Thank you for those who have been reading and following my blog in the past two weeks and sharing your feedback about SB 1070. I still feel very strongly that this legislation is wrong and needs to be overturned and will continue to post about it from time to time as well as work to get it changed.
There are two more articles I want to share that help to understand and define my perspective on SB1070. The first comes from my hometown newspaper in Flagstaff, Arizona. Last night the city council took a vote to sue the state of Arizona for SB1070. You can read about that decision here:
There are two more articles I want to share that help to understand and define my perspective on SB1070. The first comes from my hometown newspaper in Flagstaff, Arizona. Last night the city council took a vote to sue the state of Arizona for SB1070. You can read about that decision here:
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_5a88048c-6b18-5b87-99ac-c481b37b42e7.html
The final article I want to link to is from the Phoenix Suns, the NBA basketball team, or "Los Suns" as they are being called today. Check out this article that talks about how the team, from the owner, to the GM, to all the coaches are standing in solidarity with Latinos and Hispanics in the state of Arizona today:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Suns-will-wear-Los-Suns-unis-to-honor-Phoenix-?urn=nba,238682
The text of the article is below:
In general, people in the sports world keep their political leanings to themselves. Sure, there are a few guys who regularly speak out on political issues, but for the most part that's considered bad business. As Michael Jordan put it, "Republicans buy shoes too." That's why what the Phoenix Suns are doing is so amazing.
The team will be wearing its "Los Suns" jerseys for Wednesday night's Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs "to honor [the] Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation." Awesome.
The decision to wear the jerseys came from way up the corporate ladder, as team owner Robert Sarver suggested the team wear their Noche Latina alternates.
Sarver, who was born and raised in Tucson, said frustration with the federal government's failure to deal with the illegal immigration issue led to the passage of what he called "a flawed state law."
"However intended, the result of passing the law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question," he said, "and Arizona's already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them."
The Suns voted on the jerseys and unanimously decided to wear them for Cinco De Mayo. As if he weren't likeable enough, Phoenix guard Steve Nash(notes) succinctly summed up the Suns' feelings on the issue.
"I think it's fantastic," Nash said after Tuesday's practice. "I think the law is very misguided. I think it's, unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. I think it's very important for us to stand up for things we believe in. As a team and as an organization, we have a lot of love and support for all of our fans. The league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, and our Latino community here is very strong and important to us."
And it's not just the Suns who are speaking out on this issue.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is on board, and the team even tried to get their "Los Spurs" jerseys, though it was too late to do so. When asked for approval to wear the jerseys, the NBA "was all for it," said Suns general manager Steve Kerr. Furthermore, NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter issued a press release, denouncing the law.
The recent passage of the new immigration law in Arizona is disappointing and disturbing. The National Basketball Players Association strongly supports the repeal or immediate modification of this legislation. Any attempt to encourage, tolerate or legalize racial profiling is offensive and incompatible with basic notions of fairness and equal protection. A law that unfairly targets one group is ultimately a threat to all.
We applaud the actions of Phoenix Suns players and management and join them in taking a stand against the misguided efforts of Arizona lawmakers. We are consulting with our members and our player leadership to determine the most effective way for our union to continue to voice our opposition to this legislation.
It's not much, just an extra three letters on the front of a tanktop, but it means a lot more. As Kerr said, the Suns want to "make sure that people understand that we know what's going on and we don't agree with the law itself." For a sports team, that's huge.
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And in other news, it is Cinco de Mayo. My friend, who is a history professor, posted a little something about the history of the day that I wanted to share with you. Check out Laura Gifford's blog at:
http://unclesamsattic.blogspot.com/
She is a really sharp cookie and has some fascinating insights into various aspects of history. If you want to feel smart and have interesting things to tell your friends, I would follow her blog!
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
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