Los Angeles votes to boycott Arizona
Image via Wikipedia
The city council for the city of Los Angeles has just announced that it will officially enact a boycott of Arizona over the state’s recently passed immigration law. The boycott applies to “city travel to Arizona and future contracts with companies in that state,” the LA Times reported. In case you’re wondering what good a city’s boycott of an entire state will do, the greater Los Angeles region has a population of 9,862,049 residents (per 2008 census data). The state of Arizona, meanwhile, has 6,595,778 (per 2009 census data).
Here’s how Councilman Ed Reyes described today’s action:
“Los Angeles [is] the second-largest city in this country, and immigrant city, an international city. It needs to have its voice heard. As an American, I cannot go to Arizona today without my passport. If I come across an officer who’s having a bad day and feels that the picture on my ID is not me, I can be … deported, no questions asked. That is not American.”
The vote was 13-1 in favor of the boycott.
Elsewhere, Oakland has already enacted a boycott. Boston and San Francisco are considering such a measure. And Phoenix’s tourism industry is being hit hard as a result of the new law, The Washington Post reports today.
The city risks losing as much as $90 million in hotel and convention business over the next five years because of the controversy, according to city estimates released Wenesday.
No wonder Phoenix’s mayor wants to sue the state over the law.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
Los Angeles has 30,000 city employees….why don’t they fire the ones who agree with the arizona law?
Andy, so you think people should loose their jobs because of a certain political point of veiw ? Boy, are you a compound imbicle or what ?? If that’s what you believe, you need to move your dumb ass to China or North Korea, MORON.
In response to another comment. See in context »I am in complete agreement with the Arizona law.It seemns the individual states are having to step up and do what the feds will not.I am a 70 year old native Texan and I have seen what illegal immigration has done to and cost the taxpayers in my home state. I bon’t like it at all .Call me Racist,I could care less.An iilegal alien,no matter what Racial or Ethnic background is a criminal and a parasite on tax paying Americans.
In all honesty, I have mixed feelings about the Arizona law. Like many people, I struggle with weighing compassion and civil rights with the need to address the problems Arizona is facing. The federal government has failed at addressing immigration reform. Arizona is apparently facing crime sprees that they associate with illegals. So, what option does Arizona have? I don’t hear any progressives giving Arizona any ideas.
Concerning the lost revenue to Arizona, we should also assume that some people WILL NOW GO to Arizona because of this new law. When over 50% of the US agrees with this law, many will show their support by choosing Arizona vs. California. That just makes sense to me.
We must also consider that dealing with some problems costs money. If Arizona can get a handle on their problems because of this law, is the loss of income worth it? What if this law sends 50% of the illegals to other states (such as California)? What if this ends up saving Arizona many other costs because they’re not needing to provide social services to illegals? I think that someone could argue that Arizona could save money by having fewer illegals in their state.
As I said, I do struggle with this law. I don’t like infringing on civil rights. Too many police are doing that to citizens already. And, our federal government is failing to act. So, what is Arizona to do? I think that the governor of Arizona is TRYING to balance these things. Most Americans agree with her. But, progressives AND liberal bloggers and the liberal media obviously object.
Interesting how the press calls this law “controversial” and yet the healthcare bill was never deemed as such. Yet, the healthcare bill will likely be the demise for many elected officials this November.
[...] Woolard, who, in a telling exchange, signaled her approval of Arizona’s controversial new immigrant law in the Q&A portion of the [...]