Revent

Bravo for Baseball! May 17, 2010

In news report from the Phoenix Business Journal last week, Mayor League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig brushed off calls to move the 2011 All-Star Game out of Phoenix because of Arizona’s new immigration law.

Coalitions of major Arizona Business Groups have written the Commissioner asking to keep the 2011 All Star game in Phoenix. “We understand the MLB is facing pressure to reconsider Phoenix as the site of next year’s All-Star Game; however, a relocation decision will equate to lost jobs for innocent citizens, including our Hispanic community,” the letter states. “Arizona has a proven track record in executing safe, enjoyable and successful major events.”

Read more: Selig has no plans to move All-Star Game from Phoenix – Phoenix Business Journal:

The Los Angeles City Council voted yesterday to boycott Arizona businesses.  The National Basketball Association Western Conference Playoff Finals pits the Los Angeles Lakers against the Phoenix Suns.  Do you think the Lakers will boycott the playoff games being played in Arizona?  Thus forfeiting the very games they worked all year to play in.  I think not. 

An economic boycott affects both those boycotting as well as the party they boycotted.  The 50 plus years of United States government economic boycotts to Cuba have not worked to topple the Castro regime.  The United Nations and United States government sanctions against Iraq didn’t change the political climate in that country. 

Oh, the boycotts will hurt.  They will hurt workers and small businesses. They will hurt 200,000 plus people who work directly in the hospitality industry. They will not hurt the state legislature. I believe we should have a serious debate in this country regarding immigration reform  –  maybe, just maybe, Arizona has stirred the debate pot enough to let it boil onto the national legislative radar.  Let’s all hope so.