Employing flowering prose is rather worthless in this situation. SB1070 is a clusterfuck of magnificent proportions. The rest of the nation, rightfully so, condemned my adopted state of five years. Several cities, many companies, and a host of individuals are implementing a boycott of Arizona. Arizona’s gasping economy is already feeling the hit. Millions of dollars that could have been used to complete payrolls, allow people to work, and pay taxes, were distributed elsewhere.
2009 and 2010 have not been good years to be a progressive living in Arizona. Our Republican legislature, in a futile attempt to prevent the state from collapsing like an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, employ ideas seemingly brainstormed during a freshman seminar on Economics at Liberty University. And when they’re not diminishing the economic capacity of Arizona for generations at least, the AZ GOP seems hell-bent to appease the God, Guns, Gays, and Greasers contingencies from which many of them hail. Meanwhile, unemployment flirts with 10% and For Sale and For Rent signs are our equivalent of Flamingos and Gnomes.
Nevertheless, we progressives persist. Arizona is our home too. During election years, we’re on the streets, in the forum boards, and in the Letters to the Editor section of our local newspapers. We are the ones defending Arizona from withering attacks from progressives in blue and purple states. I admit that it was tough though, in the immediacy after SB1070, to justify my home. SB1070 passed when I was ready to cross over into Canada during a road trip to Wasilla, to help a friend move. I pondered telling people that I was from Chicago (my home city) instead of Phoenix. It was the equivalent of American world travelers during the Bush years informing people that they were from Canada rather than the States.
The recent boycotts against Arizona solidified my resolve to defend my home. I understand that people are angry at Arizona. Our legislature is shortsighted and unable to understand the consequences of their actions beyond the immediate satisfaction of pandering to the hate of a small section of Arizona’s population and their own fears of being marginalized by an alien culture. But, the legislature and the vocal, hateful minority population is not the entirety of Arizona; however, those perpetuating the boycotts, such as Mario Solich-Marich, seem determined to punish the whole of the state regardless of political affiliation or support for SB1070. The language used in relation to the boycott is downright malicious: Arizona is a cancer that must be cut out, its people must be made to suffer. While I have yet to see calls for all Arizonians be put to the stake, our cities burned, and our fields razed and then salted, I’m sure that is because I have not been looking hard enough.
Boycott proponents point to historical instances where boycotts were used to effectively implement social and economical change. This, of course, is the motivation behind the current Arizona boycotts. The theory is that once the Arizona economy collapses the Legislature here will go “Ooops. Our bad,” and repeal SB1070. I am not sure what will happen after that, but I suppose we will need a Federal bailout or something to jump start our economy again and everyone that lost their jobs, homes, and health insurance during the boycotts can sleep in the streets knowing that their suffering was for a good cause and such. Furthermore, it is rather questionable how much damage the boycotts will do to proponents of SB1070. Arizona already has one of the highest concentrations of senior citizens in the United States. Those folks’ social security checks will not be cut if the Arizona economy collapses.
Boycott supporters do not seem too terribly concerned with what will happen to the businesses that collapse and the people that lose their jobs as result of their actions. But, then again, they also did not seem too terribly concerned with immigration reform until SB1070 passed
I theorize that the reason the boycotts are a popular right now is because they allow people to express their disgust with SB1070 without actually having to effect major changes in their lifestyle. To implement a boycott against a company based in Arizona, such as Petsmart, consumers need only to travel a little further to Petco. To implement a boycott against the state of Arizona, consumers need only to not go. Bonus if they were not actually planning on going in the first place! On some level, this is comparable to the green twitter avatar movement, but with the collective potential of seriously damaging people’s lives. The feeling I get, though, is that collateral damage of that sort is okay as long as it happens to others, specifically others in Arizona. Those others, unfortunately, are my friends and family, and they are not collateral damage to me.
There are other options to a general boycott of Arizona and its businesses, such as donating to the Arizona Democratic party. Or, even holding massed rallies. Those options require actual action and expenditures. In my experience, once progressives find out that they need to spend money or time to effect equity, their passion for it fizzles rather quickly.
If the country is ready to break Arizona and its innocents to make a point, I suppose I have all the chances of stopping that as I do electing a Democratic representative from my district. I hope there is some kind of plan to repair us afterward.
Disclaimer: My sister works in Petsmart Corporate. She lives in the same political district as me, has the same political leanings, and absolutely does not support SB1070. I do not believe that she is willing to lose her job so that the rest of the Nation can express its displeasure with SB1070.
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Comments
1. That's a perspective we rarely think about, but it is one worth considering. Thank you for writing it so eloquently.
2. It's good to see you back . . . seems like it's been quite awhile. And it's good to see you back, even if only for a minute . . .
Owl - OS isn't the same as when I came aboard almost two years ago, but it's still a viable platform for achieving visibility. One oughtn't dismiss a tool simply because it's blunted. But, nevertheless, I'm glad to see you commenting. Thank you.
I am very struck by the lack of interest in alternatives. Some Minnesota dipshit can collect a million dollars in 24 hours to run against that other dipshit Michelle Bachman (and lose), but where is the movement to raise up the alternative party in your state? That's bullshit. Because Michelle Bachman is a cartoon, it was kind of funny to throw boatloads of money at her opponent, I guess. But what Arizona is dealing with is fucking scary. And God forbid we march headlong into something scary. Nope. Let's not do that - let's not march in there at all. Let's boycott that.
I do not understand the citizens of this country. Ever. I do not understand starving one to feed another. Yes. The law is crap. Is it the worst piece of legislation on the books in all fifty states? I don't know the answer to that, but I know that in my lifetime I can't really remember this "boycott" talk in such aggrandized form.
If so many impassioned Americans want to commit to action, then let us commit to act, not to hide behind boycotts and punish all for the sins of some. Would it not be better for Arizona for thousands of love filled Americans to descend on the state and change the political tide? Would it not be better to represent the interests of those this boycott purports to serve by NOT choking off the few resources to which they have access? Would it not be better to come up with a real solution to this fucking problem and to sell that to the people of Arizona who feel just as passionately that there is a gigantic problem there, than to cover it with a few ill-placed band-aid boycotts?
I wish you and your family well. I hope you get your extrafuckedupdeluxe law fixed asap. I hope that you suffer no ill will based on circumstances over which you have no control.
"Our Republican legislature, in a futile attempt to prevent the state from collapsing like an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, employ ideas seemingly brainstormed during a freshman seminar on Economics at Liberty University."
Best fucking sentence of the whole day.
We need the money and rather than receiving it, we're having our economic spigot jammed shut. It is frustrating.
Thanks for the bonus points too. How might I spend them?
Growing up in Houston, I've had many dear friends who work(ed) for Halliburton / KBR. I hate to see them lose their jobs but this in no way means that I want to be affiliated with such a corporation. I would like to see Halliburton prosecuted for what they have done in Iraq.
I've met some lovely people from Jamaica but I refuse to visit that country while they have policies in place which not only allow but encorage rampant and violent homophobia. At the time of my writing this, gays are being run out of their villages and brutally murdered while the laws in the country at best turn a blind eye or at worst openly condone such behavior.
In your case, further economic downturn is mild compared to those people who are stopped, jailed and fined for simply Existing While Brown and not having the documents immediately handy to prove that they are here legally. It is a policy which was written by white supremacist groups and a senator with neo-Nazi ties and ideologies helped to get it in place. I'm not brown but again I will stand beside them - and beside all of the cops who know that such laws make their jobs more dangerous. Arizona has a choice, they can condone bigotted laws and hope other bigots make up for the lost revenue or they distance themselves from these measures. It works both ways. When we as Americans were encouraged to boycott France during the start of Gulf War II, I went out of my way to buy French wines and cheese as I agreed with their position of not joining our war.
The bigger question is how much are you willing to sacrifice for others who do not look like you? Are you willing to be inconvenienced so that others might be allowed the right to exist without fear? Is their right to not be harrassed, jailed and fined less than your right to know where your next paycheck is coming from? Or, are you willing to boycott all produce, American wine and cheap labor - knowing that you would be hurting the incomes of many honest Americans who also work in those fields? You can either buy things which rely on cheap labor or you can boycott those things, knowing full well that you're hurting others the same way you complain about when you say how boycotts hurt you.
Again, I encourage you to do something that will actually be productive for Arizona and donate your time and money to the AZ Democratic Party. Link helpfully follows
www.azdem.org/
It’s important to emphasize that Arizonians are equally split on the passage of SB1070. Our own cities are suing the Legislature or refusing to implement the law. I think Los Suns made quite an impact on the national level as well. When you try to choke Arizona, you also hurt the people fighting against SB1070, you know, the folks that actually can vote and change things. We would like to remain in our homes and have health insurance and food on our tables while we fight the good fight.
Why is this off kilter? What else is going to say that this bill, which is horrific, needs to be reversed? I don't get it.
These are symbolic gestures. As If Boston can shut down another state's economy. I'm not particularly worried about Arizona's economic health beyond the economic sickness every state is suffering through. We're a country! There is no way to isolate Arizona and destroy it due to a justified loathing for a heinous bill.
Arizona fucked up. Lot's of people were really mad at Massachusetts , oh, six months ago. We ruined everything by electing a Republican senator! Boycott Massachusetts!
The bill needs to be over turned. Stomped on. Turned into dust. I have faith that the people of Arizona will do this for me. But maybe I'll help them out by joining marches and embracing other symbols of protest.
Nice to see you back, Jon - and look, we're already arguing!
I also know damn good and well that the same people who would never want to hurt Arizona are more than willing to "stop our dependence on foreign oil." Guess it sucks being an honest, peaceful Muslim.
I guess this is why women are the corporate whistleblowers 99% of the time. We are usually the ones willing to sacrifice it all for the greater good.
I also somehow think you would be on my case if I worked for a company which discriminated against people like you - and I justified it. Empathy isn't just for when you're not getting your way. It sometimes means sacrificing for the greater good.
At this point, I’m actively trying to steer people towards actions more productive than boycotts, such as donating to the Arizona Democratic Party and manning phone lines and such and so on.
RN: No. You did not just go and Godwin my thread. And, I think seeking sustainable energy resources is a bit different than not wanting to support an honest, peaceful Muslim. And, unfortunately, being in the thick of the recession these past two years have changed me in ways that are not always positive. My responsibility is to make sure my son has a home and food to help him grow. I don’t particularly enjoy being on the precipice of homelessness like I am right now. At times, The Greater Good can be a luxury. Still, I’m out trying to get Democratics elected so that we can reverse the damage that a minority of people did to Arizona and to Brown People Everywhere.
As for your final example, I must disagree. I don’t begrudge the paychecks people get for working for Salon.com. Folks gotta eat and pay bills. I do wish they were more sympathetic to accessibility and I have asked others to write on my behalf. Without much success, might I add.
You have some very valid points and excellent alternates. But to decry the effectiveness of boycotts as a means to social and political change is to ignore history.
An alternative that was not offered is boycotting the businesses in Arizona and elsewhere that employ illegal immigrants. Since our government seems unwilling on the federal or state level are not
willing to take punitive action against these people who are violating the law.
I do understand the concern for your state and its economy, but it this is not the first time its the targeted for a boycott. The last time, it was for a much less important issue - recognition of the MLK holiday - but one many people felt passionate about causing the state to lose millions of dollars when conferences and conventions were cancelled. The state government quickly reversed its decision ince economic pressure was applied, demonstrating the power of economic boycotts, regardless of how frivolous the cause.
At the time I couldn't help but think all of that fervor could have been to better use than forcing the honoring of a holiday. Nevertheless, I respected the power of the boycott, if not the purpose. This time, the purpose is much more important and while supporting the state's Democratic party is a plausible alternative, too many of us are disenchanted with both parties to think that supporting either if them will make a difference.
In this case, it might and though I left the party in 2008, I'll make a donation if you think it will help. Post the address of the state's Democratic headquarters along with the named of companies that hire illegals. Rated
secure.azdem.org/page/contribute
As for your request to list all the companies that hire illegal immigrants, I'm afraid that's beyond the boundaries of what's reasonable for me to provide.
Ocular: Once again, my state did nothing of the sort. A few select people did something bad and very determined people seem hell-bent to compel everyone but themselves to suffer accordingly. I'll wait for you to heroically sacrifice your job on other people's behalf.
I'm with you on this one.
I didn't see a link to our state gov in your post, but here's a good one:
fact sheet for SB1070
(Hopefully I have remembered how to link correctly).
Great post--very well written with just the proper amount of sarcasm!
:-)