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L.A.-Based Nonprofit to Launch Ad Comparing Nazi Treatment of Jews to Arizona's New Immigration Law
See the ad in full here
See the ad in full here
Thanks to a new strict immigration law, Arizona has become a new focus for California. Up in San Francisco, City Attorney Dennis Herrera has called for a boycott of state. On Friday night, a protest occurred outside the Federal Building in Westwood (and this Saturday's May Day protest could be huge). Even some companies are boycotting bringing over goods. Now, a local nonprofit is planning to launch an ad in LA Weekly's sister-publication, the Phoenix New Times, featuring the controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Governor Jan Brewer, who signed the bill into law. Both are illustrated clad in Nazi apparel.
Under SB 1070, state and local law enforcement will be allowed to determine the legal status of anyone at anytime, among other provisions, including making it a crime to be in Arizona illegally. Many believe it will lead to racial profiling.
“While Governor Brewer claims that this new law will not sanction racial profiling, in its real world application it will undoubtedly lead to legalized discrimination and persecution,” states Craig Rosebraugh, a second year law student at Arizona State University and spokesperson of the nonprofit Responsible Education and Media. “The Governor had the opportunity to veto this bill and to work towards providing an innovative and progressive solution to the immigration issue. Unfortunately, she decided to instead resort to the dark ages of Nazi Germany.”
REM's ad will appear in the New Times this Thursday and encourages readers to take action by contacting the Arizona Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Justice and President Barack Obama to challenge the constitutionality of the law. But the issue can be politically sensitive for some. As the Atlantic Journal-Constitution noted in a headline, Arizona has pushed Congress into immigration minefield.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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