Repeal Update on the Youth Sit-In/March and News Coverage

The youth march and sit-in went great! We made every news channel and newspaper, and the media completely used our language--the legislature "hates AZ youth," the legislation "harms AZ children," etc. Further, more and more groups from the political mainstream are now openly talking about "noncompliance." Here is a brief summary of what happened, written by Phoenix Repeal's Chris Griffin:

- Today’s Event at the Arizona Capitol had 100 youth from all across Arizona including Flagstaff, Tucson and Phoenix.
- The youth lead a march to the Arizona State Capitol where they then sat on the Capitol lawn directly in front of the Arizona Senate Building – where these laws are currently housed. The sit-in was to symbolize various sit-ins that have happened throughout history in response to oppression and hateful laws.
- Throughout the march and during the sit-in the youth sang songs reminiscent of the civil rights movement including “This Little Light of Mine.” They also chanted “our future; our freedom” and one youth independently sang the National Anthem as everyone quietly listened.
- Then many youth and a few parents spoke out against Arizona’s hateful legislation and shared stories of oppression, inspiration and triumph.
- Many of the youngest youth and a few of the older youth were dressed in costumes of what they wanted to be when they grew up, including doctors, lawyers, firefighters, peace officers, pilots and much more.
- Students carried a variety of messages on signs and banners that all related to the Arizona’s hateful laws and how they are an attack on Arizona’s youth and future. Messages included were one banner that read “Russell Pearce: Why do You Hate Arizona’s Youth?” and another banner created by the youth themselves which illustrated the colorful hand prints of the youth that participated and that had messages of resistance written by the youth themselves. This youth banner stretched about 30 feet long (and is represented in our photo).
- They also carried other signs that read "We Reject Racism" and "Repeal SB1070."
- One youth in particular who simply identified himself as Francisco spoke poignantly about the Constitution and civil rights while reading his speech. In the speech he quoted parts of the U.S Constitution and passionately proclaimed that “the time for action is now.”
- Another youth from Flagstaff made a passionate plea to Russell Pearce to “please stop hurting my friends. I want them to stay in school and not to go back to Mexico.”
- Others referred to human rights and one explained that “this is not just a Chicano issue, it is a human issue.”
- The Repeal Coalition is an grassroots, all volunteer organization fighting for the "freedom of all people to live, love and work anywhere we please." We are calling for the end to all hateful, anti-immigrant legislation and for the Repeal of SB1070 and other anti-immigrant laws.
Also, an ally of ours working at the capitol told me that they could hear us chanting from inside the capitol building!

Newspaper coverage:
* Arizona Republic's lead columnist, E.J. Montini
(note how Montini is using Repeal's language of "hating children" throughout)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/03/17/20110...
* Arizona Republic story
(not really about us specifically, but note the photo of our march on the right)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/03/17/20110...
* ASU's daily, The State Press:
http://www.statepress.com/2011/03/16/children-dress-in-costume-at-capito...
http://www.statepress.com/2011/03/16/photos-demonstrators-protest-immigr...

Web coverage
* KOLD-TV, Tucson
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=14262712
* The Blaze web site
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/arizonas-shock-doctrine-progressives-use...
* Demotix.com
http://www.demotix.com/photo/626532/children-join-repeal-coalition-prote...

TV
*Channel 12 (NBC)
http://www.azcentral.com/video/831305066001