Boycott Arizona Iced Tea? Wait a Second...

CBS/AP

In the wake of the passage of a controversial immigration law in Arizona, there have been calls for a boycott of the state and its businesses. Among those calling for a boycott are Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.), lawmakers in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and La Opinion, the nation's biggest Spanish-language newspaper.

Some of the boycott calls are directed not just at the state but businesses based there, among them Cold Stone Creamery, Circle K and U-Haul. And as the New York Daily News reports, also under fire in some quarters is Arizona Iced Tea. Its label says is brewed by the Arizona Beverage Co.

"Dear Arizona: If you don't change your immigration policy, I will have to stop drinking your enjoyable brand of iced tea," one person wrote on Twitter, according to the Daily News; another called Arizona Iced Tea "the drink of fascists."

There is (at least) one problem with all that, however: Arizona Iced Tea is based in New York. It was founded in 1992 in Brooklyn by former New York City beer distributors; the company says the founders borrowed "the motif from their south-western inspired house in Queens."

"For the last 16 years our headquarters have remained on Long Island where we continue to sell and distribute AriZona Iced Teas and beverages," the company said in a statement to correct what it called "misinformation" about its origins. 

Arizona's new law, which was signed Friday and would take effect in July, would require immigrants to carry documents verifying their immigration status. It would also require police officers to question a person about his or her immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that person may be illegally in the country.

Will Other States Follow Arizona's Lead on Immigration?
Washington Unplugged: The Politics of the Immigration Fight
How Arizona Became Center of Immigration Debate
Mexico Issues Travel Alert over New Arizona Law
Karl Rove Speaks Out Against Arizona Immigration Law
Obama Again Hits Arizona Immigration Bill
Most Americans Think Immigration Is a Serious Issue, But Other Issues Rank Higher
Holder: U.S. May Fight Arizona Immigration Law
Arizona Immigration Bill Exposes GOP Rift

[blue1965]

That's the stupidist thing I've ever heard of boycotting a drink because it carries the name AZ when there based out of NewYork.We have big problems now because these people shoudn't be here they have filled our country with bed bugs disease sneaking in with out the proper shots and americans can't find jobs or even get on welfare because all the immagrates have them.They don't understand our laws or come here and try to change the way that things have been for 100's of years.They don't even have a pledge of alligence in school anymore because it has the name GOD in it and it offends some immagrants.Ants that's a good name for them because there are thousands of them,please go back to where ever you came from and take your bed bugs.I can't even buy AZ ice tea in half the stores I go into anymore because of this nonsence.I just read that some of the top hotels in the world going for 2,500 a night have bed bugs.You want to know where they came from all these people sneaking into our country bringing there mess with them.Please go back and Americans don't boycott this drink they finally came out with something affordable and tasty with so many different flavors to pick from.Yhat's how bright these people are boycotting a drink because it has the name of a state on it that's tring to fighr the ant problem.

[frankfurrter]

Thank you!!! I agree completely! They really need to channel their anger appropriately. Targeting Arizona Tea just because it carries the name of the state shows an incredible amount of ignorance. And your second point, I feel, is even more poignant. Illegal immigrants are ruining this country. taking our jobs and our welfare, all without contributing anything back. It is terrible. I for one support completely what AZ has done to prevent this. http://www.banksuppliesdirect.com

[nomames1]

4. ^ these are some of the reasons why poor immigrants come this country, it's not because they want to leave their land. Most of the time the U.S goes into such impoverished countries and exploit their resources and people. In the case of Mexico, the Mexican government and the United States government work hand to hand with one another. Mexico opens up its borders to big businesses of the U.S and allows their citizens to be exploited by the U.S. All of you say immigrants need to come here legally but how do you expect people who can't even afford food to be able to afford the price of citizenship????

5. Violence is being committed in America, the minutemen, border patrol, and vigilantes are constantly killing mexican immigrants....there are articles and pictures all over the internet what are you people talking about? how is this not a nazi america?

6. I dont know where any of you learned that immigrants don't pay taxes, but they do. I worked in a factory i saw it with my own eyes, they pay taxes, get payed way less, and they can't claim any of the taxes they paid back. So may i ask where is this information coming from?

7. People been claiming that Mexican immigrants are violent, rape, and kill people. Umm this doesn't just apply to mexican immigrants, it applies to every race. Im pretty sure the United States has had a population of sick, psychopathic, scumbags even before the arrival of illegal immigrants.

8. My mother side of the family is of indigenous Navajo blood line....if you all want to start claiming land... last thing i remember was Europeans came here (with no papers) displaced all the indigenous here in the United States, slaughtered most of our populations and now generations later, you feel like this is your land and you can kick out any one who comes here. The difference between indigenous mentality and anglo saxin european mentality is this:

Man cannot claim what he did not create. Indigenous people never said this land was ours, because land cannot be ours when we did not create it, indigenous live off the land and appreciate what the creator allowed the people to use. Thus you live in harmony with nature and with your fellow human beings

your mentality is "I live here, im a citizen, this is my land...get the **** out you illegals, your ******* our country up!"

see the difference? Most of you are working class citizens who struggle every day to survive just like the mexican immigrants, and immigrants every where for that matter. The problem is not with the immigrants, the problem is with the capitalistic society we currently are living under.

[nomames1]

First off I cant believe the reactions of some of these people. Do you people read or what, how about you try looking out of your self absorbed lives and start getting educated.

1. immigrants don't ruin the economy, if any you actually decided to educate yourselves on the United States monetary system you would know why our economy is so bad. The central bank supplies our government with money. When the government hands over its treasury bonds, it is actually debt (because it is being created out of no where) For every dollar that is produced by the central bank it is loaned at interest, so every dollar that is borrowed it's equivalent to the dollar plus a certain percentage of debt based on that dollar. Since the central bank has a monopoly over the production of currency for an entire country, they loan each dollar out with immediate debt attached to it, the money to pay for this debt again comes from the central bank again which mean that the central bank has to increase its money supply to temporarily cover the outstanding debt that is created which in turn the new money is loaned out on interest as well creates even more debt, creating a never ending cycle of debt our government owes. (This is why they say war is so profitable because our government has to ask the central bank for money, which creates more debt for us while leaving the big banking cartels rich.) So immigrants don't ruin our economy it is our government (for not shutting down the Federal Reserve and the Central Bank) and the big banks that established such a corrupt monetary system. This is why inflation rises every year!

2. You all blame illegal immigrants for not having jobs, but instead of going after the source of the problem, you attack the defenseless. Our country goes into the most impoverished countries opens factories and sweat shops and exploits the people for the most minimal amount of pay as possible, hardly pays any taxes, and gets away with it because this is corporate america, all because they can get 300% more profit by going into 3rd world countries instead of paying people from the United States more wages.

3.In case any of you didn't know, I know most of you probably are not going to believe any thing i am saying because you might be close minded or because you think the U.S is the greatest country in the world, but read and do your research on what i am saying please....The U.S has a long history of going to other countries, occupying the country, taking resources and privatizing many resources and facilities for those people. I have a list of some good documentaries if any one would like to learn more about this. An example of this is in Ecuador in 1981. For many years Ecuador was ruled by pro U.S dictators (very brutal) For the first time Ecuador was having a true democratic election. Jaime Roldos Aguilera ran for president and won, he promised the Ecuadorian people that resources were going to be used to help the people and he began implementing these policies. The profits from the oil were used to help the Ecuadorian people, the U.S did not approve of this so they sent economic hitmen to discuss this matter. Jaime Roldos disagreed with what America wanted and he was assassinated by the U.S in a plane crash, the whole area of the crash was covered off and the two key witnesses died in car accidents before they had the chance to testify. Similar stories happened of U.S going into countries such as Iran, Bolivia, Panama, and their failed attempts in Venezuela. There is a school in Georgia, called the school of the Americas, that creates Dictators and killing machine soldiers for latin america.

[jana27]

For those of you that don't think you should carry your documentation think again i have read the new bill that not even most politicians and even Janet nepolo hasn't read,but look at the fedral bill says that has been in place for many years.Why don't you read it.

8 UNITED STATES CODE SECTION 1304(e) OR 1306(a)


(e) Personal possession of registration or receipt card; penalties
Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times
carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate
of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to
him pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. Any alien who fails
to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of
a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined
not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or
both.

[hammerhead300]

Isn't it incredibly hypocritical that the same liberals who accused those against the health care reform bill of using scare tactics to try and shoot it down are falling hook, line, and sinker for the scare tactics those against the immigration reform in Arizona are using?

People, wake up. The Arizona immigration bill's language practically mirrors that of the federal immigration laws. Here's the difference: Arizona actually intends to ENFORCE those laws, unlike the federal government.

I understand that illegal immigrants are here because they want a better life. That's also the reason why LEGAL immigrants went through the process of actually becoming a U.S. citizen. The biggest shock to me is that there are legal immigrants protesting this bill. Stop and think about it. Isn't it just a bit of a slap in the face for you to spend the time and money becoming a legal citizen, while someone else is doing it the easy way, BREAKING THE LAW, and getting the exact same rights and privileges you have because the federal government doesn't care enough to do anything about it?

[1xmikex1]

I have traveled all over the world and the ONLY time I was ever asked for my Visa was upon entry. NEVER was I prompted for "papers" while I was inside another country. There is a big difference between being asked at a port of entry and being stopped on the street because you are brown. If asked in the USA I would provide verbal indentification beyond my drivers license if the officer provided me a legal reason for the inquiry. If I were to be falsely arrested and imprisoned, which is prohibited by the Constitution, the agencies involved would be sued for damages. This is going to cost Arizona a lot of money and lost law enforcement time. I support the boycott as a means of legal protest against a law that is unconstitutional. I also strongly suspect that the courts will strike down AB1070.

[zubab10]

PLENTY of illegal inmigrants pay their taxes and I'm not sure if you know it or not but part of the American economy is based on inmigrant workers. Big amounts of crops have been lost in California because of the lack of workers. Now, I am mexican and I am white, so then I'm lucky? A person should not be stopped by the police because of his/her appearence. But then again, what do I know? We should then maybe applaud Hitler for getting rid of jews because they were not in Israel... NOT!
Please, before having an opinion look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what it would feel like to be stopped for looking the way you do or for wanting to have a better life.

[jana27]

This has nothing to do with taxes or free health care, this about respecting our laws, we are a firm nation of laws and that is why we live in the best country in the world.
To compare this to Hitler is an insult to the people that had to go through his wrath. Maybe you need to read up on history and see what Hitler put the Jews through.
Have you read the bill? Well, I have read the bill and in no way at all does it give the authority to pull someone over or stop someone walking down the street for no reason at all it clearly states a crime has to be in progress such as speeding or hitch hiking something of that nature.

Cops are our neighbors and there are bad apples in every bunch but 99% are good people hard working citizens, if they are going to racial profile they were already doing it way before this law came in to place.

[jdavis_78]

I will be supporting all the Arizona companies on the boycott list. Look for the list on Wikipedia and support them! I know my friends and familes are doing the same! Why boycott American companies because Arizona is looking out for us Americans and tax payers? That sounds stupid to me. Boycott american companies because they don't support illegal immigrants. Immagrants that are here illegally are breaking the law. That sounds stupid to me to boycott and American company when everything you see these days comes from Mexico, China, and foreign countries. That sounds like we are not hurting Arizona but America. That's not very smart.

[thartnett]

The major issue that most concerned citizens have with this law revolves not so much around illegal immigration per se, but rather the underlying racist implications of the law. The law allows police to arrest and detain anybody who cannot provide proof of citizenship on the spot. I know that if I am, for instance, just going for a walk, I may not carry my wallet and driver's license with me, and I think that to require people to carry their identification with them at all times is frankly intrusive. Even more troubling is the fact that there appear to be no safeguards to ensure that this law is not abused; in effect, anybody can be ordered to provide proof of citizenship at any time simply for "looking like an illegal immigrant." Although the text of the bill states that officers "may not solely consider race, color or national origin," I see no checks and balances in the 18-page bill to ensure that this profiling does not take place. Saying it is so does not make it so, and this poorly-written section of the bill is what makes it kind of a civil liberties nightmare.

As for boycotting American companies, the idea is that because these companies and the employees of these companies reside in Arizona, they are the ones who ultimately have an influence on the elected officials. If we exert financial pressure on these companies, they can start demanding that their elected officials adopt a more acceptable solution with checks and balances to deter abuse of the law.

[jacchollywood]

i am a mexican.
i am also a citizen.
i would hate to be pulled over
2-3 times a day and harassed by police
to provide documentation of my citizenship.
what if i forget it at home or there is an emergancy and i dont have my papers with me?
what am i supposed to do? wait in jail while i loose my job and potentially my house?



this law is WRONG and UNCONSTITUTIONAL you are deporting illigal immigrants who are fathers, mothers, grandparents and ubove all HUMAN.


yes i agree that if your here illigally you should fix it and become legal

but you gotta admit if these illigals had the money to come here legally they wouldnt have come here to begin with.


put yourselves in our shoes.. in the shoes of LEGAL mexican americans.. would you like to be harassed each and every day?

ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO BE PART OF A NEW NAZI AMERICA?


like the jews in germany when hitler was in power, these people are being thrown out, and punished for something they have no control over.


my neighbor was just deported... she left behind 3 great kids...

she was dumped out on the outskirts of Jalisco MX, with no money, she has no relatives and shes pretty much screwed.. now tell me.. is it okay to seperate children from their parents?
NO.


pull your heads outta your ass and do something about it.


thank you CBS... for covering this story and making people AWARE of the problem.



sincerely


Jacc Hollywood

[jdavis_78]

Really, Nazi America! Are you kidding me? You have to trust that are law enforcement isn't going to abuse their job! We give our soldiers guns and they don't just shoot everybody, now do they? They do their job. People being here illegally is why our economy is the way it is. People that are illegal need to either go back to where they came from or becoem a citizen. Don't tell me they don't have the money, I'm sure they do after living here for years and not paying taxes. Where I live is covered with Mexicans and I know that some of them are here illegally. They get welfare paid for by the tax payers, and don't pay their taxes yearly, and send money on a regular basis back to Mexico. Do you think that is right? I don't! Instead of being deported take the proper procedures to be here leagally or take your family with you back to where you came from before you get deported ans caught breaking the law. DUH! If I was an Mexican American I would rather be harrassed and know that law enforcement is doing their job. Rather than sit back and watch the country that I love get deeper in debt and go down the toilet because illegals aren't paying their taxes and living by the laws like the rest of us. Illegals came here for a better life and place, and they are making America just like where they left for the rest of us. If they want to be here then do it by the law and pay taxes and don't spounge off the tax payers. If people do not understand that, whatever color your skin is, you are ignorant! Plain and simple!

[jana27]

For one Jacc, if you where to be pulled over 2 or 3 times a day then you must be doing something wrong and if you are doing something wrong then you should be pulled over.I am white and i carry my alien card at all times even when i go for a walk as when i came to this country i was told to carry my card at all times so i don't understand why anyone would not carry their cards or documentations its really not a big deal .When you live in another county you need to follow the rules..As for your neighbor having to leave deport well she knew she was doing wrong and should not have had kids if there was a chance to be deported..But if you feel sorry for her why don't you go to Mexico give her money and help her come in the correct way and help her with the paper work, this applies to all illegals help them to come in the correct way..Americans don't mind the Mexicans being here but they need to do it the right way.

If you feel like this is Nazi America you should not be in this country.
Hitler killed not deported.Maybe you should learn about the Nazis and Hitler,You cannot compare the two..One other thing to all of you is this Why do you think the cops are going to profile you all,this is a misconception reason why is this most cops are doing their jobs and have been doing a good job so far and any that are racist where that way before this new bill came out so i don't think they will all become racist just because of a bill..And any good cop is not going to stop you just cause you are walking the dog or going to the store that is so ridicules.You or anyone that is doing something you should not be doing is going to be stopped.

[neilux]

I just had my first Arizona Iced Tea in a long time. I support US Businesses located in the USA. I suggest we all improve the quality of our lives here in the USA by having all our States and local governments enforce the current and LEGAL immigration laws. Your children, my children, and our future children can benefit from reinvesting our tax dollars currently going to illegal immigrant incarcerations, education efforts, and medicare. Please support this bill.