Celebrity News
Kanye West and RATM join protest against Arizonia immigration bill SB-1070
[HMG] – Since Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer signed the state’s tough immigration bill, SB-1070 on April 23 the blow-back has been brutal. And now Kanye West, Rage Against The Machine, Cypress Hill and other musicians have come together to campaign for repeal.
Collectively known as ‘The Sound Strike’ the new group of artists have vowed to boycott Arizona, and play no gigs there until the forthcoming law is undone.
“Some of us grew up dealing with racial profiling, but this takes it to a whole new low,” Rage’s lead singer Zach de la Rocha writes on their web site, “We are not going to play in Arizona. If other states follow Arizona, we could be headed towards a pre-civil rights reality.”
Meanwhile, the bill’s supporters continue to insist the new legislation is merely intended to protect lawful residents.
But Sound Strike has support – Last week, a group of US police chiefs met with Attorney General Eric Holder, telling him they believe the new bill would actually increase crime when it becomes law at the end of July.
The President has also criticized SB-1070, and has told Mr. Holder to explore filing a court motion to block it.
And this is not the first time musicians have used their talents to to protest an injustice — On last year’s European leg of their ’360′ tour, U2′s Bono reaffirmed his support for human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been imprisoned in Burma for fourteen of the last twenty years — with no formal charges.
In 2006, Morrissey refused to perform any shows in Canada in a protest against the country’s annual slaughter of seals, and Rage themselves have protested the Iraq invasion and the closure of LA-based urban farms.
Governor Brewer, meanwhile, is unswayed by the outcry and SB-1070 is on track to be law. It remains to be seen if these singers can stop it…
Arizona has plenty to do fighting the effects of illegal immigration. It’s a shame that because of their efforts to protect their citizens and uphold federal law, they now have to fight ignorance. Ignorance is bliss but it appears to be a right enjoyed by many.
Calif. Penal Code Sec. 834b
834b. (a) Every law enforcement agency in California shall fully cooperate with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding any person who is arrested if he or she is suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws.
(b) With respect to any such person who is arrested, and suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws, every law enforcement agency shall do the following:
(1) Attempt to verify the legal status of such person as a citizen of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident, an alien lawfully admitted for a temporary period of time or as an alien who is present in the United States in violation of immigration laws. The verification process may include, but shall not be limited to, questioning the person regarding his or her date and place of birth, and entry into the United States, and demanding documentation to indicate his or her legal status.
As much as im a big fan of The Rage Aganist The Machine, im going have to agree with Arizona state laws the only thing they are trying to do is protect there citizens and for somany years there has been alot of illegal imigrants comming into the US ….Well sneaking ing into this country without right papers and we need to put an end to it. They come in the US without proper papers..if i would went to cuba or any one of thoise countries to get a job or health care they will either kill me or throw me in jail. Im all for helping others especially those from other countries cause i know that we can learn from each other, but when you come in The US without legal status you get what you hand call for
“And this is not the first time musicians have used their talents to to protest an injustice”
Attn liberal blogger; Try reading the bill and doing some research before you condemn the thing or you will look as foolish as Eric Holder, Janet Napalitano, and Barack Obama.
Latest polls show 70% of the United States support Arizona’s Bill. It mirrors the federal law and is close to California’s law as previously shown.
I doubt anyone really cares what these ‘artists’ think about Arizona’s Emigration Bill. The Governor has a real world problem to manage, not some ‘politically correct’ image to push.
Yeah, well first you need to learn how to spell before you can comment on anything! So sad! I bet these illegal immigrants can spell better than you!
Yes ignorance and racism seem to go hand in hand. The issue is not so much the law but what it represents. It is the rise of racism, racial profiling and violence. It is sad to see that immigrants have served a purpose in this country and all this judicial crap has been ignored just to benefit others. I served this country and it pains me to see that we are fighting for fairness and opportunity in a foreign land but we can’t seem to get our act together in this country. Just like you consider people ignorant to the law you are ignorant to the emotional side of this argument, you can’t began to understand discrimination when you have not experienced it. Not everything is so black and white there are also grey areas. Everyone is so quick to give their opinion on all types of issues but there are only a few of us who can say we have stood up and done something about it.
This law reminds me of 1959 southern states jim crow law that separated Blacks and Whites, or of Nazi Germany forcing every jew to where a yellow star on them. This dosn’t suprise me, Arizona has a bad record with minorities, Arizona is a racist state. Just in 1992 Arizona refused to acknowledge Martin Luther king day, and recently Arizona banned ethnic studies in Arizona class rooms. This law was also passed by White Nationalist http://monkeysmashesheaven.wordpress.com/2010/05/08/arizona-sb1070-the-continuing-war-against-the-mexicano-people/ . The message Arizona is giving the nation is that Arizona is for Whites Only!!!
I just read the little snippet in Rolling Stone about your Sound Strike in AZ. I agree you should stay out of Arizona, but I think you should go a step further and call every radio station in AZ and tell them to stop playing any music by any bands on your list. Oh, and call every Walmart and every other retail outlet in AZ and tell them to stop selling your CD’s. And tell iTunes to not let anyone buy your music that has an AZ address on their credit card. Really, if you are serious about this then you will do this. Of course you are not THAT serious about it, so I won’t hold my breath. Just like Los Angles shut the fuck up after AZ asked if they wanted to boycott the power from AZ, every one of the bands on your list should SHUT THE FUCK UP. You can also boycott Las Vegas as I have this list of bands and I will not be buying or listening to any of them ever again. How’s that for a boycott? Oh and if you’re saying “Big deal, who gives a shit what this guy from Vegas thinks…” well, then, you know exactly what I think about your stupid little boycott.
Brent Cobb in Las Vegas, NV USA – An AMERICAN Citizen