RUSSELL PEARCE: Thank you to Harkins Theaters, Buddy Stubbs Harley Davidson for boycotting Phoenix New Times

Written by Sean McCaffrey on April 10, 2012, 04:30 PM

Ban Amnesty Now (B.A.N.), with more than 400,000 members/supporters in Arizona, and more than 800,000 across America, has announced two major Phoenix-area businesses have suspended advertising with the Phoenix New Times / Village Voice Media.

Harkins Theaters and Buddy Stubbs Harley Davidson both informed Ban Amnesty Now yesterday they were suspending all future advertising with the Phoenix New Times / Village Voice Media. The advertising suspensions came in response to recent reports of New Times / Village Voice Media ties to prostitution and sex trafficking, including that of children, according to the Associated Press.

Ban Amnesty Now has called for all Arizona businesses, including retailers like Buddy Stubbs Harley Davidson, entertainment venues like Harkins Theaters, restaurants and other businesses, to stop advertising with the New Times / Village Voice publications. The revenues from their advertisements, along with those tied to prostitution and other sordid crimes, are funding the New Times’ vicious attacks against Arizona law enforcement, elected officials, and conservative individuals and organizations.

“We have suspended all advertising with the New Times,” Bryan Laurel, marketing director of Harkins Theaters, told B.A.N.

“We won’t be advertising with New Times anymore until this is all resolved,” wrote Phillip McKee, in a communication to Ban Amnesty Now.

Pearce said he hoped the leadership showed by Dan Harkins and Buddy Stubbs would encourage other businesses to follow suit.

“Harkins Theaters and Buddy Stubbs Harley Davidson are truly Arizona-friendly, truly children-friendly, and join the ranks of businesses with the ethics and responsibility not to advertise with the New Times,” said Pearce. “No respectable business should be sharing ad-space alongside pedophiles and prostitutes, and until the New Times stops their deviant practices, we’ll continue to ask businesses to stop advertising on their pages.”

With B.A.N. in this growing coalition of conservative and patriotic organizations supporting the boycott of Phoenix New Times advertisers is the RidersUSA motorcycle club, which also offered this statement:

“RidersUSA is very happy to hear that Buddy Stubbs has joined us on this cause. We believe not only does the New Times promote hideous, ‘unspeakables’ against children, but they also promote hate and encourage racism,” Valerie Roller, spokesperson for RidersUSA. “We encourage all members of the Biker Community to support Senator Pearce and this boycott and anyone still on the list needs to step up and remove their advertising.”

Pearce called upon remaining New Times advertisers to stop funding the media giant’s hate campaigns against law enforcement, elected officials, and conservative individuals and organizations. “We are tracking advertisers and if you won’t willingly pull your ads, we will ask our members to speak with their wallets – and to stop patronizing your businesses until you find other places to advertise. That is the only way we, together, can change the way the New Times does business.”

According to the Associated Press, 50 arrests in 22 states have already taken place involving child sex trafficking cases originating on the pages of the New Times / Village Voice publications. Despite repeated pleas from law enforcement and elected officials, the company refuses to pull-down these ads which generate an estimated $22 MILLION annually in revenue.

“I am so proud of Dan Harkins and Buddy Stubbs for being leaders in Arizona’s business community and for doing what’s right for Arizona families, children, and our state,” said Pearce.