Rage Against the Machine Fights Arizona Immigration Law

Two days from now, Zack de la Rocha and the rest of Rage Against the Machine will team up with Conor Oberst and the rest of the Mystic Valley Band for a performance at the Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium in the hopes of raising funds of about $300,000 to fuel the fight against the controversial Senate Bill 1070, or more popularly known as the Arizona Immigration Law.

Maroon 5, Latin-American sensation Juanes, Kanye West and other SoundStrike artist members will also join the gig which has been reported to be sold-out minutes after the tickets became available to the general public this week.

SoundStrike is a group of artists led by RATM and Conor Oberst aimed at boycotting any performances in Arizona in defiance of the immigration law to be enacted in the state on July 29. At present, seven legal complaints have been filed by various civil rights groups such as the Union of Farm Workers (UFW) led by Dolores Huerta and the Justice Department in an effort to repeal the law.

RATM front man Zack de la Rocha is adamant about his views on the bill being “very divisive”, and “not an immigration issue” but “a battle of basic human dignity”. De la Rocha’s band mate Tom Morello also said during the press conference for the July 23 gig that they will “use [our] music to unite people to say ‘no’ racial profiling”.

Meanwhile, in another state by the Midwest, another version of the immigration law will also take effect on the 29th. While Arizona’s Immigration Law authorizes local law enforcement to question the legality of residency of immigrants and other state citizens, and when found questionable can be arrested or deported, Nebraska’s Fremont Law requires potential house lessees to disclose all information regarding their citizenship or as for immigrants, the legality of their residency to local law enforcement.

Nebraska-bred Oberst is also an active guardian against the enactment of the law in his home state by organizing benefits and group discussions for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and also to motivate young Nebraskan citizens to take part in the efforts to further understand the negative impact of the law and to counter its ratification. “If we don’t say this is unacceptable, we erode the soul of America”, says Oberst.

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