Immigrants Call For National Bud Lite Boycott Against Hensley
"Don't Drink Budweiser. We ask you not to buy"
Arizona Immigrant’s rights activists plan to call for a boycott of Bud Light because they say it’s chief Arizona distributor, Hensley and Co, has made large contributions to candidates backing anti-immigrant legislation.
Arizona SB 1070, the most aggressive anti-immigrant law in the history of the US, went into effect on July 29th, 2010. It was penned into law by conservative leadership including Arizona Republican state senator Russell Pearce, an arch rival of immigrants. Gov. Jan Brewer (R-Az), who was appointed to take the place of Janet Napolitano (D-Az), signed the controversial law which Napolitano had vetoed several times.
The law requires police to detain all persons they suspect of being in the state without documents. Since the law is silent about what an undocumented person looks like, the majority of those detained were certainly to be Hispanic, many who are US citizens. The law also makes stopping to pick up day laborers difficult. It makes it a crime for a citizen to transport undocumented workers. Hence, even a lawyer who gives his client a ride to court might be in violation of the law.
While Judge Susan Bolton held portions of the law unconstitutional, and stayed enforcement of portions of the law pending litigation, portions of the law went into effect. The state is spending millions to defend the law, while cutting services to tax payers.
On May 29th, 2010, an estimated 100,000 people from all 50 states supported Alto Arizona in a massive protest taxing police resources. On July 29th and 30th, 2010, the "Phoenix 100" were arrested during demonstrations and rallies, including Rev. Susan Frederick Gray from the Unitarian Universalists Association, in their Standing On The Side Of Love campaign.
Salvador Reza from the Puente Movement was arrested two times in two days. At arraignment on the second arrest, even the district attorney admitted there was no probable cause for the arrest by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. Arpaio's zeal may cost Phoenix tax payers.
The first of two Arizona 100 protesters were found not guilty in a trial to the court when the prosecution failed to carry it’s burden of proof. Charges were dropped against four other protesters, likely for tactical reasons. Evidentiary hearings were held for more protesters today. The cost of prosecuting these cases has jammed the courts and strained resources to prosecute traditional crimes.
At the same time, activists called for a national boycott against the state of Arizona. Various municipalities, including Denver, Colorado and Las Angeles, California, agreed to join the boycott. The boycott has cost the state millions of dollars in tourist and convention revenue. In addition, the tax base has suffered forcing the state to consider severe budget cuts.
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