From the perspective of a small business owner and marketing consultant, I have thoughts and questions surrounding S.B. 1070, Arizona’s new immigration law. Who gets hurt more from the boycotts: Arizona or its small businesses and their employees?
From a public relations and marketing standpoint, recent polls don’t match media sentiment and analysis. And, media messaging does not reflect the bill’s language, which is almost an exact copy of existing federal immigration law. In fact, the new Arizona law is more explicit than federal immigration law and actually refines the language to outlaw racial profiling, among other enhancements.
From the media and activists, we hear more about “racial profiling, civil rights violations, and discrimination,” than we do the results of recent polls. Subsequently, I wonder how many critics have actually read the bill? I read it. It’s roughly 17 pages and may be worth a few minutes of your time.
If you listen carefully, you can tell who has, or has not, read the bill. If a critic says, “It’s unconstitutional and encourages civil rights violations or profiling,” then chances are homework is lacking. Arizona’s law is a mirror of federal law. How can skeptics say the bill is unconstitutional if they haven’t even read it?
Furthermore, critics who think Arizona’s immigration law endorses racial profiling, have yet to show us which section of the bill allows such profiling. If you think the law endorses your view, then quote the actual law to prove your point. Good public relations and marketing means good research. Good research draws from primary source documents. The S.B. 1070 bill, and federal immigration law, are just those documents. The American people are waiting for such a quote. Perhaps the silence on this question speaks for itself?
On average, at least 51 to 74% of Americans favor Arizona’s new immigration law, with the vast majority in the 60 to 70 percent range. Across the board from well respected polling companies (using statistically valid methodology), Arizona’s new immigration law has wide-ranging support by the American people. For example, the following are four of many polls on Arizona’s new law:
Wall Street Journal and NBC poll: 64 Percent, including 200 Hispanic respondents:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/wsjnbcpoll-05122010.pdf
Gallup Poll: 51% favor and 39% oppose
http://www.gallup.com/poll/127598/americans-favor-oppose-arizona-immigration-law.aspx
Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll (May 20, 2010) from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents
http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/052010_Immigrationpdf.pdf
The above polls are singing songs in the same key. Public relations, by definition, is just that—relating, communicating and listening to the public. Your messaging must be consistent by singing the same song–in the same key–to your target customer segments.
The media speaks.
The polls speak for themselves.
Then, the American people speak. They vote.
If you don’t listen to your customers–you don’t sell products or services. If you don’t listen to your voters–you will lose elections.
To read the actual bill, just Google “SB 1070 amended law and pdf.”
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
Leave a Reply