Phoenix Suns to wear 'Los Suns' jersey

Phoenix Suns to wear 'Los Suns' jersey


The Phoenix Suns basketball team is suddenly thrusting itself squarely into the center of the Arizona immigration law firestorm.

The Suns plan on wearing "Los Suns" on their jerseys tonight during their playoff game with the San Antonio Spurs to make a political point about the brewing controversy in Arizona.


From an AP story:

The Phoenix Suns will wear "Los Suns" on their jerseys in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, owner Robert Sarver said, "to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation."

The decision to wear the jerseys on the Cinco de Mayo holiday stems from a law passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Gov. Jan Brewer that has drawn widespread criticism from Latino organizations and civil rights groups that say it could lead to racial profiling of Hispanics. President Barack Obama has called the law "misguided."

Sarver, who was born and raised in Tucson, said frustration with the federal government's failure to deal with the illegal immigration issue led to the passage of what he called "a flawed state law."

Here in Houston, pro sports and politics will also collide tonight, as immigrant advocates plan to protest at Minute Maid Park during the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks game.

There are already calls for Major League Baseball to pull the 2011 All-Star Game out of Arizona because of the new immigration law.