Illegal immigrants and pro-immigrant groups are planning protests in 60 US cities tomorrow.
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Pro-immigrant groups vow giant marches across the country on Monday demanding immigration reform and the legalization of nearly 12 million undocumented migrants living in the United States.
Marches have been organized in 60 cities, including here in the US capital.
Coalitions gathering groups that represent immigrants to the United States, both legal and undocumented, are trying to keep pressure on US legislators to reach a compromise on proposed reforms of US immigration policy.
The April 10 protest “has incredible importance,” said Eliseo Medina, head of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and one of the organizers of the march in New York.
“The community must mobilize with one voice in a disciplined manner, in a peaceful but firm way,” he said.
On Monday “we march in the streets, but we will also march to the voting booth in November,” during key mid-term elections, said Medina, adding that not all immigrants were undocumented and that many will vote..
…Organizers hope to top the late March protests in 44 US cities, in which they said 1.5 million people took to the streets.
If these folks protesting tomorrow want any sympathy from the American people, they need to show that they want to be a part of this country and what it stands for. Waving Mexican flags in defiance toward American laws, culture, and patriotism will simply tick off more Americans.
Find out if a protest will be taking place in a city near you.
Meanwhile, our flag was disrespected again by a protester.
With all the other American flags around him, which I was pleased to see by the way, you’d think he’d notice that his was upside down. Then again, maybe he wanted it that way.
Previous:
Do they really think that massive demonstrations by illegal immigrants is going to help their cause with the folks in the senate who crushed the McCain/Kennedy bill because it wasn’t strong enough?
I’m sure he meant to have the flag upside down… it’s a distress symbol, akin to SOS.
Cheap labor at all costs? We have seen in France what happens.
I think the title of this thread should be “Massive ILLEGAL Immigrant Protest Scheduled For Monday.
Could somebody please explain to me this constant obsession with THE FLAG, especially when substantive issues should be at the forefront of public thought? How about the depressive effect that the availability of cheap illegal labor has on wages? How about the diplomatic implications about building a wall at the border with Mexico? How about the inherent unfairness of a visa in which a foreign business owner can run a business in America … but only if he forswears citizenship?
But no. The’s not important. Because THE FLAG is at stake.
Feh.
–|PW|–
Maybe if for starters they would show respect for our flag and country and laws We would be a lot more open to working with them..
The reason the flag is important is the way the Mexican flag was carried in a superior position to the American flag. The claims of free passage over our borders didn’t help either.
It touches on something that is being both inadvertantly and deliberately cultivated. A seperate nation of Hispanics within our borders. A good portion are colonists in short.
But you’re correct in that too much empahsis was placed on the symptom (carrying Mexican flags). Now, to pretend the illegal immigrants want to integrate, they will likely be carrying mostly American flags tomorrow.
PW
It’s not about the Flag. It’s about gratitude
Illegal immigrants who march with MEXICAN flags are ingrates. Not only does Mexico GIVE THEM NOTHING it drives them into America, lives off “remittances”…but AMERICA that feeds, shelters and provides them with a FREE education FREE medical care..THAT they are PISSING on because we fucking want them to obey the law and not cut in line. Reconquista? Over MY dead body, amigo.
Not ONE word about “amnesty” or “guest workers” UNTIL
1-border is SECURED (fence, military, etc)
2-employers of illegals are criminally prosecuted (dry up the cash jobs for illegals by making the employer pay the cost)
In the CA prison system we have 15,000 illegals. That’s $465 million annually.
Is the picture getting a LITTLE clearer for you?
I have a slightly different take on the situation. My number one priority if I were Bush would be to build a double wall from San Diego to the mouth of the Rio Grande patrolled by armed soldiers, helicopters, and unmanned spy planes. However, I have a lot of sympathy for many (not all) illegal aliens. I’ve worked with some through a church ministry, became good friends with several, and understand that the reason they’re here is to better themselves by escaping the hell that is Mexico.
I have to ask myself whether I would illegally move to the United States if I was living in a shack in Ciudad Juarez, burning tires at night for warmth and stepping over sewage running in the streets. My answer is yes, I would probably take my chances and come to the US rather than living in Mexico hell.
I’m not for blanket amnesty, but I think that we can build programs to encourage assimilation and English fluency as an incentive to receiving citizenship. If they’re not assimilated and they can’t speak English, then I’m for sending them back.
Stingray: a blog for salty Christians
pennywit, Concrete action is sublimated by presenting the flag as The Object of Desire, i.e. “Why is the Mexican flag paraded but not ours?” or “Why is our flag flying upside down?”,etc. And is meant to evoke the same passions/irrationality as seeing the object of your unrequited love in the arms of someone else. You may not even know her, but plenty of psychic energy is expended anyway. And in the immigration debate, both sides of the political isle hope we vent on blogs about flag issues, etc. lest the First Cause be considered. On the other hand (and not that I’m implying paid-news here), these stories playing-up the flag angle, are one of a set of fall-back positions, a happy sign that the policy debating points of the PRO lobby are not working. (duh!) Now, if only someone would shine the light on the PEOPLE ENABLING all of this in the first place! HINT: It rhymes with “push”. Issues like the Flag are extra insurance that we don’t. Notice the more-frequent American flags now (albiet upside-down). This is false progress.
Pennywit, don’t mind bryanD. He left his brain in his other pair of pants. In its absence, he’s falling back on spouting gibberish and random Bush-blaming. Poor guy; his brain’s been missing so long. He oughta put up some posters, maybe offer a reward.
It’s not so much the flag per se, but what it reveals about the bearer of the flag. At this point, they HAVE to know that to place the American flag in an inferior position to another nation’s while on American soil, or to fly it upside down while NOT intending to signal distress (the only accepted circumstance, according to flag etiquette), is a calculated insult to that flag, “and to the republic for which it stands.”
It’s kind of like Justice Scalia a couple of weeks ago, giving the Italian flip-off (flicking one’s fingers off one’s chin). If one is Italian, it is grossly insulting. If one isn’t, it doesn’t generate the same visceral response, but knowing that Scalia is of Italian extraction, one presumes that HE knows precisely what it means and what it speaks of his intentions.
I happen to oppose anti-flag-burning laws and the like, but for me they happen to be good indicators of the attitude of the actor. In this case, the flag-bearer WANTS to show disrespect to the flag “and to the republic for which it stands.” He’s TRYING to push the buttons of a certain population of Americans, and that is his chosen method. It is that attitude, not the specifics of the insult, that angers me.
J.
Jay Tea, pennywit is rightfully disgusted with the illegal alien/flag-as-symbol relativism. The alien problem is greater than the flag problem. Get rid of the alien problem and the flag problem goes away.
Let’s see….lots of illegals gathering together in 60 US cities. Figure putting 60 of them in a bus to the border and how many busses do you think we would need to lower the illegal population for a while? How many people would volunteer to drive 5 each in their cars?
Count me in on this voluntary roundup event!
How many people would volunteer to drive 5 each in their cars?
And exactly how long do you think THAT would last? 5 on 1?
Darleen and Stingray:
Right there with you both.
1. Secure the borders.
2. Improve / overhaul our current byzantine system of visas so that people who want to come to our country either to work or (better still) become citizens of our great country can do so in a quick but lawful manner.
I think that too much parading of the Mexican flag and claiming that the SW needs to be “returned” is going to lead to a draconian emphasis on (1) and abandonment of (2). These so-called pro-immigrant groups are doing themselves no favors with their antics.
Ya know, for people that do low wage jobs, they sure take a lot of time off to march. I notice they dress nice, wear Nikes, nice shades, new flags, no home made signs. This has been my beef all along. They are taking higher paying skilled tradesmen jobs from American workers. Where this notion of “they do the jobs no one else wants” came from, I’ve got no idea. I know better, because I’m in construction and I know what they make. The only jobs that need replacing are the Senators who are watching the march, knowing they’re illegal, and not calling Immigration Customs Enforcement.
If you’re characterizing PW accurately, then both of you are missing the point.
We’re remarking on the flag images as part of our response to the issue, not instead of it.
It’s you lefties who like to substitute symbolism over substance, so of course you assume that’s what we’re doing. Keep making that mistake, though — it’s really worked gangbusters so far, hasn’t it?
flying the flag upside down is a sign of distress and truly our nation is in distress were being invaded by crinimals,terrorists,thugs, robbers,rapists,child molesters,extremists,and communists as well
bryanD
I see you just can’t stay away from the Bushmills in the morning coffee routine.
Or maybe it goes further since in a jaw-dropping moment you want to blame BUSH for these highly organized anti-American, Marxist, Socialist, pro-La Raza marches when GW’s proposed policies have been a guest worker/path to citizenship ones.
Ahhh bryanD
SHINE A LIGHT ON THE PEOPLE ENABLING THIS!!
your talking as if these illegals all came across the border after Bush won the white House, i would like you to explain when the border was ever closed before, and than opened after 2000 hmmmm.
Hmmm.
1. The issue with the flag is a matter of respect. You cannot feel loyalty to a nation you don’t respect and if you mis-use America’s flag, then how on earth could you respect it?
I think the last person we’d want made a citizen is someone who absolutely doesn’t respect America.
2. Frankly I think Bush and the GOP were extremely deficient in not securing the borders after 9/11. If there’s an attack by terrorists that crossed th southern border then it’ll be the sole responsibility of both Bush and the GOP. If the attack is serious enough then I honestly feel that Bush should face impeachment.
I cannot see how Bush and the GOP could justify spending $500 billion on Iraq and Afghanistan, and yet still not secure the borders when the primary attackers were mostly, if not all, illegal aliens.
IMHO the single most damaging kind of attack that could possibly happen would be a group of arabs wearing robes and riding camels crossing over the more remote uninhabited desert areas and then conducting a murderous attack on a local shopping mall. And videotaping the entire journey + attack a la “Blair Witch”. Frankly something like this would so completely discredit the GOP that I couldn’t see how anyone with any level of self-respect would ever vote for a Republican again.
This is the sort of danger the GOP is in because it controls both houses of Congress and the White House. An attack of any sort, but more especially an attack designed to act in the manner of internet guerilla marketing, could only be the fault of ineffective leadership by the GOP.
Camels? Seems a bit 19th-century to me. Not to mention conspicuous at the shopping mall.
“Say, you have handicapped spaces. Where do I put the camel?”
Not to mention the difficulty of finding a good CamelWash™ location in southwestern U.S.
Maybe they’d use Geo Metros?
–|PW|–
I am doing my own research, but I want to know if anyone KNOWS whether or not it is illegal to 1) fly the US flag upside down absent a crisis; 2) walk out of school as a form of protest (as a student); or 3) touch (mess around with) a flag in a public school?
I’ll post my responses after a bit, but I don’t want to influence the answers I might receive about the legality/illegality of the events above.
I´m a swiss guy living in mexico city.
I couldnt read all the articles, but here´s my opinion.
First of all:
the majority of the american citizen are immigrants.(beside a couple thousand natives that survived)
I as a swiss guy don´t understand your issue with the flag. upside down. on the floor. we swiss people don´t have any laws that tell us how to treat our flag. as most of the americans don´t care about how things work in other country´s why should the world arround you?
however, your talking about illegal immigrants that have no rights in your country.
i´m sorry but
“Illegal immigrants who march with MEXICAN flags are ingrates. Not only does Mexico GIVE THEM NOTHING it drives them into America, lives off “remittances”…but AMERICA that feeds, shelters and provides them with a FREE education FREE medical care”
44 million americans don´t even have health insurances!. so do you really think the 11 million illegals have insurance? how the hell could they contract an insurance? as we all now, nothings free in america.
another thing, purely commercial:
11 million people are working in your country employed by hispanic as well as white owned companies. they don´t pay taxes because their illegal! can you imagine how much money you guys are loosing?
I personally don´t understand why you could be against it!
what would change if you “legalize” the illegal immigrants?
these immigrants already work in your country for years pay rent or already own a house and have childrens that are us citizens.
if you´d like to detain them. go on. but…
california´s agriculture wouldn´t be able to produce the amount of products they produce right now. as we all now, those people that work in those fields for most probably not even minimum wage are mostly hispanics. without them america would need to hire legal workers for at least minimum wage and your apples, oranges, californian wine etc. will be a lot more expensive, if you even can buy it in your town.
however. al lot of americans have fear provoced by their gobs.
i hope this will not go on for a lot longer.
i believe in a world were people live together.
man i don’t know why they want to throw us all out of the u.s.a, all them are imigrants too. why don’t they go back to europe?!?!? well, they are just a bunch of raicist pigs!!!
People shouldnt be that racist I suggest they learn a little more about how this country USA started and progress and all the things and stuff that happen. Common people you shouldnt be that mean. USA its a country of imigrants. that doesnt mean we have any right because of that, but people should open their eyes to what is really happening.
Racissim = 100% suckness
We are all equal no matter how different we all are people. All of us imigrants want to contribute to this country so we could all for a better America. =)
we americans should let them live or else we would have to pay more and if we try to kick them out of the country they will come back so it would all be a waste of money and time. and if all illegals left back to their country we would pay 64% more on everything!!!
i think its pointless, they will come back!!!
im sure bush will let them stay
-joe
Well I really don’t have much of a problem with illegal immigrants as long as they strive to (a) be a part of our society, (b) contribute to society, and (c) don’t disrespect our culture–our flag is a big part of our culture and ultimately symbolizes our country. I don’t think immigrants need to completely assimilate though because one of the U.S.A.’s best aspects is its diversity. They should however learn English–it is common respect and courtesy for anyone living in a foreign country to learn the language of the host country. In the end, I just I hope that the U.S. can be a place people from all over can come to for protection and better lives. Besides, globalization is happening anyway, no matter if people like it or not.
But as a note to kasper, it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the importance of our flag. It is our culture and not yours. There will always be symbolical items in one culture that won’t be understood by outsiders. But it is true that we do have a lot of silly rules about our flag. 🙂
Im only 14 and people who protest for immigration are not illegal immigrants. Im not an illegal immigrant but on monday my city of Marlborough and Boston is gonna have a protest on immigration and my family and I are going. I was informed by this at my school and i won’t go to school no matter what the consequences are. Most illegal or legal immigrants who live in the us right now do work that most americans won’t do. And newsflash to you people who don’t know most illegal immigrants aren’t all Brazilian or Spanish. I don’t care if I dont make sense but thats all i have to say.
Illegal means doing something that is against the law…committing a crime.” Illegal” aliens get the point!
Let’s be fair!
Let’s remember and accept the fact that this country was put together by immigrants. Since the birth of this nation, America has continously been founded collectively by the hard labor of immigrant people or their desecendants. The only native American people, the only people who are real Amercans are the Indians who were almost exterminated. The rest of us, (whites or blacks) are not originally from here. Just as our great-grandparents and their parents and grandparents migrated here in the past seeking a better way of life, these new immiigrants are seeking the same.
Let’s not be so selfish and racist. Let’s examine the issue carefully! Would we hate them that much if they were all blond haor and blue eyes? probably not!
I am white and I realized that I wouln’t be here if my great grandparents would have not migrated to this country. I am grateful they were welcomed here and in their spirit, I am open to seek a diplomatic solution to this problem. Grant amnesty to those who have an understanding of the English language, a steady job, and no criminal records. Examine the situations of the rest carefully but don’t treat all immigrants as bad people because that is completely wrong!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO FOR IMMIGRANTS!!!!
WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO FOR IMMIGRANTS!!!!
WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I
LET THEM BE LEGAL!!!
GIVE THE IMMIGRANTS CITIZENSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t mean to sound insulting or accusing, but many americans are lazy and arrogant, and they don’t take advantage of the opportunities in this country. I’m not saying that all of us are that way, but there are so many. Most of the Hispanics that come to this country work hard. They come here to make money to feed their families who are drowning in poverty. I’m an american too. I was born in the United states, although my parents were not. However, i think that they deserve citizenship just as much as anyone else. This country was founded by immigrants. We’re all immigrants, or descendants of immigrants. The only true natives are the native americans. And look what the English men did to them. I think every human being has a right to make a living. I think every human being should have the opportunity to be able to work hard in order to feed their families and survive. Every american citizen has that opportunity, and I don’t see why it is so hard for them to share it by allowing other people to come in and try. There is enough jobs to go around. Why be so selfish?
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLOOPY 4 ILLIGAL IMMIGRANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAY!!!! GO ILLIGALS!!!!!! HAPPY 2 SEE SOME COUNTRY DONT SIT ON THEIR LAZY BUTTS EATING MCDONALDS ALL DAY!!!!!! GO YOU!!!!!!! HJOORAY!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLOOPY 4 ILLIGAL IMMIGRANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAY!!!! GO ILLIGALS!!!!!! HAPPY 2 SEE SOME COUNTRY DONT SIT ON THEIR LAZY BUTTS EATING MCDONALDS ALL DAY!!!!!! GO YOU!!!!!!! HJOORAY!!!!!!!!!
U GO IMMIGRANTS!!!LET’S SHOW THIS COUNTRY WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT.THEY’RE HERE FOR A REASON AND THAT IS TO WORK,A WORD THAT MANY AMERICANS DON’T KNOW THE MEANING OF IT AND THEN THEY WANT TO INSULT US AND TREAT US LIKE WE’RE FROM OTHER PLANET,U THINK THE AMERICAN FLAG UPSIDE DOWN IS DISRESPECTFUL?U KNOW NOTHING,THE ONLY THING AMERICANS HAVE TO DO IS TO PUT THEMSELVES IN THE IMMIGRANTS SHOES AND FEEL WHAT IT IS TO FEEL DESCRIMINATED,1 DAY W/O IMMIGRANTS AND U’LL SEE THE IMPACT OF AMERICAN ECONOMY…LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE…..AND FOR PAULA WHO CALLED US “ALIENS” THAT HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT U! I IMAGINE WHAT PIECE OF BRAIN IS IN UR 1 INCH HEAD!!!
you people are jerks. all people who live in America are immigrants from somewhere with the exception of Natives Americans and Mexicans sorry folks but this was their country first
This situation is deep, and someones needs to make peace, but this ain’t fair to people that just wanna work. This country would be nothing without the hard-working immigrants for real. This is supposed to be a free country so these immigrants need to step their game on.
open the borders. repeal the 60’s anti-immigration law. immigrants are what made this country great in the first place.
I’m student I came to this country legally but I decided to stay which it me illegal… What is the deal with the flag? Could you possible think that was a mistake… that immigrant are frustrusted… Just give them a break…belive or not these people are very poor, they never have any kind of education… However, they left their country for a better life… they also have kids here that were born as citizen, they have houses and some of them paying taxes
I agree with the posts that discuss how this country is made up almost entirely of immigrants, besides the Native Americans. I am reminded of the South Park episode where people chanted “They took our jobs!” Perhaps those wanting immigrants out of “their” country should all get naked and have sex with members of the same sex, as they did in that South Park episode. Sounds ridiculous, but so does protesting something like wanting people out of your country when you already have so effing much.
This may be a generalization, but damn it man, Americans have so frikkin much money and good lives. What kind of trash would willingly kick out people who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families?
Just a thought for all of you that think you know everything: Native Americans are also the descendents of immigrants. They didn’t just appear here, they came from Asia, thus they immigrated, thus they are immigrants. So really EVERYone here is an immigrant….actually everyone in Europe is also an immigrant, and everyone in Asia (or Africa, depending on your beliefs of the world’s origins), and Australia, and South America, and…you get my point.
uMMm i JUSs ThiNk Dat Sum pPLe Here R VeRi MeAN….We ShuD ALl JuSs STay CAlm…EVEn ThO iM NOT Dat CalM MiSelF…loLZz……..YAY!!!! imMiGRanTS We RoCk!…..Wait iM NOT AN ImmiGrAnT……..bUT w/e
What needs to happen. Coming from an asian american backround, and having parents myself that were immigrants, I sympathize strongly with the protesters. To elevate this issue even further, it can’t just be hispanics protesting. ALL people of color have to protest against all injustices created by an unjust regime. I encourage all those who attended today, to return in numbers on May 5th, 2006. Please remember, EQUALITY SHOULD NOT BE A DIVIDING ISSUE!
These illegal immigrants, who are protesting should be rounded up and kicked out of America, how dare they say that their rights are being stepped on, they illegally came to our country and do not pay to stay here, so they shouldn’t have the rights. They are causing more problems for the US, in our schools, and in communities. Yes they help our economy largly, but i know if America was forced they could find other means to supply all businesses with the workers they need.
God dam fukin A right Elizabeth, fuk those pig fuking illegals! “Rights” my Asss! They are ILLEGAL, they have no rights. In my opinion they have less rights than animals, and as such LEGAL Americans should be allowed to abuse them at will (tie them to car bumpers, shoot them with bb guns, spray paint them, etc.). GET THE FUK OUT!!!!!!!!
All Immigrants are fucking NIGGERS!
Equality4ALL, you are deffinitely correct, but I would like to make one correction to your comment. This is not an issue about people of color, this is an issue of immigrants. The law that is being protested also affects immigrants from Canada and Europe, people who are predomintantly caucasian. Let’s give some recognition to these immigrants as well, they have just as much a claim to protest as do immigrants of color.
well i am a student currently in high school. i have witnessed these protest first hand here in california. there are students who walk out of class claiming that they are protesting. i think that more than 1 third of these people who are protesting do not even realize what this is about. when i questioned some of the students protesting outside of the school they said that this was about “kicking the mexican out of their country.” that is not what it is about. they do not know. if someone wants live in america they need to go through the process, regardless how long the wait is. i have friends who’s parents had to wait up to 3 years to move here LEAGALLY. it shouldn’t matter how long it takes to fill out your paperwork, if you trully want to be a citizen then you shouldn’t mind the wait. i honestly think that this whole protest is usless and over exaggerated. the prop should be approved.
well i am a student currently in high school. i have witnessed these protest first hand here in california. there are students who walk out of class claiming that they are protesting. i think that more than 1 third of these people who are protesting do not even realize what this is about. when i questioned some of the students protesting outside of the school they said that this was about “kicking the mexican out of their country.” that is not what it is about. they do not know. if someone wants live in america they need to go through the process, regardless how long the wait is. i have friends who’s parents had to wait up to 3 years to move here LEAGALLY. it shouldn’t matter how long it takes to fill out your paperwork, if you trully want to be a citizen then you shouldn’t mind the wait. i honestly think that this whole protest is usless and over exaggerated. the prop should be approved.