasty way of looking at unpleasant issues. Because sometimes, WE are THEM or US and it "aint" pretty.

Example......have you seen the movie "Flag Wars"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359281/ It is a fascinating wake up call when groups that are oppressed actually become the oppressors.

In this documentary, a Black neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio was invaded by white, gay and lesbian people. The butch real estate agent did her best to force the city to enforce building codes. In doing so, she singlehandedly, threw people out of their family homes because they lacked the resources to bring the properties up to code and, because they were poor and Black, they couldn't get loans to cover the costs. Hence, here is a neighborhood of cheap homes ripe for the picking by white persons of queerness who acted like vultures in snatching up as many underpriced properties as they could.

It sickened me to watch my brothers and sisters act like unfeeling robots focused only on the attainment of property without any regard as to how they came by it or what deviousness was used for them to have this opportunity.

But, were the queers out there saying hey, this isnt right? This isnt ethical? Did our queer buds give a crap about the people they displaced? Did we queerfolk care that we were taking advantage of people who had no means to defend themselves or their homes? Were we out there marching and protesting and calling for boycotts? Nope.

This is US doing to THEM, just as WE have been done against. This was, quite simply, the most disgusting display of white priviledge, white audacity, queer audacity, and simple inhumanity.

My point is before we start pointing fingers, assigning blame, and acting all righteous and stuff....we need to take an inventory of ourselves. It is really easy to be liberal and loving and concerned for equality in a vacuum like this. It is quite another to live it out there in the real world where we are faced with difficult, complex, sometimes disgusting choices.

Life is just not that simple. Answers are just not that simple.

I'm sorry Kobi that you feel the need to assume my post is about us v them. It is us v us. We all have a responsibility to live an authentic life, to do the right thing by ourselves and others. White people don't get to tell other races that they don't belong here. White people don't get to use others and then throw them away because they aren't documented, they don't get to harass or otherwise discriminate against other people because of their skin color. They sure as hell don't get to lock other races up for profit.
These are the facts of the matter. If you choose to ignore it, by all means do so, but I'll thank you not to assume that I will do the same. It is simple discrimination in any form is vile. I shall not participate in it. I therefore boycott Arizona, and any company doing business in Arizona.

[QueenofSmirks]

Originally Posted by Corkey

I think that the state won't collapse as you say, but I do think if the people, you know that 70% who agree with that racist law, feel the economic sting of the boycott then it is well worth the fight. You see those are the folks who don't care about the welfare of their brothers and sisters, and are likely the vary people who would deny you your rights.
So yes the political pressure of the boycott will have consequences, and I sure hope folks start paying attention to what is happening because of racist laws.
We are not a free society if the least of us are not free.

Yes, a boycott certainly will have consequences... likely very bad consequences for the very people you claim it will "help". It's a BAD idea, but hey, I'm willing to listen and read about any statistical facts that prove otherwise. And I don't mean historical facts about OTHER boycotts in other places, I mean the supposed / theoretical boycott of Arizona NOW, and how it is "helping" to resolve these issues. Just for the record, I'm not the one that brought up the idea/wish for a collapse of Arizona, I'm merely responding.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by QueenofSmirks

Yes, a boycott certainly will have consequences... likely very bad consequences for the very people you claim it will "help". It's a BAD idea, but hey, I'm willing to listen and read about any statistical facts that prove otherwise. And I don't mean historical facts about OTHER boycotts in other places, I mean the supposed / theoretical boycott of Arizona NOW, and how it is "helping" to resolve these issues. Just for the record, I'm not the one that brought up the idea/wish for a collapse of Arizona, I'm merely responding.

Personally not doing business with Arizona or any company doing business in Arizona. I will continue to do so until that racist law is repealed. That is my right. If it helps to bring down that woman and her cronies who are racist, I don't really care what happens to them.

[Julie]

Originally Posted by QueenofSmirks

I'll agree to disagree.... You call it being passionate, I see it as something else .

My comment about the economic demise wished upon this state has nothing to do with me personally. I can go anywhere; I'm not tied here, I don't have family here. This is not to say I would run away, but I do have other options if things get crazy.

I do stand up for human rights, and I'm rather vocal about it. My point was that I'm concerned about the people you all claim to be so concerned about. What will happen to THEM if Arizona collapses? Do you think they'll just dust themselves off and start over??? Do you really think an economic collapse of this state is going to magically fix everything?

Stephanie,

I completely understand your concern. You live in Arizona. MY GOD - I would be panicking just about now, if my state was potentially going to see a collapse. I believe your state is in major trouble. I would start looking for an escape route. Truly!

If New York were to instill such a law on the books. I can promise you this. I would start planning on leaving New York. But not before I got off my ass and fought the fight. I would not give my money to a state which discriminates and is no better than those who practice ethnic cleansing. Just because we are not killing people - The propaganda which your state is putting forth, such as the billboard Snow posted earlier - Is license to KILL!

As a member of a country which allows free speech (an oxymoron of sorts). I am embarrassed when I tell people I am american. I am ashamed. And one day when my kids are older - I will leave.

And the people who are against the bill. I am sorry for them. Truly sorry for them. I am hoping they are out looking for jobs in other states. I am also hoping they are campaigning in full force against this. However, we do know this to be true. So many bitch and cry and stomp their feet - but they never use their voices.

Julie

[QueenofSmirks]

Originally Posted by InfiniteFemme

Stephanie,

I completely understand your concern. You live in Arizona. MY GOD - I would be panicking just about now, if my state was potentially going to see a collapse. I believe your state is in major trouble. I would start looking for an escape route. Truly!...

I'm not prone to hysteria, especially for something that may or may not happen, and it certainly won't happen overnight in any case. The other side of that coin is I don't consider Arizona "my" state. It's a state - I live here. I've lived in many states. This probably won't be the last state I live in. Yes, while I'm here I am concerned about what goes on here, but do I feel panicked? No, not at all. California is bankrupt but still operates as a state. I have family there. Other than the housing market being in the crapper, like it is all over the U.S., their lives aren't much worse than anyone else's in this country. So no, I don't have an escape route planned. Until there is a reason for me to leave, I'm here.

As I've stated all along, my concern is not for myself - it's for people who don't have the means to go somewhere else and make a better life for themselves. They are going to be hurt most of all by a boycott, not the highly paid assholes who thought up this crap in the first place.