[View the story "Is Mexico offside?" on Storify ]Is Mexico offside? Calls for national football team to move Arizona match. Storified by The Stream · Fri, Jan 18 2013 07:53:54
Immigration Activists to Mexican National Team: Don’t Play Next Soccer Game in Arizona http://nblo.gs/HbGWYLatino Rebels
El equipo mexicano de fútbol no debe ir a Arizona donde han maltratado sin compasión a inmigrantes Hay q tener dignidad http://nbclatino.com/2013/01/17/mexican-national-soccer-team-under-pressure-by-immigration-activists-to-skip-game-in-arizona/Eduardo Pulido
Translation: The Mexican football team should not go to Arizona where they are mistreating immigrants without campassion. We have to maintain our dignity.
http://www.latinorebels.com/2013/01/16/immigration-activists-to-mexican-national-team-dont-play-next-soccer-game-in-arizona/ we need to get on this & pressure them not to play in AZevelyn
Although El Tri has played in Arizona twice
previously , both of those matches were before the passing of SB 1070 - legislation that has been
dubbed the "show me your papers" law. One of the
provisions allows state police to check the immigration status of anyone they legally stop under "reasonable suspicion".
Federal judge rules Arizona can enforce the 'show-me-your-papers' provision of immigration law - @AP http://bit.ly/TjObmrBreaking Politics
Arizona's immigration laws. Specifically SB 1070. I LIVE IN ARIZONA. SB 1070 is damn near racist. Stopping ANYONE because of the colorNappyTHEGREAT
Asian-Americans say Latinos not the only ones experiencing discrimination because of #Arizona's SB 1070. http://ow.ly/fB7KFazcentral
In the video below, Salvador Reza, a Mexican activist living in Arizona, offers his opinions on both the law and the upcoming game: (Spanish)
Activistas piden al Tri no ir a ArizonaBrightcove
“Le pedimos a la Federación Mexicana de Futbol que reconsidere y no traiga a la selección a jugar a un lugar en el que ha habido redadas, familias rotas, deportados y en general a los mexicanos se nos ha discriminado con políticas tan duras”.futbolsapiens.com
Translation: We ask the Mexican Football Federation to reconsider and not bring the selection to play in a place where there have been raids, broken families, and deportations and they've been discriminating against us Mexicans with harsh policies.
A particular point of contention is the amount of revenue that the game is predicted to generate for the state.
Sendy Vargas, of the Barrio Defense Committee, added, “This is everyone’s team. And they are going to leave money, through taxes, with a government that has repressed us for three years, the government of [governor] Jan Brewer.”networkedblogs.com
EPA/JIM COWSERT/Mexican fans celebrate during the Gold Cup soccer match against El Salvador at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA, 05 June 2011. Mexico won 5-0. The 12-team tournament runs through 25 June when the final will be played at the Rose BoAJstream
EPA/JONATHAN BRADY/Mexican soccer fans cheer as they arrive for the FIFA World Cup 2010 group A preliminary round match between France and Mexico at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, 17 June 2010AJstream
With the impending arrival of El Tri, and the controversy surrounding it, some US citizens are left wondering why the story is not being covered by major American news organisations:
Would @ESPNDeportes cover this? Immigration Activists to Mexican National Team: Don’t Play Next Soccer Game in Arizona http://rbld.es/Wggm3DLatino Rebels
@monaeltahawy that is a fascinating story, so many layers, and we got that story from Mexican press and not US media crazyLatino Rebels
Regardless of the criticism that the game may generate, some still plan to go:
I want tickets for Mexico vs Denmark!David
I wanna go to the soccer game! MEXICO v. DENMARKFebruary 7th
