“By the Time I Get to Arizona” — This Discrimination Must Stop

by Chuck D of Public Enemy & Dr Gaye Theresa Johnson

The Arizona immigration bill — which Governor Jan Brewer has decided to sign into law — is racist, deceitful, and reflects some of the most mean-spirited politics against immigrants that the country has ever seen. The power that this law gives to police to detain people that they suspect to be undocumented brings racial profiling to a new low. Brewer’s actions and those of Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, the Arizona State Senate are despicable, inexcusable, and endorse the all-out hate campaign that Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, and others have perpetrated upon immigrants for years. The people of Arizona who voted for this bill, as well as those who crafted it, demonstrate no regard for the humanity or contributions of Latino people. And for all of those who have chosen not to speak up, shame on you for silently endorsing this legislated hate.

In 1991 Public Enemy wrote a song criticizing Arizona officials (including John McCain and Fife Symington) for rejecting the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The same politics written about in “By the Time I Get to Arizona” are alive and well in Arizona today, but this time the target is Brown people.

These actions must stop. We are issuing a call to action, urging fellow musicians, artists, athletes, performers, academics and production companies to refuse to work in Arizona until officials not only overturn this bill, but recognize the human rights of immigrants. This should include the NBA playoffs, revisiting the actions of the NFL in 1993, when they moved the Superbowl to Pasadena in protest against Arizona’s refusal to recognize Dr. King. We all need to speak up in defense of our brothers and sisters being victimized in Arizona, because things are only getting worse. What they’re doing to immigrants is appalling, but it will be even more damning if we remain silent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijeXGv9QLRc

original article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chuck-d/by-the-time-i-get-to-ariz_b_552460.html

Earlier this evening I reached out to Chuck suggesting that its time to re-do their signature song ‘By The Time I get To Arizona’.. His producer Johnny Juice hit me back and said they just complerted a song called ‘Tear Down the Walls’ which addresses the issue. You can download the song..here:http://www.slamjamz.com/music/viewdlsingle/471

You can listen to the song here:   http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/36976/

 Here’s what he wrote about the song

 1989 US President Ronald Reagan chastised the then Iron curtain of communist countries about the separatist existence of the Berlin Wall. There presently is a multi billion dollar wall funded by the United States with similar isolationist separatist policies …the wall between the US and Mexico. Chuck D addresses the growing tangible and intangible wall existing between the black and brown people in North America.

In Mexico, new figures have been released showing more than 5,000 Mexican migrants have died trying to reach the United States since 1994. Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission says an average three migrants lost their lives every two days in the US-Mexico border region in 2007 and 2008. Track produced by Divided Souls from Baton Rouge LA.upon a tip from the great MC …Scarface.

And now by default its attached to being a themed commentary to the recent passed one sided racist immigration LAW in the State of Arizona… This statement from Chuck D and his wife Dr Gaye Theresa Johnson

‘Jan Brewer’s decision to sign the Arizona immigration bill into law is racist, deceitful, and reflects some of the most mean-spirited politics against immigrants that the country has ever seen. The power that this law gives to police, to detain people that they suspect to be undocumented, brings racial profiling to a new low. Brewer’s actions and those of Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, the Arizona State Senate are despicable, inexcusable, and endorse the all-out hate campaign that Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, and others have perpetrated upon immigrants for years. The people of Arizona who voted for this bill, as well as those who crafted it, demonstrate no regard for the humanity or contributions of Latino people. And for all of those who have chosen not to speak up, shame on you for silently endorsing this legislated hate.

In 1991 I wrote a song criticizing Arizona officials (including John McCain and Fife Symington) for rejecting the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The same politics I wrote about in “By the Time I Get to Arizona” are alive and well in Arizona today, but this time the target is Brown people.

These actions must stop. I am issuing a call to action, urging my fellow musicians, artists, athletes, performers, and production companies to refuse to work in Arizona until officials not only overturn this bill, but recognize the human rights of immigrants. This should include the NBA playoffs, revisiting the actions of the NFL in 1993, when they moved the Superbowl to Pasadena in protest against Arizona’s refusal to recognize Dr. King. We all need to speak up in defense of our brothers and sisters being victimized in Arizona, because things are only getting worse. What they’re doing to immigrants is appalling, but it will be even more damning if we remain silent.’

TEAR DOWN THAT WALL

Song writers : Ridenhour,B.Dixon,J.Moss Producers: Brent Dixon & Chris”Spanky” Moss for Divided Souls Ent.,LLC

Vocals Produced by Johnny Juice Rosado

Publishers: Brenda’s Game Manifested Publishing, LLC(BMI); Bring The Noize inc(BMI), administered by Reach Global, Inc/ MPCinema(BMI),JACKSON WONDERFUL PUBLISHING(ASCAP)

Musicians: Brent Dixon & Chris Moss

Scratching: DJ Pain1

Mixed by DJ Johnny JUICE Rosado @ The Terrordome – Strong Island, NY

Recorded & PRE Mixed by: Brent Dixon & Chris Moss @ Divided Souls Studios(Baton Rouge,La./Douglasville,Ga.Mixed at Divided Souls Studios(Baton Rouge,La); Divided Souls Studios Southeast(Douglasville,Ga.);

Vocals Recorded @ The Terrordome – Strong Island, NY

SOMEBODY’S SOULS BEEN EXPOSED IN THIS HOUSE OF BLUES THE REAL EMPEROR WITHOUT CLOTHES HAS MUCH TO LOSE ROAD WEARY TROUBADOUR / MAYBE I’M AN AMBASSADOR NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SOME SPOOK OR BASTARD BY THE DOOR

BEFORE I GOT PAID BY THE WORD NOW ITS DEFERRED NEW DUST BOWL POET YOU AIN’T HEARD IT NOW YOU HEARD

SHOWED YALL I AIN’T TIRED DAMN SURE AIN’T QUIET PLENTY OF THINGS TO TEACH ABOUT I’M REACHING TO THE CHOIR

DAMN MY MAN ONE AT A TIME THIS BEATS FIRE FACE TOLD ME BRENT YOU BE BOMBIN THE PLACE THE BOB TO THE BOB THE BOB IS BACK WEAVIN BOBBIN AND SPILLIN LIKE WOMACK, MARLEY AND DYLAN

DEEP SONGS FRONT PAGE OF YOUR LIFE THIS IS YOU INVASION OF YOUR MENTAL VACATION AND YOUR CREW

THIS AIN’T BRAND NEW JUST BECAUSE YALL AIN’T NEVER KNEW I SPIT POLITICS ON THAT WALL WHERE THE PEOPLE GET SCREWED

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HIP HOP SUPPORTIN NON STOP SWEATSHOPS SO YOU CAN RETAIL YOUR ASS OFF WITHOUT FAIL

THEN SOME OF YOU GET SETBACK BLAME THIS IMMIGRATION EXPLOITATION WITH YOUR THE LACK OF INFORMATION BY YELLING WETBACKS

SOMEBODY ACTIN FOREVER 21 CANT HIDE CANT CRY CANT RUN CANT BLAME IT ON THE CRACK

OR FIGHT BACK WITHOUT A PASSPORT MILLENNIUM GESTAPO BORDER CONTROL THE NEW CONTACT SPORT

YALL CALL EM IMMIGRANT AND TAKE EM TO COURT BUT LOOK AT YOUR HOOD AND YOUR LACK OF SUPPORT

SOME OF THESE DJS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY’RE PLAYIN SOME OF THESE RHYMERS DON’T REALIZE WHAT THE HELL THEY’RE SAYIN SO I LET EM CHASE THE CASH HONEY WITHOUT A PLAN FORGET JOHNNY WAS THE MAN IN BLACK BUT I’M THE BLACK IN MAN

THIS IS MODERN DAY SLAVERY AND PART OF THE PLAN

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT SIR ,TEAR DOWN THAT WALL MAN!

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UNDERSTAND THESE PRESSURES IN THIS SO CALLED RECESSION

FOR THE BLACK BROWN WOMAN AND MAN

ITS DEPRESSION

ROSTER OF THE STRICKEN BERNIE MADE OFF WITH THE MONEY NOW THE HIDDEN HAND IS BITTEN SO NOW IT AIN’T FUNNY

I BEG YA PARDON WHO’S SAVIN YA YOU CALLIN THEM LABORERS WALK ON BY AND NEVER SAY HI OR CONSIDER THEM NEIGHBORS

SOME GOT THE NERVE TO LIVE IN TEXAS ARIZONA, CALI AND NOT KNOW EVEN MISSIN THE CLUE IN,.. NEW MEXICO

DISS THE BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS ON WHAT THEY WHAT THEY DONE DID THIS SIDE OF THE EARTH

THEY BUILT PYRAMIDS

MY PASSION COMES AND WHAT I KNOW AND WHO I AM I REFUSE TO LOSE OR TO BE

CONFUSED BY THIS NEW SCAM SCARRED BY SARCASM UNCLE SAMS RACIST ORGASM WAS JUST A SPASM SCARED OF ENTHUSIASM

OF THE BLACK AND BROWN PLANET THE JEALOUS SAY DAMN IT

STUPID ASS WALL CANT STOP US ALL

WITH DUE RESPECT HEED THE CALL

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