Rage Against the Machine and Kanye West Join Shakira Against Arizona SB 1070

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-05-27 07:00:00 -0700
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Right off the bat, Shakira was vocal about her concerns regarding SB 1070's impact on immigrant women, those victims of domestic abuse. Ricky Martin has also been loud and proud in his denunciation of a law that will probably lead to racial profiling: "The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community knows all too well how easily people who 'look different' can be singled out for harassment and prosecution."

Now, they are joined in their opposition by a number of artists who have pledged to boycott Arizona as part of "The Sound Strike," started by Zach de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine. In an open letter, de la Rocha states, "Some of us grew up dealing with racial profiling, but this law (SB 1070) takes it to a whole new low," de la Rocha writes in an open letter on the campaign's website. "If other states follow the direction of the Arizona government, we could be headed towards a pre-civil rights era reality. This unjust law was set into motion by the same Arizona government that refused to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. day as a national holiday."

The letter continues by invoking Rosa Parks' act of civil disobedience that sparked the Montgomery bus boycotts. de la Rocha asks, "What if we got together, signed a collective letter saying, 'we're not going to ride the bus', saying we are not going to comply. We are not going to play in Arizona. We are going to boycott Arizona!" Artists are requested to sign up and pledge to withdraw their playing power from a state that is violating civil and human rights.

Other members of the artist boycott include Kanye West, Rise Against, Calle 13, Los Tigres del Norte, Cypress Hill, Juanes, Joe Satriani, Massive Attack, Sonic Youth, Tenacious D, Serj Tankian, and Michael Moore.

Photo credit: Scott Penner

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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