I've decided to let the Arizona board of tourism know that because of their ignorant, hateful, regressive legislation that encourages racial profiling, they've lost a significant amount of money for their state. I know Kossacks everywhere are likely doing similar things, but I wanted to share with all of you my personal letter to all of them.
More below the fold.
If you'd like to send one of these yourself and really drive the point home, go here for the emails of everyone on the AZ tourism board. Mad props to Matthew Rothschild for the idea.
Dear Arizona Tourism Executives,
I've always wanted to see the Grand Canyon, since I could remember first learning about what it was. It has been a dream of mine to not just go, but also travel inside and around it, and fully experience the awesome beauty Arizona has to offer. Growing up in the midwest and now living in the Deep South, I've always had a longing to go out west. I want to see the painted desert, stand on the Four Corners, see the Grand Canyon. The furthest west I've been so far in life has been Marshall, TX, so I still have yet to see all that part of the country has to offer.
While I am planning on visiting a friend in Utah and another friend at Yellowstone in Wyoming, I regret to inform you that I've cancelled my original plan of first driving through Arizona and making my journey to the Grand Canyon. After so long of wanting to go see it, you may be wondering why I've chosen to spend my money elsewhere, and, in fact, re-route my trip so I don't once set foot in Arizona?
After learning about the state legislature's and Gov. Jan Brewer's support of a hateful, Jim Crow-esque immigration bill, not only have I decided not to spend my money in Arizona, but have encouraged friends of mine to also cancel their whitewater rafting trips there (They're going to West Virginia instead), golfing in the Winter (they're going to Florida now), their planned spa trips (They've chosen to spend their money in New Mexico since hearing about the AZ law) and their birdwatching trips (since decided to go to Kentucky). In fact, I plan on using my position in the media in my state to let a vast multitude of people know they should steer clear of Arizona as long as they encourage racial profiling and scaremongering over the president's country of origin.
I'm not blaming any of you for the faults of your legislature or governor. But I would hope that they know they lost your state and your tourism department a good deal of money this summer because they chose to support hateful legislation. Please let me know as soon as these laws are revoked, and I'd be more than happy to go see the Grand Canyon. Until then, I'll be spending my money in states that don't engage in fascist practices.
Respectfully yours,
FC&B
Pretty sweet, eh? Can you imagine if they came to work tomorrow and saw 100 more of these? Let's make it happen, keep the boycott up!