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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA request from the Chairman of the AZ Democratic Party
We are ALL in this fight!
"Dear Friends,
As Im sure you are aware from recent coverage, tea party Republicans in the Arizona Legislature have passed SB1062, a bill that would open the door to legalize discriminationparticularly toward the LGBT community. Arizona Democrats have been forcefully fighting this bill along with the help of the business community and a handful of reasonable Republicans. The great news is that the Arizona public is overwhelmingly against this bill and while this bill should never have seen the light of day--we believe it is likely the Governor will veto it.
If Governor Brewer does not veto it, we believe we have many options at our disposal. (A) This bill is likely unconstitutional and is very prone to a legal challenge. (B) Arizona has a process for a citizens referendumany bill passed by the legislature can be referred to a vote of the people. We would need to gather 86,405 signatures within 90 days of sine die. This is the exact same process that we used on the voter suppression bill HB2305 last year. This scared the Republicans so much that they came back and repealed the bill to avoid having the voters see the referendum -- if Governor Brewer doesnt veto this bill, the citizens of Arizona will.
Arizona is of tremendous strategic importance to Democrats nationally. It is perhaps the most likely state to turn from red to blue in 2016. What you may not realize is that Arizona Democrats picked up 8 seats in the legislature in 2012 and won a majority of the congressional delegation. We also came within 3 points in the US Senate race. The voters of Arizona have consistently supported progressive ballot measures like independent redistricting, minimum wage increase, merit-based judicial selection and public financing of campaigns.
This is what I am asking from you: in recent days there have been calls to boycott Arizona over SB1062. In our experience this has not helped us to keep some members of the public on our side for these tough fights. We must stay on the offensive and place this at the feet of the tea party Republicans who passed it, but it is important that we not blame all Arizonans for this discriminatory bill. In fact this bill came about as backlash to the city of Phoenix passing an anti-discrimination ordinance. Right now the voters are on our side and we must keep it that way. Calls for boycotts only threaten to push swing voters into a corner. We will win this fight by acknowledging that Arizona is a diverse and inclusive state and bills like SB1070 and SB1062 are not reflective of our values.
Thanks for your help on this. We look forward to defeating this bill and continuing to work toward making Arizona a blue state.
Yours in the fight,
Bill Roe
Chair, Arizona Democratic Party"
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,762 posts)And even gladder at its contents. There are facts here that I was not aware of, and they are powerful.
Go get 'em, Bill!
Thanks for your post, Iwillnevergiveup!
coldbeer
(306 posts)They get numbers and then make asinine laws. That is
the way bullies work. Take away their numbers and they
are cry babies. All we have to do is get to the polls.
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)I'm not going to grovel at the feet of outside business because it's politically expedient. The reality is economic boycotts can work.
Fridays Child
(23,998 posts)Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)angrychair
(8,750 posts)The citizens of AZ voted the very same teataliban batshit crazy twits into office that passed this piece of shit called a religious "freedom" bill. I am 100% for economically crushing AZ into dust if this "bill" is signed into "law".
angrychair
(8,750 posts)And I'm more certain than ever. In fact, I would support a total economic blockade of AZ and any other state that supports the oppression of US citizens. No interstate commerce or flights into the state or federal support of any kind until it revokes the law. Its time to take a stand. We have to draw a line somewhere. The oppression of our fellow citizens, no matter the color of their skin or where their family came from or who they chose to love, can never be acceptable. We must shame them. Rebuke them. Use every non-violent measure we have to clearly and soundly say "NO!"
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Jeff Flake Wants Arizona Guv To Veto Anti-Gay Discrimination Bill
Here: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/flake_brewer_arizona_anti_gay_bill
Hekate
(90,978 posts)busterbrown
(8,515 posts)Will put the state on the front boiler at 10,000 degrees.. Their law will be scalped, dissected and boiled to smithereens .. Fuck em... out of state Economic Conventions, Athletic Venues,
Artistic events, music concerts cancelled.... Screw em.
However... What possible business would have the guts to tell a member of the LGBT that they dont want them inside of their doors.?. They wouldnt, cause their small insignificant cowards..
Yea, Id like to see them try..
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Until they force a repeal of this law. The only way I can vote in AZ is with my tourism dollars, and I will not support institutional bigotry. So, to AZ- fix this. Since business runs government this shouldn't be too hard.
Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)And the authoritarian assclowns that run Maricopa County.
I hope the law passes and it destroys the Arizona economy. It would bring a smile to my face as money leaves my backwards, braindead, jerkwater home state.
panader0
(25,816 posts)But I see so much malice in your words--"destroys the Arizona economy". Gee thanks from the people who don't like this bill.
I certainly don't wish that on you. State bashing is so gradeschool. Grow up.
Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)Learn to read the OP when I said "my home state."
panader0
(25,816 posts)There are many good people here, many Democrats, many DUers. Would you like them to suffer too? What other states would you like to see destroyed? Kansas? Florida? Texas? Tennessee?
PS--you didn't post the OP.
Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)We can heal. Until then, until the Phoenix 40 are broken up and Maricopa County doesn't dominate state politics, we will get more "FU gay people," "Papers Please" and "Speak English now, Mexican" law.
And, pal. . .I would have no problems seeing them all sink. Maybe when they do, the people who are voting against their own best interests will realize how bad they are getting screwed.
As for DUers in those states. . .as I am an Arizonan. . .it would hurt me (and my brother who is in Vail), but the pain is temporary.
I sort want this to happen so Arizona get sued back into the stone age. Seriously. . .let them have their racist, Ayn Randian world. And see what happens.
Okay, chum?
Thanks for listening to my rant, 朋友
KinMd
(966 posts)should they be boycotted anyway?. I'd like to see a list of businesses that publicly reject this law.
angrychair
(8,750 posts)All or nothing. Crush them economically. The harder you make it for them economically, the more money you keep out of their pockets, the more motivated they will be to change their ways.