I'm gonna add my $.02 even though I hadn't planned on coming back here. I live in Tucson, AZ and raise my daughters in a co-parenting situation (with my ex-husband) and will continue to do so until they are both graduated from high school. I have lived here since January of 1995 and have seen many changes in this once very quiet pueblo town. While most of Tucson is very liberal (as opposed to Phoenix which tends to be rather conservative) we do have pockets of very uber-conservative, republican, religious right communities...aka: the Jan Brewer/Jesse Kelly pack.
In my 15+ years here I have noticed one major theme present when grappling with border/immigration/human rights issues, and that is fear based tactics as a means of control by those in power. As a state situated directly on the Mexico-US border we deal with racially infused situations on a daily basis. Right now the majority of Tucson is staunchly opposed to SB1070. At the last rally I attended where over 3,000 opponents marched in support of those who do not appear "white" only a dozen or so in favor of SB1070 turned out to voice their opinion. Tucson is vehement in its opposition and I would challenge anyone who thinks otherwise. Local business as well as many corporately owned organizations have come forward in a unified stance against 1070. Signs stating "we do not support hate" with a large SB1070 x'ed out are in nearly every window of every store in town. Even the Tucson Police Department has declared their opposition by refusing to ask for anyone's papers based on 1070's "probable cause" mandate.
Brewer is a complete idiot and I refuse to even discuss her policies because she bases and reinforces them from a place of fear and hate...two things I have zero tolerance for...empathy for the person who embodies their attributes, but not tolerance of. The sheriff has proven mental health issues and should not be in office, but has his hands in the pockets of Big Money and also has a large following of fear mongers who are at his beck and call. I have met Jesse Kelly and the man has not a properly firing neuron in his brain.
As someone earlier stated, AZ is not "my" state, it just happens to be the state I currently live in. Just as I have also lived in NY, California and Arkansas and will hopefully live somewhere on the west coast again in a few years. I do not adopt the mentality spewed forth by our current legislature nor does the majority of the town I live in. Do I support a boycott by the rest of my country/continent/planet...hell ya! We all will feel the inevitable pocketbook pinch but for the most part, we can take it. Standing idly by looking naive and confused or loading up your house with guns and surrounding your property with barbed is your right...but it is not how I choose to live. This state was inhabited by my brown friends long before you or I got here, and I for one am appalled at how these so called "border negotiations" have further ostracized and disenfranchised the AZ/Mexico populous from one another. SB1070 is not the answer and is not supported by Tucson, AZ. Boycott away!
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