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TomD
Citizen Username: Tomd
Post Number: 419 Registered: 5-2005

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 1:38 pm: |
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Funny, the immigration story hasn't been very popular on MOL. I just read that there is an effort to have all immigrants (illegals and otherwise) stay at home (or go to rallys) on May 1. The idea being, of course, that (in the cities in particular) nearly everything will come to a halt. I think they're right. If all of the immigrants (illegal and otherwise) don't go to work I think New York businesses will be a mess and restaurants around the country will be closed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Immigrant boycott aims to "close" US cities Pro-immigration activists say a nationwide boycott and marches planned for May 1 will flood Americas's streets with millions of Latinos to demand amnesty for illegal immigrants and shake the ground under Congress as it tackles reform. But while such a massive turnout could make for the largest protests since the civil rights era of the 1960s, not all Latinos, nor their leaders, were comfortable with such militancy -- fearing a backlash in Middle America. "There will be 2 to 3 million people hitting the streets in Los Angeles alone. We're going to close down Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Tucson, Phoenix, Fresno," said Jorge Rodriguez, a union official who helped organize earlier rallies credited with rattling Congress as it debates the issue. Immigration has split Congress, the Republican Party and public opinion. Conservatives want the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to be classified as felons and a fence built along the Mexican border. Others, including President George W. Bush, want a guest worker program and a path to citizenship. Most agree some reform is needed to stem the flow of poor to the world's biggest economy. "We want full amnesty, full legalization for anybody who is here (illegally)," Rodriguez said. "That is the message that is going to be played out across the country on May 1." Organizers of the May Day marches, which have strong support from big labor and the Roman Catholic church, vow that America's major cities will grind to a halt and its economy will stagger as Latinos walk off their jobs and skip school. Teachers' unions in major cities have said children should not be punished for walking out of class. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Unified School District said school principals had been told that they should not try to keep students in class but instead should walk with the children to help keep order. In Chicago, Catholic priests have helped organize protests, sending information to all 375 parishes in the archdiocese. CRITICS CHARGE INTIMIDATION Chicago activists predict that the demonstrations will draw 300,000 people -- compared to the 100,000 who turned out on March 10 to clog downtown streets. Minneapolis-based agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. said it will close seven meatpacking plants so workers can participate. In New York, leaders of the May 1 Coalition said a growing number of businesses had pledged to close and allow their workers to attend a rally in Manhattan's Union Square. But some Latinos have expressed ambivalence about the boycott and marches, saying they could stir up anti-immigrant sentiment amid an incendiary atmosphere surrounding the issue. Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Los Angeles archdiocese, who has emerged as an outspoken champion of immigrant rights -- even calling on priests to defy laws aimed at those who would help illegals -- has lobbied against a walkout. "Personally I believe we can make May 1st a 'win-win' day here in Southern California," Mahony said in a statement. "Go to work, go to school, and then join thousands of us at a major rally afterward." Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the son of a Mexican immigrant who has long fought for immigrant rights, has taken a low profile on the issue. A Villaraigosa spokeswoman said the mayor expects protesters to be "lawful and respectful" and wants children to stay in school. Critics have accused pro-immigrant leaders of stirring up uninformed young Latinos by telling them that their parents were in imminent danger of being deported and accuse them of trying to bully Congress. "It's intimidation," Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman volunteer border patrol group, said of the May 1 events. "It's intimidation when a million people march down main streets in our major cities under the Mexican flag." "It angers the people you are trying to impress," he said. "This will backfire just like the Mexican flag parades backfired."
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notehead
Supporter Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3219 Registered: 5-2001

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 2:57 pm: |
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I don't know if it will backfire or not, but there is no doubt that if a substantial percentage of immigrants take the day off it will have a very noticeable impact. My own situation will not be affected within a 1-day period as far as I can tell, but NYC will certainly feel it. |
   
LilLB
Citizen Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1612 Registered: 10-2002

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 3:25 pm: |
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I must have missed something (actually I think I'm very far behind on this issue), but what "beef" do Legal immigrants have with the system? If anything, I would think they'd be ticked off at the illegal immigrants for not having to go through the process they had to go through... |
   
Rastro
Citizen Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2953 Registered: 5-2004

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 3:31 pm: |
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Apparently that's not the case, though I would have thought the same. Perhaps it's about all immigrants' rights, not just illegals. |
   
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3296 Registered: 9-2001

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 3:57 pm: |
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Many legal immigrants have family and friends who are not legal immigrants, but who have lived here, made lives here, raised children here, become part of the community. Also, some legal immigrants I have spoken to feel that the issue is about respect for all immigrants, legal or illegal.
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Oldstone
Citizen Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 682 Registered: 6-2004

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 4:08 pm: |
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and i've heard from legals that for the US to grant the illegals the right to stay makes their blood boil as they had to persevere and wait years for the right....why easier for mexicans but not indians, chinese, etc. |
   
FlyingSpaghettiMonst
Citizen Username: Noodlyappendage
Post Number: 76 Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 4:10 pm: |
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Checked this on Snopes and it was basically accurate.
Quote: Do you REALLY support illegal immigration??? No problema !! "You old white people. It is your duty to die." (A "latino" leader) HISPANIC LEADERS SPEAK OUT! Augustin Cebada , Brown Berets : "Go back to Boston! Go back to Plymouth Rock, Pilgrims! Get out! We are the future. You are old and tired. Go on. We have beaten you. Leave like beaten rats. You old white people. It is your duty to die . . . Through love of having children, we are going to take over. Richard Alatorre , Los Angeles City Council. "They're afraid we're going to take over the governmental institutions and other institutions. They're right. We will take them over . . We are here to stay." Excelsior, the national newspaper of Mexico , "The American Southwest seems to be slowly returning to the jurisdiction of Mexico without firing a single shot." Professor Jose Angel Gutierrez , University of Texas; "We have an aging white America. They are not making babies. They are dying. The explosion is in our population . . . I love it. They are shitting in their pants with fear. I love it." Art Torres, Chairman of the California Democratic Party, "Remember 187--proposition to deny taxpayer funds for services to non-citizens--was the last gasp of white America in California." Gloria Molina , Los Angeles County Supervisor, "We are politicizing every single one of these new citizens that are becoming citizens of this country . . . I gotta tell you that a lot of people are saying, "I'm going to go out there and vote because I want to pay them back." Mario Obledo , California Coalition of Hispanic Organizations and California State Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under Governor Jerry Brown, also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, "California is going to be a Hispanic state. Anyone who doesn't like it should leave." Jose Pescador Osuna, Mexican Consul General , "We are practicing 'La Reconquista' in California." Professor Fernando Guerra , Loyola Marymount University; "We need to avoid a white backlash by using codes understood by Latinos . . . " Are these just the words of a few extremists? Consider that we could fill up many pages with such quotes. Also, consider that these are mainstream Mexican leaders. THE U.S. VS MEXICO: On February 15, 1998, the U.S. and Mexican soccer teams met at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The crowd was overwhelmingly pro-Mexican even though most lived in this country. They booed during the National Anthem and U.S. flags were held upside down. As the match progressed, supporters of the U.S. team were insulted, pelted with projectiles, punched and spat upon. Beer and trash were thrown at the U.S. players before and after the match. The coach of the U.S. team, Steve Sampson said, "This was the most painful experience I have ever had in this profession." Did you know that immigrants from Mexico and other non-European countries can come to this country and get preferences in jobs, education, and government contracts? It's called affirmative action or racial privilege. The Emperor of Japan or the President of Mexico could migrate here and immediately be eligible for special rights unavailable for Americans of European descent. Recently, a vote was taken in the U.S. Congress to end this practice. It was defeated. Every single Democratic senator except Ernest Hollings voted to maintain special privileges for Hispanic, Asian and African immigrants. They were joined by thirteen Republicans. Bill Clinton and Al Gore have repeatedly stated that they believe that massive immigration from countries like Mexico is good. They have also backed special privileges for these immigrants. Corporate America has signed on to the idea that minorities and third world immigrants should get special, privileged status. Some examples are Exxon, Texaco, Merrill Lynch, Boeing, Paine Weber, Starbucks and many more. DID YOU KNOW?: Did you know that Mexico regularly intercedes on the side of the defense in criminal cases involving Mexican nationals? Did you know that Mexico has NEVER extradited a Mexican national accused of murder in the U.S. in spite of agreements to do so? (well, twice now but not for the death penalty) According to the L.A. Times, Orange County, California is home to 275 gangs with 17,000 members; 98% of which are Mexican and Asian. How's your county doing? According to a New York Times article dated May 19, 1994, 20 years after the great influx of legal immigrants from Southeast Asia, 30% are still on welfare compared to 8% of households nationwide. A Wall Street Journal editorial dated December 5, 1994 quotes law enforcement officials as stating that Asian mobsters are the "greatest criminal challenge the country faces." Not bad for a group that is still under 5% of the population. Is bilingual education important to you? Here are the words of a teacher who spent over 20 years in the Los Angeles School system. "Imagine teachers in classes containing 30-40 students of widely varying attention spans and motivation, many of whom aren't fluent in English. Educators seek learning materials likely to reach the majority of students and that means fewer words and math problems, and more pictures and multicultural references."
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LazyDog
Citizen Username: Lazydog
Post Number: 260 Registered: 6-2005

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 6:57 pm: |
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Legal immigrant that I am, why is there such an outpouring of support for ILlegal immigrants ? My understanding of the law of the land, is that if someone does something illegal they are breaking the law. I am both confused and annoyed that both major political parties are looking to reward law breakers. |
   
Mr. Big Poppa
Citizen Username: Big_poppa
Post Number: 595 Registered: 7-2004

| Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 8:54 pm: |
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I'm a legal immigrant as well, and now a citizen. I agree the illegal immigrants are breaking the law (hence the word "illegal" ), but the proposed solutions being discussed are not meant to reward the immigrants. Rather, the politicians are, in various ways, trying to identify policies that will best (and sustainably) address the problem of illegal immigrants for years to come. There is no easy fix to this. There is no way to completely (not even close)solve the issues or make everyone happy. My feeling is there will be a lot of backlash by the public once the higher cost of labor is passed on to the consumers. |
   
TomD
Citizen Username: Tomd
Post Number: 420 Registered: 5-2005

| Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 12:55 pm: |
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Nuestro Himno - The Music Nuestro Himno - The Words |
   
TomD
Citizen Username: Tomd
Post Number: 423 Registered: 5-2005

| Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 3:46 pm: |
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Interesting timing. I just received this email: The Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection Customs and Immigration Enforcement posts illegal alien hotline toll free number. Details at... http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=33&z=1 THE EMERGENCY EMAIL & WIRELESS NETWORK http://www.emergencyemail.org/ www.NewsEmergency.com Is this because they're getting uppity? |
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