Legalize LA
Encyclopedia
'
Legalize LA’’’ was an activist campaign promoting amnesty
for undocumented immigrants, propagated through billboards, protests, clothing, advertisements, educational pamphlets, and grass roots support, underwritten by American Apparel
. Originating locally in Downtown
Los Angeles
, the company took the campaign national in early 2008.
, Legalize LA was an open alternative to private lobbying
. Charney also stated that the cause is part of the core of the company. Choosing to advertise social causes not directly related to the fashion company's product has drawn comparisons to campaigns done by advertisers like United Colors of Benetton and Nike
.
American Apparel released a line of t-shirts featuring the words "Legalize LA" that were sold in its retail locations. The company donates the proceeds of the shirts to Los Angeles-based immigration rights groups. Legalize LA participated in the May Day
protests in 2008. American Apparel employees were given the day off work to participate.
The company also maintains a Legalize LA portion of their website that features news articles relating to immigration reform, the brand and information on the history of the issue.
. The ads appeared in both Spanish
and English.
One ad featured a quote from President George W. Bush
expressing the need for immigration reform and asked why nothing had been done. It ended with the words "It's time to Legalize LA and the USA." Ads have also implied that the current laws constitute an "apartheid." Another campaign used an excerpt from John F. Kennedy
's essay, A Nation of Immigrants
.
The company also put up billboards, bus stop ads and posters throughout Los Angeles. They also placed two large banners across their downtown factory that read "Legalize LA" and "Immigration Reform Now!"
, according to the Los Angeles Times
. He gave a speech denouncing ICE
's raids on "nonexploitive" companies underneath the Legalize LA banner at the downtown Los Angeles factory alongside company executives.
One group responded by picketing the company's store in Pasadena, California
with signs that said "Legalize LA: Deport Immigrants". A group called Save Our State uploaded a series of protest videos on YouTube renaming "Legalize LA" as "Amnesty for Illegal Aliens." The videos feature the group picketing outside of the company's Hollywood store. American Apparel also received hate mail
regarding the campaign which they subsequently posted online. Angered by the company's politics, a group launched a website called BoycottAmericanApparel.com that gave away stickers to participants.
The campaign also inspired Vice Magazine to release a video documentary
called Illegal LA - Immigration, Deportation, and the Right to Work that featured Dov Charney and other immigration figures.
, which banned same-sex marriages in California
, American Apparel created "Legalize Gay" (a play on Legalize LA) t-shirts to hand out to protesters at rallies. The reaction was so strong, American Apparel began selling the same shirts at stores and online. On July 20, 2009 the window of an American Apparel store was broken by vandal in response to the campaign. In the next two days, employees at the Silver Spring
location as well as the Georgetown
store received threatening phone calls, with the perpetrators demanding the t-shirts be taken down. American Apparel asserted the company would not take the t-shirts down and instead, insisted every store in the Washington DC area display a "Legalize Gay" shirt. The company also offered to give the shirts to any gay rights group in DC who wanted one.
The company has also been criticized for carrying BUTT Magazine, a gay culture publication, though American Apparel refuses to discontinue carrying it citing it as an "important gay culture publication" and freedom of expression.
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
for undocumented immigrants, propagated through billboards, protests, clothing, advertisements, educational pamphlets, and grass roots support, underwritten by American Apparel
American Apparel
American Apparel is a clothing manufacturer in the United States. It is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer that also performs its own design, advertising, and marketing...
. Originating locally in Downtown
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the company took the campaign national in early 2008.
The Campaign
Legalize LA is billed as an education and media advertising campaign. According to Dov CharneyDov Charney
Dov Charney is the founder and CEO of American Apparel, a clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer. Charney is known for his success as an entrepreneur, passion for simple clothing and love for Strictly Rhythm. His "contrarian" leadership style, which he feels promotes creativity, has drawn...
, Legalize LA was an open alternative to private lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
. Charney also stated that the cause is part of the core of the company. Choosing to advertise social causes not directly related to the fashion company's product has drawn comparisons to campaigns done by advertisers like United Colors of Benetton and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
.
American Apparel released a line of t-shirts featuring the words "Legalize LA" that were sold in its retail locations. The company donates the proceeds of the shirts to Los Angeles-based immigration rights groups. Legalize LA participated in the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
protests in 2008. American Apparel employees were given the day off work to participate.
The company also maintains a Legalize LA portion of their website that features news articles relating to immigration reform, the brand and information on the history of the issue.
Ads
Legalize LA ran advertisements http://www.americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/images/Ad_Jointz_120104.jpg that pushed for the legalization of the country's illegal alien workers in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. The ads appeared in both Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and English.
One ad featured a quote from President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
expressing the need for immigration reform and asked why nothing had been done. It ended with the words "It's time to Legalize LA and the USA." Ads have also implied that the current laws constitute an "apartheid." Another campaign used an excerpt from John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's essay, A Nation of Immigrants
A Nation of Immigrants
A Nation of Immigrants is a book on American immigration by President John F. Kennedy.-History:The book was originally written by Kennedy in 1958, while he was still a senator. It was written as part of the Anti-Defamation League's series entitled the One Nation Library...
.
The company also put up billboards, bus stop ads and posters throughout Los Angeles. They also placed two large banners across their downtown factory that read "Legalize LA" and "Immigration Reform Now!"
Reception
The company's message was later endorsed by California Assembly Speaker Fabian NuñezFabian Núñez
Fabian Núñez has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office late in 2008...
, according to the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. He gave a speech denouncing ICE
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
's raids on "nonexploitive" companies underneath the Legalize LA banner at the downtown Los Angeles factory alongside company executives.
One group responded by picketing the company's store in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
with signs that said "Legalize LA: Deport Immigrants". A group called Save Our State uploaded a series of protest videos on YouTube renaming "Legalize LA" as "Amnesty for Illegal Aliens." The videos feature the group picketing outside of the company's Hollywood store. American Apparel also received hate mail
Hate mail
Hate mail is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient...
regarding the campaign which they subsequently posted online. Angered by the company's politics, a group launched a website called BoycottAmericanApparel.com that gave away stickers to participants.
The campaign also inspired Vice Magazine to release a video documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
called Illegal LA - Immigration, Deportation, and the Right to Work that featured Dov Charney and other immigration figures.
Legalize Gay
In November 2008 after the passing of Proposition 8California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
, which banned same-sex marriages in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, American Apparel created "Legalize Gay" (a play on Legalize LA) t-shirts to hand out to protesters at rallies. The reaction was so strong, American Apparel began selling the same shirts at stores and online. On July 20, 2009 the window of an American Apparel store was broken by vandal in response to the campaign. In the next two days, employees at the Silver Spring
Silver Spring
-Places:* Silver Spring, Maryland, USA** Silver Spring * Silver Spring, Pennsylvania, USA...
location as well as the Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
store received threatening phone calls, with the perpetrators demanding the t-shirts be taken down. American Apparel asserted the company would not take the t-shirts down and instead, insisted every store in the Washington DC area display a "Legalize Gay" shirt. The company also offered to give the shirts to any gay rights group in DC who wanted one.
The company has also been criticized for carrying BUTT Magazine, a gay culture publication, though American Apparel refuses to discontinue carrying it citing it as an "important gay culture publication" and freedom of expression.
See also
- Illegal Immigration to the United StatesIllegal immigration to the United StatesAn illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
- Illegal immigrationIllegal immigrationIllegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
- ImmigrationImmigrationImmigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
- Media activismMedia activismMedia activism is activism that uses media and communication technologies for social movement, and/or tries to change policies relating to media and communication ....