New America Media, Press Release, Staff, Posted: Jun 17, 2010

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Arizona ethnic media outlets for the first time ever have published a joint editorial condemning the new immigration law SB 1070 and calling on President Obama to take action. The editorial, published in three languages by 17 ethnic media outlets across the state and produced in association with New America Media, calls the new law “discriminatory” and “an affront to human dignity.”

SB 1070, which is expected to go into effect at the end of July, will make it a state crime to be undocumented. Editors and producers from Arizona’s ethnic newspapers, radio and TV stations write that the law is a threat to all of their communities by institutionalizing racial profiling and creating a climate of fear.

In a meeting with New America Media last month, 50 representatives of ethnic media and community advocacy organizations stressed the need to work together to oppose the bill and to cover its effects on all of their communities.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the Obama administration is looking into the constitutionality of the law and a possible federal lawsuit against it.

New America Media, a national association of ethnic media, has partnered with media across the country to help ethnic media cover immigration issues in America’s diverse communities, and to advocate for the rights of those communities. Last year NAM partnered with 300 ethnic media across the country to publish a joint editorial calling for comprehensive immigration reform.


ARIZONA ETHNIC MEDIA JOINTLY CONDEMN SB 1070

SB 1070 is a law that affects all of us, irrespective of ethnicity.

We, the ethnic media of Arizona, are coming together from across the state to oppose this discriminatory legislation and to protect our communities. SB 1070 is an affront to human dignity, and if you are a human being you should be concerned.

As the media that serve Arizona’s diverse communities, including Latino, African American, Asian American, Arab American, Muslim, Jewish and Native American, we feel that we will all be subject to discrimination based on how we look. We feel that racial profiling is inevitable under SB 1070.

This law will hurt Arizona’s economy. It will hurt relations between law enforcement and our communities. It has already led to a climate of fear. And it will do nothing to fix the broken immigration system. Instead, it will just wreak more havoc.

We call on President Obama to take action to protect the rights and civil liberties of all Arizonans.

The list of media includes:

ACE Japan
Arizona Chinese News
Arizona Informant
Arizona Native Scene
Asian Sun
Barriozona Magazine
The Chocolate Voice
El Break
Filipino American Journal
Gila River Indian News
La Frontera Times
La Voz
MiConexiones.com
Muslim Voice
Navajo Times
PhxSoul.com
Prensa Hispana