Regardless of an injunction, the fact remains that in Arizona police have before and after SB1070 went into law use immigration enforcement to racial profile people. Yesterday, myself and other community members were able to witness a scene that is actually quite common in our city, but rarely caught on camera. Tucson Police made a traffic stop, questioned the woman’s immigration status, and called Border Patrol when she refused to answer questions. Here’s a video from Pan Left Productions that shows the incident.
Pan Left members Jason Michael Aragón and Mary Charlotte Thurtle have been producing the documentary Under Arpaio that deals with the effect Sheriff Joe Arpaio has on Maricopa County, Arizona and the nation. In light of the enormous spotlight being put on Arizona at this time from SB1070, this statement from Jason and Mary with video clips of Under Arpaio (currently in production) reflects the producer’s sense of urgency for the community to come together to defend against hate and division. A trailer can be viewed at underarpaio.com Image courtesy of Ernesto Yerena.
On July 29, Arizona will take center stage in the national debate on immigration. All eyes will be on us as the chaos and confusion from SB1070 will officially be in effect. The new state law mandates ID checks and targets workers in predominantly Latino communities. The law allows local police new powers and responsibilities, endorsing police and sheriff activities that have already affected our communities.
SB1070 is nothing new to Maricopa County. Racial profiling and abuse of power under the guise of immigration reform is what we have seen under Sheriff Joe Arpaio. For over 15 years, the famous Sheriff of cable news and television has won fans in Arizona for his tough talk on crime and wild style with tent city jails, chain gangs, and pink underwear for inmates. He has become more notorious for his rogue style of immigration enforcement. The possible indictment by the Department of Justice and the possible injunction against SB1070 has not slowed Sheriff Arpaio. He has vowed to conduct patrols on July 29th. With this endorsement of his actions by the enactment of SB1070, the ramifications are horrifying.
Consider this. SB1070 mandates more police arrests related to immigration enforcement. If you’re unfortunate enough to be arrested by one of Arpaio’s deputies then you face a deadly possibility (Warning: the video in this clip is graphic).
Or consider this. If you’re living in a community wrought with violent crime, you can expect police efforts to be dedicated to looking for immigrants without ID’s more than violent criminals.
And if you are just driving your family through an area unlucky enough to be within a crime sweep, and you are brown, then you might have an unexpected and traumatizing experience.
SB1070 is already transforming Arizona and the nation. We have a state riddled with fear and politicians exploiting it for power grabs with election campaigns that support the soon to be law. But even more disturbing is the promotion by Arizona officials to force all law enforcement into the same style of policing as Sheriff Arpaio. We need to act now.
It’s simple. This July 29th take a stand wherever you are. Don’t work. Don’t buy. And don’t comply with SB1070 from that day forward. And most of all demand accountability. If there are no consequences for our leader’s abuses than we have no claim to call ourselves free.
original post at panleft.net
The US Social Forum in Detroit last week was an amazing moment for the nation’s grassroots community to come face to face and connect with each other. The six days of workshops, panels, demonstrations, and activist gatherings seemed daunting at times, but overall it’s an experience that gives possibility toward stronger solidarity. Especially being from Arizona, it was an opportunity to share with others about our state in crisis, while getting know more about other similar struggles. Here’s some video of people I met along the way.
Danny Glover came to Detroit in passing just to be around all the buzz and energy. I was lucky to catch him on the run and he surely did not disappoint.
This young journalist does some harrowing work with the resistance in Honduras. To hear his perspective on the situation in Honduras and it’s similarities to Arizona was eye opening.
This workshop with Electronic Intifada grabbed my attention as they deal with creating independent media within Palestine. One of their members offers insight on their efforts and the connections with other border struggles .
Now we’re all back home and back to work, but it feels good to know we’re not alone in our fight. Finding each other in solidarity makes the USSF well worth it.
http://www.ussf2010.org/
More than 100,000 people marched in Phoenix, Arizona on May 29th for human rights and to stop laws like SB1070 and HB2281. Media reports been sending out insane low numbers of 10,000??!! This is just a quick hit of RAW video to show what really happened.
This year in Arizona it won’t be just the brutal summer sun giving us that usual 100+ degree weather. After the passage of SB1070 that effectively turns AZ into a police state and HB2281 which bans ethnic studies, youth and the community will be out making their own heat against the GOP controlled State, raising their fist, and demanding and end to the onslaught of unjust laws being introduced by State Sen. Russell Pearce and signed by Governor Jan Brewer. Here at Pan Left Productions in Tucson, we’ve got our video cameras rolling. Take a look at some of what’s happened so far, and more to come soon. Visit http://panleft.org/
