Music

Zack de la Rocha Recruits For Arizona Boycott

by Ciaran Thompson

The passing of the new immigration law SB1070 in the state of Arizona, which enables local authorities with “reasonable suspicion” to check a person to see if they might be an illegal immigrant and make arrest for not carrying ID papers, has sparked rage and Zack de la Rocha is at the forefront.

The Rage Against The Machine singer has enlisted several notable musicians and activists to join The Sound Strike, calling on artists to boycott the state of Arizona over its new immigration law. Musicians such as Cypress Hill, Conor Oberst, Serj Tankian, Rage Against The Machine, Rise Against, Sonic Youth, Tenacious D, Spank Rock and Massive Attack have all joined the campaign. Oscar winning filmmaker Michael Moore has also followed suit.

A press release from The Sound Strike website reads, “Fans of our music, our stories, our films and our words can be pulled over and harassed every day because they are brown or black, or for the way they speak, or for the music they listen to. People who are poor like some of us used to be could be forced to live in a constant state of fear while just doing what they can to find work and survive. This law opens the door for them to be shaked down, or even worse, detained and deported while just trying to travel home from school, from home to work, or when they just roll out with their friends.

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.”

Upon the bill’s passing last month, the Arizona State Legislature posted a press release on their website where the Arizona lawmakers said it “protects those engaged in church and community organization activities, along with those providing emergency services, from being prosecuted as criminals as related to the transporting, harboring and/or shielding of an illegal immigration.”

Hip-hop acts Cypress Hill and Pitbull have canceled upcoming gigs in Arizona, but there is no word if Toronto punk band Fucked Up will join the boycott. Last month Fucked Up singer Damon Abraham wrote an op-ed for Stereogum saying bands should go to Arizona more now that the bill has passed to help address the issue.

To see news, updates and the growing number of artists/activist who are boycotting Arizona, visit The Sound Strike website.