Support the City of Tacoma Boycott of Arizona

The Tacoma City Council is considering a resolution on Tuesday May 18th proposed by Councilmembers Walker and Mello regarding a boycott of Arizona following passage of Arizona SB 1070.
 
Local media coverage and discussion can be found here http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/05/14/1185924/tacoma-board-may-encourage-arizona.html
 
and here http://www.exit133.com/5832/will-tacoma-take-a-stand-against-arizona#c025540
 
Notice the anger, hatred, and overwhelming lack of understanding shown by many of those commenting on the action.
 
I would hope you can find the time to go to the council meeting on Tuesday evening at 5 PM, sign-up for public comment, and then provide your input to the debate. 
 
 
Full text of proposed Resolution Follows:
 

RESOLUTION NO. 38034

BY REQUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBERS MELLO AND WALKER

A RESOLUTION opposing Arizona's State Law Senate Bill 1070, "Support Our

Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act"; and calling for a boycott of

the state of Arizona and Arizona-based businesses.

WHEREAS, on April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, signed

Senate Bill 1070 ("SB 1 070") "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe

Neighborhoods Act," requiring all local law enforcement, where practicable, to

investigate a person's immigration status when there is reasonable suspicion that

the person is in the country unlawfully, regardless of whether that person is

suspected of a crime, and

WHEREAS SB 1070 permits the arrest of a person, without a warrant, if

there is suspicion that the person has committed a public offense that makes the

person removable from the United States, and

WHEREAS SB 1070 defines presence in the state of Arizona without

required papers as a criminal act, and

WHEREAS SB 1070 encourages racial profiling and violates the

Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of due process and equal protection for

U.S. citizens, legal residents, and visitors who are detained for suspicion of being

in the country unlawfully, and

WHEREAS SB 1070 seriously undermines the U.S. Constitution, which

grants congress the exclusive power over immigration matters, and

WHEREAS federal funds should not be used to support immigration

programs that promote racial profiling and discrimination based on race, ethnicity,

national origin, or any other form of discrimination, and

WHEREAS local resources should not be used to support immigration

programs that are under the exclusive power of the federal government, and

WHEREAS the City of Tacoma is recognized as a livable and progressive

international city, regarded for the richness of its diverse population, and

WHEREAS the Tacoma City Council believes in the dignity of all City

of Tacoma residents regardless of immigration status, and recognizes the

importance of their many contributions to the social, religious, cultural and

economic life of the City, and

WHEREAS the City of Tacoma Police Department has made

great strides towards building positive relationships with communities of color

and ethnicity and should not be put in the position of racial profiling, and

WHEREAS the Tacoma City Council will oppose any efforts to

introduce local legislation similar to SB 1070; Now, Therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TACOMA:
 

Section 1. That the City Council hereby expresses its opposition to

Senate Bill 1070 ("SB 1 070"), "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe

Neighborhood Act."

 

Section 2. That unless and until Arizona State ("Arizona") rescinds

SB 1070, the City Council urges the City Manager and the Director of Public

Utilities to boycott Arizona products and businesses in every way that is legal,
 

Section 3. That unless and until Arizona rescinds SB 1070, the City of

 

 

Tacoma encourages other municipalities, Pierce County, and the state of

 

 

Washington to refrain from conducting business with Arizona, including

participating in any conventions or other business that requires city, county, or

 

state resources unless SB 1070 is repealed.

 

 

Section 4. That unless and until Arizona rescinds SB 1070, the City Council

 

 

encourages private Tacoma-based businesses to refrain from doing business with

 

 

or holding or participating in any conventions or conferences in Arizona, and also

 

 

urges Tacoma citizens to avoid engaging in tourism in Arizona.

 

 

 

Section 5. That unless and until Arizona rescinds SB 1070, the City Council

encourages professional and collegiate sports organizations, such as the National

 

Football League ("NFL"), Major League Baseball ("MLB"), the National Basketball

 

Association ("NBA"), the Professional Golfers Association ("PGA") Tour, and the

 

 

National Collegiate Athletics Association ("NCAA"), to follow the lead of the NFL

 

 

when it moved Super Bowl XXVII from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, to

 

 

the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, after Arizona refused to observe Martin Luther

King, Jr., Day, and to refrain from holding any All Star games, bowl games,

 

championship games, tournaments, or other events in Arizona where such

 

associations have discretion in deciding where those events will take place.

 

 Section 6. That the City Council hereby directs the City Clerk to send a
 copy of this resolution to Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer; the Commissioner of the

NFL, Roger Godell; the Commissioner of MLB, Allan H. Selig; the Commissioner of

the NBA, David Stern; the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tim Finchem; the

President of the NCAA, Myles Brand; Washington State Governor, Christine

Gregoire; and the Pierce County Council.
-