There are some who question whether or not we should be protesting and boycotting Arizona because of the "Paper's Please" bill Governor Jan Brewer signed into Law. (Though an overwhelming number of kossaks support the boycott (7289 votes or 85% at 11:00pm EDT)
Brewer herself poo-pooed the boycott saying:
"I believe it's not going to have the kind of economic impact that some people think that it might."
She also believes that the boycott is a flash in the pan and has no staying power.
Many believe that through economics, putting the hurt on the state, is the only way to get through to them that this, like the rescinding of MLK Day, is truly unacceptable. The noise, the boycott and the pain also serve to dissuade others from going down the same path.
Enter Rachel Maddow
Tonight on the Rachel Maddow show (video here) Rachel reported about the governor's race in Colorado. It is close.
According to Rassmussen Republican Scott McInnis holds on to 48% (for the second month in a row. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) has 42%
Four percent (4%) like some other candidate, and six percent (6%) are undecided. . .
But McInnis’ inability to cross the 50% mark suggests that the race is still up for grabs.
According to Rachel, HuffPo, and the Colorado Independant if Scott McInnis wins the election he would seek to do the same thing as Arizona's law in Colorado.
My husband and I both sat in stunned silence. We met at Denver University, I grew up in Denver, my parents/sister/daughter and other family members are there and even 2,000 miles away (with the help of email and the web) I am my high school class' reunion coordinator.
Finally I broke the silence, "Oh shit, I'm going to have to boycott Colorado."
Even living in Massachusetts we are boycotting Arizona. Like many people who visit family and friends outside the US, we bring gifts, lots of gift, suitcases full of gifts. Because you give to everyone, sometimes some people get two or three gifts. I look for something "American." Last time we visited we gave all the women jewelry made by Native Americans. Men got other stuff.
In a few months we will again leave the US to visit family and friends. Just weeks ago I decided our gift would be to give each person a box of candy made from the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus. The company who makes the candy is the Cactus Candy Company in Phoenix, AZ.
We would have been taking more than 30 boxes of candy with us. Now because of this law, we are boycotting and looking for something else to give.
What happens in Arizona with this boycott as a result of the law, could not only dissuade Colorado from flirting with a similar law, but also help Hickenlooper(D - sane) win.
If Arizona is shown to be hurting due to response/boycotts of the law, even before constitutional challenge, McInnis, now tied to it, could loose support. And we know that if these people loose this for constitutional reasons, they'll just re-write it and be baaaack.
But I admit beyond my total disgust at this law, I now have even more personal reasons to be against it.
While living in Denver my husband would often be mistaken as a Mexican. So much so he often joked that he'd have to learn Spanish so he wouldn't disappoint them. He's not, but he is a LEGAL resident alien. Will he and our sons be safe visiting my family?
Given how fast Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell has moved to restrict, and move us backward, and how complicit Arizona's legislative body has been (and I have no idea of the make up of the Colorado legislature) I am now worried for an event 5 years in the making.
My high school class' reunion will be in 2011. It's one of our "10th" reunions, which means it's a three day event. (our "5th" reunions are 1 day/evening events).
This for us is a big deal. Over 300 people, plus spouses/partners/S.O.s, and kids AND friends of the class, the classes 1 and 2 years ahead of us and 1 and 2 years behind us, we encourage them all. We work hard to make sure there are a variety of events (4 in all) at varying costs so everyone can attend.
It goes something like this:
Friday mixer, buffet and cash bar (event fee goes for the buffet)
Saturday morning, something, not sure yet since golf was nixed
Saturday evening, the biggest and most costly, dinner and dancing
Sunday is our BYOL picnic at the school, so even those with little money can attend.
This isn't huge but for us it is big, and it's been 5 years in the making. I have just sent an email to my number 2 saying that if McInnis wins and this type of bill should become law before our reunion, I will step down as coordinator and will not be attending.
My number 2 is Hispanic and a liberal, I'm not sure yet if she would do the same thing. There are other liberals on the committee too, so all in all our event, many years in planning and making sure everyone in our class knows about it (we have found everyone but 28 people), could be canceled.
I certainly cannot be part of it.
So listen up Colorado and watch very closely. Arizona's fate maybe your own. You are already suffering because of TABOR as it is
Though . . . I've always wanted to have a class reunion out here, but have never been sure how I could present/wrangle a Denver high school class reunion in Massachusetts . . . hmmmmm
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it's almost 2am here, off to bed