An awesomely diverse group of more than 3,500 people rallied against SB 1070 at the Arizona Capitol on Sunday. The emotionally-charged message was loud and clear: This bill will not stand!
Arizona Representatives Raul Grijalva and Ed Pastor, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez and countless Democratic Legislators and Union Leaders from around the state addressed the enthusiastic crowd while I tried to find people who were not yet registered to vote and my sister took some amazing photos.
On to the photos, courtesy of my fabulous sister. Hope you enjoy...
A few details about SB 1070...
* The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police opposes the legislation and Mesa Police Officer Bryon Soller, President of the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, says it will "bankrupt our city."
*The so-called "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act" is nothing but election year fear mongering, as I see it. Of course this is effective, even if it is completely void of truth. In fact, the U.S. undocumented worker population doubled to about 12 million from 1994 to 2005, while violent crime declined by 34.2% and property crime fell by 26.4%. Additionally, immigrants are five times less likely to be incarcerated than native-born citizens, according to the Immigration Policy Center.
*Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon plans to file an injunction against the bill and U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman says "This legislation is a rash attempt to score political points." Vying for Senator John McCain's Senate seat, Glassman wonders where McCain's leadership on the issue of immigration reform has been for the last 28 years. Timing is certainly suspect, as the bill's passage coincides with the 2010 elections, President Obama's push for comprehensive immigration reform, and Senator Lindsey Graham's stalling of climate change legislation by pulling out of Monday's unveiling of the Senate's Climate and Energy plan.
Arizona has been the subject of quite a bash-fest lately. Our crazy legislators and the voters who elected them have earned all of the scorn they are getting. I commend Arizona's progressive activists, Democratic Representatives and Legislators, and dkos diarists for their fine work and swift reaction to this shameful piece of legislation. If Sunday's rally and the collective anger, passion, and determination of its attendees is any indication, this law will not see the light of day.