US Hispanic groups, buoyed by massive weekend protests against a proposed immigration crackdown, are planning a major boycott of American life dubbed a â€Âday without Latinos,†leaders said on Tuesday.
Organisers of the planned May 1 “A day without Latinos or a day without immigrants” boycott will ask immigrants to put down tools, leave their places of work and classrooms, shut their business and take to the streets en masse to protest a bill that would criminalise illegal immigration.
Nativo Lopez, president of the Mexican American Political Association, one of the organisers of a massive protest in Los Angeles that saw at least 500,000 protest on Saturday, said the protest would send a stern message to Washington.
“We are looking forward to a major action in all large US cities where immigrants make up a significant proportion of the workforce,” he told AFP.
“We are asking people not to go to school, or work, or shopping and instead to go out and protest against the racist and inhumane measures in this bill.”
Planning meetings will be held in several cities over the next few weeks with the official announcement to be made in D.C. soon.
“Amnesty and Full Legalization” is the demand from the March 25 Coalition, organizers of last Saturday’s historic march in L.A.
I’ll be blogging much more about this in the coming days.
WHY CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO IF YOU DON’T SUPPORT MAY 1, 2006?
I hesitate to get involved in these discussions because people feel so strongly
about this issue (just as I do). People have facts but they are generally very
one-sided. I have facts too..and my facts are based on actual experience and not
on numbers that tend to be very skewed when someone tries to use them to prove a
point.
First of all, does anyone agree with me that the US is at fault for this mess?
11,000,000 illegal immigrants in this country? How did that happen? Because the
US allowed it to happen, that’s how! And the money that the taxpayers spend on
honeland security (formerly known as INS) to keep these people out?? We should
be asking the government to justify that! To blame someone for wanting a better
life for themselves and their families?? Can you blame them? Could that be why
YOUR OWN ancestors came here so long ago???? I don’t fault anyone for wanting
a better life..and I do agree that people should not be here illegally BUT..and
this is huge…..THEY NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO! I will give you the
only example I have which is that of a large number of Mexican people. I know
these people very personally, like family, and have struggled with them through
their good and bad…and so I feel very justified saying that this is “my”
experience: In order to visit the US (from Mexico) you have to prove that you
have a good reason to return–and when I say good reason, it’s not “My family is
there”..it’s more like “I have a business there and I support myself and my family
with this business.” In order to get a Student Visa you have to show proof that
you are enrolled in classes and give information as to who will be responsible for
you and where you will live, etc. BUT in order to PROPERLY enroll in these classes
you have to have this same Visa. And, if you are even considering getting a
Student Visa then you are lucky because most of them come here to work and be
productive members of society. I have a friend who applied for legal status the
“right way”. He applied in 1989 and he is still waiting. In the mean time he
has come here illegally…out of necessity not because he wants to…he is almost
40 years old and still hasn’t received his approval letter. He is not a criminal
and I know that someone will say that he is because he committed a crime when he
crossed here illegally….but the government has no idea that he is here..so
please tell me what he should do in this case.
Do you think that the majority of these people risk their lives to get here in an
act of disrespect to the government of the US? They do this because this is the
only option for them. Have any of you that are so deadset on “rewarding people”
with may I add, the same opportunities afforded to you as citizens, ever been
illegal? Have you ever swam through a drainage ditch? Or walked for days in the
desert, passing by the bodies of those that have been on the same journey as you,
only days if not hours, before you? Or seen the underwear and bra strewn across
the desert sand, knowing that if that woman/girl were lucky, that she only had to
endure being raped…but knowing that she was probably murdered as well? Or lying
in the dark in the trunk of a car with two other people for hours in the heat,
not knowing what will happen to you? Do they do it so they have a “When I was
your age…” story? Do they do it to spit in the faces of the US government? Of
course not! They do it because they have to.
Rules are rules and I agree that people should not be here illegally. I understand
the security risks of having undocumented people in this country….but has anyone
that is so against this considered that these people should at least be given the
chance to do it the right way?
What about the men and women who were brought here by thier parents before they were 18? My fiance is 24 years old. He arrived legally with a visa but his family eventually stayed past the expiration date. That was a choice that was made for him when he was 11 years old by his father. His father 10 years later up and left his mother and returned to Costa Rica leaving the mother to fend for her three sons all by herself…they were left with no choice other than to stay here and work. Now he will be punished for choices that he wasn’t involved in making. I find that incredibly unfair. His family has no criminal background they are just trying to make best with what fate God has given to them. That to me…is very, very sad. You can believe I will be in the city on May 1st protesting with the rest of the men and women being treated inferior human beings. Some American citizens may argue that thier ancestors arrived in this country “legally” Well as I recall, the immigrants that arrived on Ellis Island were not required to pay thousands of dollars in lawyer fees and thousands to the government just to become a resident not even an American citizen! I believe that the only procedures they had to go through, was a measly physical. Does the United States government really think that these poeple that travel for weeks through scortching deserts with barely any food or water are going to be financially able to pay thier ridiculous fees? I am guessing the reason for them coming here in the first place is for financial stability. They obviously are not financially stable if they are willing to risk thier lives to come here to work to support thier families. And it really makes me sick that because there may be a few bad apples out there, it ruins the chances for the real hard-working poeple out there. There are bad people in every race, not just the latino race. I am 1/2 Caucasian and half Mexican. My father is Tejano, as was his father. My grandmother came here from Mexico as a teenager to work for my grandfathers’ family. They fell in love and the rest is history. I thank God that my grandmother came to the United Stated for a better life, because if she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here. So I am going to stand up for my people and fight for what I believe is right. Keeping these poeple out is not the answer. This land was made for you and ME!
Dianna
It’s funny how everyone here keeps denying that they are racist. I’ve just read through this entire posting, and it’s very sad that we have so many hateful people out there (and I’m not just talking about the white people either). Tex, for your comment saying, “for the 14 people living in the rental house down the street from my house in Arizona, they can all go back, especially since they broke into the house across from them and cleaned it out before disappearing. I know that’s not typical of people coming here, but if we stopped illegal immigration, things like this would drastically be reduced”. Do you honestly believe that things like robberies, rape, murder, etc. would drastically reduce if they were to get rid of the illegals here? Come on. How many of your precious Americans do you think are doing those things? How many of the LEGAL immigrants? Yet you say you know it isn’t typical of these people? You’re not even making sense. Even if you removed all of these people, you would still have crime here, and I doubt it would be reduced much at all. They are not the ones causing trouble.
You all talk about how you are against the “illegal” part of the whole thing. Can you all honestly sit there and say you have never once in your entire life done something illegal? Please, give me a break. And for what reason did you do it? Not a worthy one, I’m sure. These people, the majority of these people, are coming here for a better life. You don’t know them, so you can’t judge them. They risk their lives coming here, leave their families behind, all for a better way of living or to support the loved ones they had to leave behind. I imagine you would do the same (assuming you were brave enough, which from your comments I highly doubt) for your children if they were hungry or living in dirt. Do any of you even realize just how lucky you are to have been born here in the good ‘ole U. S. of A.?
And to the Latinos on the board (and the ones who support them) who are making comments about Americans or white people being lazy ~ you are in the wrong too. You are being just like the people who are coming down on you when you say that stuff. It’s just silly. We’re not all the same, so how can you group us all together and say all Americans are lazy? Just like you are not all the same, so they should not be grouping all of you together as one. I know there are plenty of lazy people out there. And each lazy person is lazy on a different degree. I mean, just because a certain person doesn’t work outside moving heavy objects all day does not mean he or she is lazy. Lawyers, for example, stay busy all the time, but probably don’t work out in the heat too much, but they cannot be called lazy. Doctors either. There are also plenty of people who do not have an actual job, stay-at-home moms for example, who could NEVER be considered as lazy or not hard-working. Likewise, I am sure there are plenty of Hispanics who ARE lazy. So don’t categorize so much. No all of us are against you, so there is no reason to drop yourself to their level and start name-calling.
I am a white female from Texas, and I know and am friends with a lot of the illegal Hispanics who live and work around here. These are real people. They are not animals. They have families. They risk their lives coming here to take care of those families. They are not here causing trouble like the kids who were born here. The whites and Mexicans (and others) who are Americans are the ones dropping out of school to join gangs or be drug addicts. I know someone who was brought here illegally as a baby, because his mother wanted him to have a chance at a better life, and now he is in college and studying to be a pediatrician.
I will be wearing white on May 1st and helping out in any way I can.
“cejatellez”:
Yours was an excellent and well written post that goes beyond the rhetoric. I appreciate your insight and candor. I agree with a lot of what you posted – especially the part about the US government’s lack of vigilance regarding illegal immigration, a big part of this mess is due to our Gvt.’s ignorance and negligence. We’ve reached critical mass now, and a large part of the blame rests solely on the gvt. as a problem that should have been addressed a long time ago.
I understand and respect your compassion for the hardships endured by those seeking a better life by sneaking across the border. There is no denying that the sacrifices and perils of illegal border crossing are clear and immediate – whether across the Mexican/American border, or through Canada, or like the 12 Chinese illegals that were discovered in a shipping carrier in the Port of Seattle just 3 weeks ago. To deny the human struggle would be calloused, however to let your emotions override the illegality of it and base your economic and legal vote/conscience is a slippery slope.
You hit on something else that I find important, which was the comment regarding the unfair and inordinate amount of time it takes for the immigration/student visa process to occur LEGALLY. I agree that the governmental delays are ridiculous, but it’s the best that we have. Does it need to be changed and streamlined? Of course it does. Does anyone have the right to try to come to our country legally? Of course they do, that’s what makes our country so great. Are long lines justification to break the law and skip ahead of the other would-be immigrants who have enough respect for the pre-existing structure to do it the legal way? Absolutely not, and therein lies my biggest criticism, and the problem is multifaceted.
If you make the conscious and willful decision to break the law of another country, then you make a conscious decision to subject yourself to the consequences of your actions. Period. Unfortunately, like a bad parent who threatens punishment but doesn’t follow-through, the US Gvt. has talked a hard line about immigration policy, but has drowned in it’s own bureaucracy and lax handling of illegal immigration issues. Like an unruly and delinquent child, people attempting to cross over illegally are more willing to do so, because we’ve set a clear example that we’re inept and handling illegal immigration. It’s not a question of more laws, it’s a question of enforcing the ones that are already on the books. Using the same bad parent/bad child analogy, it’s no wonder we’re where we’re at now – it’s very difficult for a parent who has been lax and undisciplined to suddenly start to talk tough and enforce rules that were unenforced previously. Just like it’s very difficult for a delinquent child to suddenly comply with rules and limits if they haven’t been enforced before. However, the end result still is, and always has been – the child knows the difference between right and wrong, the child needs to be held accountable for their behavior, and limits need to be drawn.
I’m wish those that choose to protest all the best, and I will pray for everyone’s safety on May 1st. I will NOT however join in, as the protest to me is just like a bad child trying to push limits with a bad parent in the hopes that by badgering and crying, they’ll get their way, even if in their heart of hearts they know it’s not deserved.
Respectfully to you and yours,
Chris
Chris-
Thank you for your comments..very well written. I agree that what’s against the law is
against the law but I also believe that the problem we have right now is far too big to
go back and punish those that have broken it when it wasn’t properly enforced in the
first place. At this point I think the undocumented need to be documented. In my case,
my husband came in undocumented and in 2001 we were given the opportunity to apply for
legal residency for him….we were married in 1999 and we assumed that just because we
had been married that he would be given papers and we later found out that this was not
the case. Part of the process of legalizing him was to pay a fine to the INS for his
crime of entering the US undocumented. Additionally, I had to provide my taxes from years
1995-2000, a letter from my employer with my salary information, bank account
information, etc., etc…the logic being that my husband needed a petitioner that would
be responsible for him if one day, for example, we were to divorce and he were to have 10
children and no job. I was told that I would be financially responsible for him in such a case. I can totally understand the logic in this. This is the type of reform I am seeking for the
current situation and, as for the future, I am hoping that the government will take the
necessary steps so that coming here illegally is not seen as “no big deal” or as
something that people do every day…but also so that people aren’t “forced” to break the
law because they have no hope of coming in otherwise.
Also, one final comment/question..a little off the subject. It is a fact that there are
millions of illegal immigrants that work for cash. There are also millions more who work
using fake social security numbers. They pay taxes every year just like you and I. At
the end of the year most of them are unable to do their taxes and reclaim this money that
the taxpayers have to pay for the illegal immigrants that are on welfare, or those who
use medi-cal or food stamps, etc. Has anyone ever wondered what the government does with
this unclaimed money? Wouldn’t it be a wise decision to increase security at the border
if that’s what the government really wants? Or use the money to alleviate the cost to
the taxpayers of these government programs that are being abused? I’m sort of playing
devil’s advocate here because I totally believe that everyone needs healthcare,
especially children who have no choice but to be here (Dianna’s comment)..but those of
you that are so set on the fact that these people coming in illegally are the taxpayers
end up paying for this. Maybe we should be posing the above questions to the people we
elect to represent us…?
Illegal Immigration leads North American “community” to follow European Union
What’s really unfortunate about the illegal immigration debate is that American citizens who advocate open borders and side with illegal aliens don’t understand the geopolitical push for the elimination of all borders in order to maximize and grow profit margins for transnational corporations. Allowing illegal immigration to go on for decades as it has in the U.S., quietly allows regional integration to take place before anyone can discuss it let alone resist the dissolution of U.S. sovereignty.
There is plenty of documentation on and offline where Globalists are calling to regionalize groups of countries into integrated trade blocs or regions. In a report, “A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All”, by the U.N’s International Labor Organization (ILO), it’s stated, “Countries are better able to manage the social and economic challenges of globalization by working together. That calls for better integration of social and economic policies in the process of regional integration, as has been the aim in the European Union (EU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), among others.” (p. 14) http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/docs/report.pdf
If you think it’s just the U.N., then have a look at the recommendations on the U.S. Embassy’s website in Canada called “Building a North American Community”. Here former government officials and corporate leaders call for a “common security perimeter” for the U.S., Canada and Mexico by 2010 (p.
where people (including workers) from all three countries would be able to move freely within the “perimeter” (pp. 10, 26 – 28). Think of the “Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America” that President Bush entered into with Mexico and Canada as steps towards this goal. Other outrageous recommendations include retraining our public school teachers to instill a “North American identity” in our children. See page 30, where it says “Develop teacher exchange and training programs for elementary and secondary school teachers. This would assist in removing language barriers and give some students a greater sense of a North American identity. Greater efforts should also be made to recruit Mexican language teachers to teach Spanish in the United States and Canada.” Yes, corporate America, multinationals, Big Brother, the New World Order, Global Regime or whatever you want to call them/it wants to reshape the national identities of our future generations to regional identities through our own public schools! This gives a whole new meaning to corporate welfare! http://www.usembassycanada.gov/content/can_usa/northamericancommunity_TF_final.pdf
These widely endorsed recommendations are actually mild compared to proposals by Trilateral Commission participants that call for a North American police force (“modeled after Europol”), N.A. Parliament (to “raise the sensitivity of American Congressmenâ€Â), N.A. passports, N.A. Customs & Immigration agents, N.A. Development Fund, etc.
“A North American Community” http://www.trilateral.org/nagp/regmtgs/pdf_folder/pastor02.pdf
“A Mexican Vision for North America” http://www.trilateral.org/nagp/regmtgs/pdf_folder/rubio02.pdf
The ILO must be proud of our Senate for trying to link border enforcement to guest-worker-amnesty legislation because in “A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All”, it states, “A fairer framework for the movement of people was essential, and in the European regional dialogue it was argued that “any policy of restriction should be linked to a policy of trade liberalization and development cooperationâ€Â.” (p. 14) http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/docs/report.pdf
Building a North American “community” amounts to policies focused on creating an integrated population to compete with populations the size of China and India each of which surpass one billion. Globalists already had their way developing China as the transnationalists’ new manufacturing base without any attempt to negotiate for human rights in China, free Tibet or even secure the future rights of Taiwan to remain sovereign and free from China’s non-democratic government. Mass overpopulation (through regionalization) in the U.S. would allow manufacturers and most other employers to dictate wages at third world levels where we would then see jobs that had been offshored begin to return to North America.
Just Yesterday I cam accross a job opening add in the paper which stated that prospects
must meet and pass new prelimanary inspection and background check including a
citizenship status. I researched the name of the company- turns out it is a
german last name. German as I recall they are as much of an immigrant as we all are.
I believe this country is making a bad turn. The ending result could be catastrophic.
IS THERE ANY PROTEST IN MICHIGAN? ANYONE LET ME KNOW AT WEXICAN_69@HOTMAIL.COM TITLE THE EMAIL LATINO DAY
I am proud of everyone who is taking action inspired by their beliefs. I agree that this is a dangerous turn we may be taking in this country. Immigration crackdowns have occurred in the US before and led to much misery only to be repealed after months or years of families being torn apart and homes being broken up. Ultimately, it is the innocent who suffer–men, women, and children who are emotionally and physically damaged in the end. This is a plain case of scapegoating immigrants because the country is having problems. We need to deal with those problems and not blame economic difficulties on immigrants. If any person does not have health insurance, a decent job, or any other financial need met, please don’t blame it on innocent people. Lets take a look at why we pay so much in taxes and why over half of that money goes to military spending instead of taking care of US–the people who make this country. One Love!
IMPORTANT, HARD-WORKING LATINOS PLEASE LISTEN!:
I am a white, NON-LATINO American citizen who is married to a beautiful hard-
working latina woman. I am also less than a year from finishing a SPANISH degree
in college to become a SPANISH teacher. I love the hispanic culture very much! Let me say that I want to help Latino immigrants be able to live a good life and support their families. For the most part, what all immigrants want is a better life and opportunity. BUT PLEASE
LISTEN:
This IS a big issue, and I will NOT stand for immigrants to be labeled CRIMINALS!
YES, it is illegal to enter the U.S. without permission, but it is NOT illegal to
steal from a supermarket when disaster strikes in order to LIVE. The problem is
the ECONOMIC opression that immigrants have felt by the governments of their
countries. Therefore, they LOVE their countries but MUST come here to have a
GOOD life. Who doesn’t want that? One only lives once.
BE CAREFUL THOUGH! You have SOME American support you do not want to separate
yourself from! This IS NOT a RACIAL issue, because new immigration rules will
apply to ALL races of undocumented immigrants. Please do not call it that. That
is merely an EASY SCAPEGOAT for the problem! The FACT is, the laws were DISOBEYED,
and NOBODY is CALLING for any action against LATINO AMERICANS (legals). So it
is NOT racial! Whether I agree or disagree with the LAW, which I think
immigration needs SERIOUS reform and want to help, it is a question of LEGALITY.
BE PROUD of who you are as hard working LATINOS, but do not be TOO PRESUMIDOS! I have
heard the comment in the PROTEST rallies that “WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE
ECONOMY.” Do not be offended, but I do NOT believe that as an AMERICAN.
BACKBONE,no, IMPORTANT PART, yes. I support LATINOS and tell AMERICANS all the
time that LATINOS are hard-working people who need to be respected, but aside
from LATINOS, there are AMERICAN CITIZENS who work hard as well, about 250 million of
them(LATINOS included). The country would NOT “FALL APART” if 15 million
undocumented workers had to leave, because AMERICANS are hard-working too.
BUT, AMERICANS should be compassionate and TRY to help those who are already
here and working, supporting the American economy. YES, they are VERY important!
Whether undocumented or not, LATINOS are HUMAN BEINGS! I do not think necessarily
that it is RIGHT to come here ILLEGALLY, but LA CULPA QUEDA con los estadounidenses
Y los inmigrantes. How? Well, imigrants came here illegally, but the U.S.
hasn’t enforced its laws. So, as I am NOT for amnesty, I am NOT for breaking up
HARD WORKING LATINO families who have resided here for years.
LASTLY, I want you to understand that I want to HELP LATINOS. I want programs
for workers to be able to come to the U.S. and make the money they need to
provide for their families. But, as much as I love the Mexican and hispanic
people, I also love my fellow Americans. SECURING the borders in SOME way must
happen, and history tells us that if this is not done, then the country will
fall.
As AMERICANS, we remember 9-11, 2001 and the damage that TERRORIST (NOT LATINOS)
can do to our country and our people. THESE TERRORIST ARE NOT NOT NOT LATINOS!
I know, but ALL of our borders, MEXICO, CANADA, whatever, are vulnerable to
TERRORIST entry. AND yes, some terrorist came here LEGALLY and overstayed their
VISAS, etc. BUT, BORDER SECURITY eliminates ONE MAJOR entryway for WOULD BE
terrorist who TRY to blend in with the GOOD MEXICAN immigrants who seek work.
PLEASE, LATINOS, know that I will march with you if your GOD GIVEN human rights
are at stake! I am there with you. But, APPEALING to the GOOD AMERICAN PEOPLE
in a different way might yield different results. AMERICAN PEOPLE, on the whole,
are GOOD people, just as LATINOS are! With a little more COMPASSION and a little
LESS THREATENING talk from BOTH sides, a think an agreement would be met.
Lo que los estadounidenses no entienden es la cultura y los valores de los
latinos. El uso de los dos IDIOMASfrequentemente nos separa en grupos diferentes
en la sociedad. La falta de communicacion, yo creo, es el problema mayor
que los inmigrantes enfrentan. Los estadounidenses se sienten amenazados por
una cultura y idioma extranjero. Por favor, entiendan. LATINOS, HABLAN con
la gente ESTADOUNIDENSE en las MARCHAS, no solamente a los LATINOS! AYUDALOS
ENTENDER LO QUE LOS LATINOS OFRECEN A LA SOCIEDAD ESTADOUNIDENSE, y ASI,
ENTENDERAN!!
FOR THE RECORD, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MAY 1 PROTEST, because I don’t think
GOOD latinos need to focus themselves on teaching the U.S. a lesson when they
have already DROPPED the CRIMINALIZATION bill. Give them a chance to
work something out first, then react.
I DID, however support the marches AGAINST HR 447 that planned to CRIMINALIZE
the immigrants. Look, for my fellow AMERICANS, it is TRUE that laws shouldn’t
be broken, BUT you would do the EXACT same thing if your country was in
economic turmoil! Understand that these people do not want their families to
live in POVERTY for the rest of their lives! You wouldn’t either!
It’s the classic case of, “I have all “I” need in life, so who cares about
everyone else.”
LISTEN FELLOW AMERICANS: I am a white american citizen, ok, not LATINO.
Do YOU really know what it takes to apply for RESIDENCY in the U.S.? I was
watching the NEWS and it said that if SOMEONE from the Philipines would have
wanted to LEGALLY come over to the U.S. in 2006, THIS YEAR, they would have had
to APPLY in 1988, ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO! Would you be willing to WAIT 20 years
to OFFER YOUR FAMILY, KIDS, ETC., a CHANCE at a DECENT LIFE! NO!
Both SIDES need to calm down here. This is a SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS issue, not
just a LEGAL issue. AMERICANS need to be more understanding and compasionate,
while still PROTECTING the U.S.
LATINOS need to reach out to the AMERICANS instead of just chanting SPANISH
phrases to a ALL LATINO crowd. I, as a FLUENT SPANISH SPEAKER, want to see the
LATINOS reach out to the many COMPASIONATE AMERICANS that would want to help
them if THEY were communicated to. MOST AMERICANS DON’T UNDERSTAND SPANISH!
And I MYSELF, although I love the LATINO community and culture, feel sometimes
even “I” feel DISCONNECTED with LATINOS for their lack of attention given to
GOOD AMERICANS. Latinos, please reach out to AMERICAN society, that’s all
I ask. Show them what you have to offer to this country. I KNOW MOST LATINOS
ARE GREAT PEOPLE, just show AMERICANS! LATINOS already KNOW! Don’t make the
MARCHES THREATENING, instead APPEAL to the AMERICANS for HELP and I will stand
with you!!!
Viva Mexico Caones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just remember LATINOS, The United States of America is NOT only LATINO. There
are WHITES, like myself,BLACKS, INDIANS, ASIAN, etc. That’s what makes the
country so great.
Being FLUENT in SPANISH, I have watched some of these protest. It is LATINOS
praising LATINOS and standing with LATINOS while talking about LATINO pride and
how important LATINOS are and how they are going to organize together as LATINOS,
etc.,etc.,etc.,etc.
And these comments on this message board are not helping either, from both sides!
THIS is what separates AMERICA, groups of ALL one ethnic group or RACE driving
WEDGES between themselves and AMERICAN SOCIETY and then calling everything
RACIST. That goes for every single ethnic group in the U.S.
NOW, LATINOS speaking to the DIVERSE AMERICAN CULTURE and SHOWING them how
great LATINOS really are is the KEY to us becoming one as a nation.
I am just SICK of the comments, some that have been against my race, on
this board. THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION amongst RACES!
In my COLLEGE, there are LATINOS, and WHITES, and BLACKS, and ASIANS, etc., and
nobody really pays attention!! It’s not important!
WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS A LATINO AND “AMERICAN” RALLY FOR “HUMAN” RIGHTS…
Whether LATINO, AFRICAN AMERICAN, CAUCASIAN,ASIAN, we have to unite. UNDER ONE
FLAG, ONE COUNTRY….
I mean, WHY CAN’T THERE JUST BE A RALLY FOR ALL GROUPS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHERS
CULTURE!!!! Not for protest, NOT for DEMANDING something, NOT FOR A FIGHTING
CAUSE!!! NADA, NOTHING, just ONE BIG GROUP IN THE STREET OF DIVERSE CULTURES AND
DIFFERENT COLORS OF SKIN GETTING MORE ACQUAINTED WITH EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF
STICKING TO THEIR OWN GROUPS ALL THE TIME. THAT WOULD BE A MIRACLE AND IT’S
WHAT WE NEED….STOP ALL OF THE INSULTING!!
What’s more important? Thousands of soldiers in Iraq, scared each day and in hopes that they will be returning home; those soldiers who are missing the birth of their child, missing their child(ren) grow, just being home with their families or all the illegals, no matter what country that your from, trying to anything they want even though they are not even trying to become citizens?
It’s sad, but unfortunately, people just want to blame others for their mistakes when they don’t realize that there’s 3 fingers pointing back at them.
that is really mess-up what the goverment is doing to the latinos in the united states what they need to do is thank the latinos for coming over here and doing the work that white people or black people won’t do. if the goverment takes out all the latinos from every where in the united states the united states will go under they ust don’t want to admit they need all the latinos here with out them the united states would go bankrupt VIVA LOS MEXICANOS
Dis is for (da USgal) so its alright for the “illegals” to get killed over in Iraq, right? Then its all the “illegals responsibility” to fix all the problems in Iraq for yall,right yeah don’t you sound convincing! So guess what the Mexicans are so great cuz we fixin not only your country economically, but also Iraq. You is a dumb brodd! aight den Holla Back.
Hi everyone well my name is Liz I am 15years old and I like my parents are llegal but that doesnt mean I will sit back and let the rest of my race(MEXICAN!)fight alone no of course not i will stand by their side and help them in any way I can, hope all the other latinos do the same.
Oh, by the way, Quependeja…I see Hooked on Phonics worked wonders for you….
phil
i totally agree with you. Latinos are some of the most hardworking people
that anyone wanted to meet. let’s stop the racism its about america, if you
want to be a citizen you and become legal you a american citizen. doesn’t matter
if you latino, white, black ect… let’s stop and think about the whole situation
it’s not race, let’s just get along and become one country together and stand
up proud. THIS IS AMERICA, FOR THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE. LATINOS SUPPORT OUR FLAG,
OUR COUNTRY. I am sure there are other americans who will support this issue
VAMOS A APOYAR ESTE BOYCOTT, YA ESTAMOS CANSADOS, YA BASTA….ESCRIBO EN ESPANOL PARA QUE TODOS IGUALMENTE SEPAN QUE EL ESPANOL ES IMPORTANTE EN NUESTRAS VIDAS…..ANIMO A TODOS, ADELANTE Y NO VALLAN A PARAR…SE NECESITA MUCHO APOYO, Y JUNTOS LO VAMOS A LOGRAR.
I AM A USA CITIZEN, 17 YEARS OLD AND SUPPORT THIS BOYCOTT JUST BECAUSE i AM TIRED OF THE DISCRIMINATION IN MY COUNTRY (USA), THIS IS THE LAND OF EVERYONE, NOT JUST FEW PEOPLE.
Republican will get the point that california is so powerful is the 5th largest economy in the planet, and let me guess 10 million mexican live here lets ask o”reilly if he can see a relation in here, and to all the farmers in california and florida if they want to import fruit from china as well the reazon why the defficit is not catastroficc is because latinos can still make things cheap in yhe u.s. and if the U.S.A. deport massive amount of mexicans back to Mexico I have news for you the Mexican goverment will stop exporting oil to the U.S so you all get the message do not bite the hand that feeds you, look at venezuela and the oil prices wait till you really piss off the Mexican goverment get ready to pay 10.00 a gallon of gas and suffer the worst depretion since 1930
Uhh, perhaps this could backfire on you. I am a strong supporter of immigration who hates to say this but in the Dallas area you guys are making alot of enemies. Many people who currently support you would see you in a negative light if you suddenly left jobs en masse. I also resent the idea that latinos are the only ones that are willing to do hard, work. For many months I was not able to find work and started my own lawn service doing anything neighbors desired. Currently many people are sympathetic to your cause but you are making enemies out of supporters by proclaiming that no one else works. The US needs consistency in its immigration policy, it needs to make citizenship easier, the current system is tilted so those trying to enter here legally are at a greater chance of being deported than those that aren’t officially here. One of my good friends who was top of his class and about to go to UC Berkley almosts got deported when his citizenship which was about to be wrapped up was thrown into limbo by conflicts with North Korea. You guys are here to build a future, let them see that, show them your patriotism. I also worry of your home country, should it not work to improve its lot, it has oil reserves, natural resources, and a talent of skilled labor; by all accounts Mexico should be a very prosperous country, the leaders there should use this unique opporutnity of high oil prices and the paychecks flowing from the US (via your hard work) to build up the Mexican nation. As for what I do now, I simply do the jobs other people refuse to do at a grocery store, and Ive been doing it for 2 and a half years now to pay for my education and living expenses. I support immigration, we are all immigrants to this land of opportunity, but much more support has been lost than has ever been won by kicking the majority of the populace where it hurts.
I am a legal immigrant and strongly oppose this protest.
We came to the US legally and followed the rule to apply for citizenship.
How can a group of illegal people came to the country illegally and asked
to be legalized. This is non-sense.
Where is the law? Why do we even need laws?
I agree in helping for the illegal immigrants, but like the mexican goverment asks USA to help their people, also like that they should have passion for the central americans that are in mexico, because they grab them and kick them back to their own country, but still they rob every thing they have. If a baby is born in mexico with illegal parents they dont give the baby rights to go to school, still here the americans any baby that is born here in gets to be a citizen right away. We should have compasstion for other so they also have for us. they should help the central americans too not just only the mexicans.
where are the leaders?, the calif mayor of l.a. BILL RICHARDSON new mexico when .when all the smoke is cleared it will be los huero 10 and latino 1 if we dont have leadership.we need to have a clear voice.if we dont all is for not. we are on a wave , if we act right the world will here, maybe washinton D.C. we need to hit the $$$$$$ the buck.the feria,I HOPE AND PRAY FOR ALL OF U.S.US. TO DO IT RIGHT RING THE LIBERTY BELL. IS NOT MAY DAY, LIKE SOME WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIVE. ITS ARE DAY TO VOICE THE TRUTH , LATINO DAY OR WHAT YOU WILL CALL IT ? GOOD LUCK THE WORLDS EYES ARE ON U.S.
Its very sad to see the way hispanics are seen in this country. This country is full of hate and racism and has been since day one. This countries economy fuctions because of all those immigrants who go out there and work jobs that the Americans think they are too good for. And in responce to the ignorant person who said hispanics drop out of school, do your research because there are states down south and in the midwest that have a huge number of “white americans” that drop out of school. I think its a great idea to protest and even if they dont get the change they want that day, at least the Currupt politicians of this country know that there are people out there who will fight for change. Good Luck to all and dont let “white america” bring you down the way they have brought down women and blacks in this country
I dont agree with what some other latinos have been saying that they fixed their papers with hard work and dont think illegals should be granted citizenship so easily yes you worked hard to get it and good job you received it but why not help out the immigrants now so they wont go through the trouble you went trough isnt it enough what they are going and have been going trough all this time??
If we were to grant amnesty to mexican undocumented workers, it is only right and fair to apply the same standard to all people. For a second thing I dont believe I have brought anyone down, I am labelled white though that is not fair, this judgement of skin color. Racism is an ugly thing, something I am lucky I do not have to deal with that often(I resent being called gringo though). Why must we insist that people like me who work many of these jobs happily with a sense of accomplishment, not exist in this country.
MARIA:
I think you are completely wrong. I think the protests on
MAY 1 are going to infuriate Americans and wake them up to
their foolishness in allowing people to break their LAWS
for decades.
The USA has worshiped the DOLLAR far more than they have FOLLOWED their own laws and constitution and now it has come back to BITE THEM on the rear end.
To THEM this is about an INVASION and a TAKE OVER by
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS who should not be here at all.
The Latinos just do not get it at all. Their position
is understandable too…
They just want to live their lives in peace and work,
raise a family etc.
The impasse will not be solved wioth FORCEFUL protests like
the foolish one that is planned for MONDAY.
I can tell you this is GOING to lead to TROUBLE and conflict.
I will not be at alll surprised if it leades to VIOLENCE or
a HARDER LINE by the U.S. Congress and Executive, desperate
to prove that they are macho and “still in control of things.”
Be very careful on Monday. Make no mistake – I love all of
my Latino brothers and sisters whether they are legal OR
illegal, BUT I will be going to work, and I will spend MORE than usual at a WIDE variety of stores.
MARIA WRITES:
>I think that this march on May 1st, 2006 is going to open the
>eyes of American
people to show them how much Latin immigrants mean to this country. I think that
without Latin immigrants working in this country the U.S. would be shit
without them. The government should either give residency to immigrants or give
an amnesty like back in the 80’s. Especially to illegal immigrant students who graduate from high school and college and can’t get a job because they don’t have citizenship. So
everyone for this don’t go to work or anything on May 1st, 2006 to see what
Americans do without us.
Viva la raza, cabrones!!!!
What would happen if the ICE officers are at the protest and pick up all non-green card protesters?
Excuse me EVERYONE, But i do believe this is the united states of America..
The USA has the rights to our own laws. It s illeagel to enter un documented. That is the problem here. We need to make it easier to obtain work visas for Imigrants. I am Aborn us citizen and my husband is a resident alian. He is legal.It is not ok to enter illegaly. This is what you should be protesting.
I’m saddened by the posts I’ve read here today. Has the failure of the U.S. public school system ever been
so obvious? It doesn’t seem to matter whether the writer is a life-long citizen of the U.S. or an immigrant
(legal or illegal) who’s been here for years, either they can’t spell or they are too lazy to proof-read what
they’ve written. Respect is earned and the written word is a powerful tool in that endeavor. Those who
respect the rules, of a nation or a language, shall succeed.
I am so thankful that my ancestors immigrated to this nation centuries ago. Immigration is a wonderful thing,
when undertaken in a law-abiding manner. Yes, it takes years to go through the legal process, and it can be
very difficult to be patient, but think of the benefits – no more hiding from the authorities, no fear of
deportation, and the right to be protected by LAWS put into place to keep order.
I would like to pose a question to all of those American citizens so keen to throw our immigration laws out of
the window because “the illegals are only seeking a better life for their families and should not be held
accountable for breaking the law”: The next time someone breaks into your home or car and takes what they
want, will you just shrug your shoulders and say “they are only trying to make a better life for themselves -
they are entitled to do it in any way they wish, regardless of the effect that those actions have on the very
fabric of American society”? I sincerely doubt it. I suspect that you will be calling 911, demanding that
someone do something to protect your rights.
If I seem hard-nosed, then so be it. I am a realist. If I ended up in a lifeboat with a maximum capacity of
25 and there were 100 people in the water, then I must save the 24 that I can and do my best to get help for
the rest, rather than overload and sink the lifeboat, and doom all to a watery grave.
To all the Latinos looking for a better life: Start the process of overthrowing your corrupt governments. If
America does it for you, you will only condemn us for being arrogant and “occupying” your countries. Take the
energy that you currently expend walking across deserts, swimming across canals and protesting in foreign
countries, and turn it toward rising up and remaking your own country into one you can be safe and productive
in. Show America what you are truly made of. You are hard workers, I will give you that. Show us how strong
you really are by fighting for the freedom of your people within your own countries.
To all of the Americans who can’t find workers, I have several suggestions:
1. Perhaps you might want to consider recruiting in some of America’s inner cities. There are many people trapped
there who would jump at the chance to work hard somewhere else if only they were aware of the opportunity and
were able to find a way to relocate. Get together a network of Americans willing to help those people
relocate to your area. I, for one, would be happy to help someone move if it meant that they could raise
their children in a safer environment with better opportunities.
2. Go to your local high schools in the spring months and offer summer internships at minimum wages, with
the incentive that those who work hard and learn the necessary skills will be offered better paying jobs upon
graduation. Or go to local shelters or food lines – are these people aware that the jobs exist? Are you
willing to provide the on-the-job training to inexperienced workers? How can a worker gain skills if no one
will hire and train them?
Let’s all stop whining and wanting everything handed to us. If we all work hard together and abide by the
laws of society, we can all win.
I’ll be in Chicago tomorrow..anyone else going?
OK I DONT REALLY AGREE WITH WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT IMMIGRANTS SHOULD FOCUS MORE ON THE GOVERMENT IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY YES THEY SHOULD BUT THAT SHOWS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CRITIZING DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN MEXICO FOR EXAMPLE BECAUSE IN MEXICO RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO RECONSTRUCT MEXICO LESS CORRUPTLY BY GETTING NEW CANDIDATES FO RPRESIDENT AND THE REST OFFICES SO CLEARLY YOU ALL THAT ARE COMMENTING SAYING MEXICANS ARENT DOING NOTHING TO BETTER THEYRE COUTRY ARE WRONG.
If you believe in this phrase in our Declaration of Independence…
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
then you should be participating in the rally no matter your ethnic background.
Seeya at the march and peace out,
Arthur
COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT BETTER ARTHUR-clumz!!!!!!!!!!
I Am Waiting
I am waiting for my case to come up and I am waiting for a rebirth of wonder and I am waiting for someone to really discover America and wail and I am waiting for the discovery of a new symbolic western frontier and I am waiting for the American Eagle to really spread its wings and straighten up and fly right and I am waiting for the Age of Anxiety to drop dead and I am waiting for the war to be fought which will make the world safe for anarchy and I am waiting for the final withering away of all governments and I am perpetually awaiting a rebirth of wonder.
I am waiting for the Second coming and I am waiting for a religious revival to sweep thru the state of Arizona and I am waiting for the Grapes of Wrath to be stored and I am waiting for them to prove that God is really American and I am seriously waiting for Billy Graham and Elvis Presley to exchange roles seriously and I am waiting to see God on television piped onto church alters if only they can find the right channel to tune in on and I am waiting for the Last Supper to be served again with a strange new appetizer and I am perpetually awaiting a rebirth of wonder.
I am waiting for my number to be called and I am waiting for the living end and I am waiting for dad to come home his pockets full of irradiated silver dollars and I am waiting for the atomic tests to end and I am waiting happily for things to get much worse before they improve and I am waiting for the Salvation Army to take over and I am waiting for the human crowd to wander off a cliff somewhere clutching its atomic umbrella and I am waiting for Ike to act and I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth without taxes and I am waiting for the forests and animals to reclaim the earth as theirs and I am waiting for a way to be devised to destroy all nationalisms without killing anybody and I am waiting for linnets and planets to fall like rain and I am waiting for lovers and weepers to lie down together again in a new rebirth of wonder
I am waiting for the Great Divide to be crossed and I am anxiously waiting for the secret of eternal life to be discovered by an obscure general practitioner and save me forever from certain death and I am waiting for the storms of life to be over and I am waiting to set sail for happiness and I am waiting fro a reconstructed Mayflower to reach American with it picture story and tv rights sold in advance to the natives and I am waiting for the lost music to sound again in the Lost Continent in a new rebirth of wonder
I am waiting for the day that maketh all things clear and I am waiting for Ole Man River to just stop rolling along past the country club and I am waiting for the deepest South to just stop Reconstructing itself in its own image and I am waiting for a sweet desegregated chariot to swing low and carry me back to Ole Virginie and I am waiting for Ole Virginie to discover just why Darkies are born and I am waiting for God to look out from Lookout Mountain and see the Ode to the Confederate Dead as a real farce and I am awaiting retribution for what America did to Tom Sawyer and I am perpetually awaiting a rebirth of wonder. I am waiting for Tom Swift to grow up and I am waiting for the American Boy to take off Beauty’s clothes and get on top of her and I am waiting for Alice in Wonderland to retransmit to me her total dream of innocence and I am waiting for Childe Roland to come to the final darkest tower and I am waiting for Aphrodite to grew live arms at a final disarmament conference in a new rebirth of wonder
I am waiting to get some intimations of immortality by recollecting my early childhood and I am waiting rot the green morning to come again youth’s dumb green fields come back again and I am waiting for some strains of unpremeditated art to shake my typewriter and I am waiting to write the great indelible poem and I am waiting for the last long careless rapture and I am perpetually waiting for the fleeing lovers on the Grecian Urn to catch each other up at last and embrace and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder.
—-Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Have a good one!!
i think this boycott will show people that america is nuthin without latinos and we are really here to work and not to be criminals and we should appreciate wat they are doin
I’m a Mexican Latina and veryyyyyyyyyyyyyy proud of it and no one can tell me otherwise
We all tried to come to this country legally, you people that are against illegals,
immigrants, what is the matter with you? I wish you would live at least
one day in their shoes. I have. When I was small living in Mexico, I had to dig
trash cans to find food because my mother had to work the night shift to feed us.
It was not our fault or hers that you have to pay for education in Mexico, it does not
matter that you are in Kindergarden or College, you pay. Most families in Mexico
do not have the money to pay for the tuition every month or year. And what about
all those that died trying to make it to this country. Thousands of people,
human beings have died. And now you are saying well go and protest in your country
and make it better there. The reality is we are here. We are not going anywhere.
Why should we. I have been here for 27 years and never been in jail,
I pay my taxes I do everything by this countries laws and so many illegals that
follow the laws than the natural born us citizens, we are doing the right thing. There are more
Look what happen on 9/11, when did ya’ll ever think that would happen, and who did
it. Alot of people from all over the world died that day, alot of them were Latinos Was it !!!! When have you heard of a Mexican becoming a Terrorist. Maybe that is what you want? And this is not only about Mexicans, but it affects us directly and we all know why. This is about all Immigrants, from all over the world. Not just us Mexicans. Please leave us alone. We just want to come here we are honest people. There are bad apples here and there but not
the majority. Come on and see the reality people. Wake up and smell reality.
And remember we are all Americans, know your Geography.
We want to be known for what we are worth. What contributions we have done to
this country. Who built your highways, skyscrapers, malls, shopping centers?.
Who keeps up your lawns and the bathrooms clean in hotels, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, your
offices? Who build your houses. Feed you. Keep
vegetables and fruits in the supermarkets. I can keep on and on.
Good comments, Melanie, Elizabeth, and Jackie. It is good to know that not
everyone in this site has negative things to say about us Immigrants.
God bless ya.
Celina
I haven’t read the whole thread (there are many posts here, jeje, good…) but I’m probably one of the few mexicans that have posted here that is actually still in Mexico.
I have some very conflicting thoughts about this, but I have found a lot opinions coming from (for now let’s call them) legal Americans (persons that have about 30 generations of their families born and raised in the U.S.) that are a real shockers:
Aztecs, Mayans, Tarahumaras, etc. are still thriving in Mexico. We may see one or two on a light stop begging for money, but for each one of them there a dozen working hard up there in the forest, maintaining their own lives like they always have before spaniards came along.
Native Mexicans languages, although not teached at elementary schools, is still something that can be learned by the same way. A lot of public colleges have an optional courses to learn it, and, because Native Mexicans are still thriving, there are a lot of sources to pick it up.
Mexicans have a high percentage of Native blood running through their veins. Don’t try to compare the level of “nativeness” between a legal American and a Mexican… just compare the color of your skin with ours; there’s your answer. The U.S. was founded by a bunch of people who didn’t want to have anything to do with the Natives, and Mexico was founded by a bunch of people who began families with them (true, most of them were robbers, rapers, and criminals, but the fact of the matter is: the races were combined because of it). I own land here, not by money or by a law that was created by a race that didn’t belong here, but because this is were my great, great, great, great, great, great,…….., great, great, great, grand father and his family lived from it. The great, great, great, great, great, great,…….., great, great, great, grand father of any legal American (from either side of the family) came from somewhere else, and if not, it’s the minority.
What does it actually mean “to protect the borders”? No more people coming in through the borders? What borders? Who planted those borders? If you want to walk throught history lane talking about “In the early days of man kind many groups and tribes of people relocated to search for environments and climates that were better for their survival.”, fine, I will not go so much as three centuries ago, when those states were the property of Mexico, so I don’t see why not it’s wrong for people wanting to wave the Mexican flag over it (although, that flag wasn’t the one we had when we had those states). So, U.S. planted those borders, by what law? By what authority? You are talking about being law-biding about how to cross your border (yes, YOUR border), why? You weren’t when you crossed OURS!
Chris, get over it: the Cold War wasn’t won by you or the communists. It’s still there: China (which, aren’t you guys still doing business with?), Cuba, the large remains of Russia, and probably even Mexico if the Socialist party win this year (which has an interesting probability). It’s so eerie listening you guys talk about “openness” and “freedom”, when you condemn any person that thinks differently from you. And FYI:
May 1st it’s the Mexican Labor Day. Your “May Day”, is actually the date (1886) of a major strike to reduce the workday to eight hours and it was celebrated in that same day by many industrialized countries, including Russia, France and the U.K, but Russia corrupted it to something below it’s meaning, so the U.S. changed it’s date to another one to prevent having anything to do with communism (like you always do).
4th of July is also the date in which Napoleon’s France occupied Amsterdam (1810, don’t you guys hate the french?) and also when the mass murder of Polish scientist and writers by Nazi Germany took place (1941, wow, fireworks in the date of a Nazi mass murder, didn’t you guys “kick their butts” also?).
So stop yapping about your capitalist paranoia: today we celebrate the day in which the hard worker was heard by protest, why do you think this date was chosen for this?
Interesting theory: “American wages would go up, standard of living would go up, crime would decrease, and those jobs that ‘nobody wanted to do’ (ie:nobody wanted to do for slaves pay but happily did when labor laws helped americans) would suddenly have attractive salaries again.” Let’s put ourselves in that theoretical moment in time where legal Americans are doing the ugly work… what happens to the money that you were not paying the Latinos, that now you’re paying almoust double to someone doing the same job? Less profit, lay-offs, less jobs, salaries will have to come back down, more jobs but people will have to take two or more jobs to pay rent(like most Latinos do right now), less jobs again… that statistic you showed about a construction worker could support his family on his paycheck, a $25 per hour wage, I wonder why construction was so slow back then? Too few contruction workers to afford? Besides, most of the money that payed for those constructions was of foreign capital, or do you actually believe that the Statue of Liberty is of U.S. real state? Wonder why is facing to Europe? Oh, right, to welcome people from other places fleeing from opressing countries in EUROPE… “give me your poor, your tired…” right?
Many laws that are written in your Constitution (as well as ours) have been initiated by protest: Civil Rights, Race Equality, Woman’s Right to Vote, Freedom of Speech, Gay Rights, etc. Your Constitution is not holy, and has had a lot of changes through the years, so stating “We have, in this country, things called laws[...]We have protections under the law. If mexicans can break the law, and expect to be rewarded for it, our country falls to pieces.” would’ve meant, two centuries ago, that slavery is ok. I’m not saying to go rewrite the Constitution to legalize murder or rape, because, aside from being morally wrong, this topics don’t have enough people to support them. A protest is exactly that: a way to show everybody how many people support this, with their own argumentation, and the way to be heard is by numbers and it’s purpose is to open eyes: Latinos right now are important to U.S. economy and without them it will crumble. It can recover itself as any country can (Mexico has begun recovering from all those hard workers leaving the country), but is that what you really want to do? Get rid of all illegal immigrants? Illegal by what law? Your ‘immigration’ law? How convenient! You wrote that law without the consent of the people that were originally living here, so that ‘immigration’ law should mean little to an immigrant or myself for that matter, so no: illegal immigrants aren’t breaking any laws because that law isn’t a valid one to begin with. Just because you’ve followed it for who knows how long, and stands well with your lifestyle doesn’t make it right (ask any woman over at Islamic India). I want to hear a Native American about this subject, that’s the opinion that I will respect. If he doesn’t want Latinos in his/her land, then we’ll talk (and open a huge can of worms)…
This is not a lazy walk, this is not a day of couching, this is a day of fasting, of prayer, of protest. If you still see a Mexican as a lazy ass, and think that this is what this ‘protest’ is all about (firing anyone who you think ’skipping out’ this day make it seem like you are) then your businesses will really see hard days ahead of them. And, does that mean you have Latinos working for you? Doesn’t that sound a little hypocritical and little offensive to your work force calling them “fools” and “stupid”? Even more so: are you seriously connecting the Latinos emigration from the U.S. to an expected fall in criminal activity? Wow, and I thought the insensitive, prejudging, ignorant, big-mouth, typical legal American was a myth.
“We hang the petty thieves, but appoint the great ones to public office.” Aesop
These people, my people, have struggled, not only on your land, but also in mine. They have chosen to work somewhere else that isn’t their original home, and for that I’m ashamed of my country’s government and partly of myself as well. It is awful that so many of my brothers with a college degree in hand have gone out and found out that looking for a job of high standards in the U.S. is just as hard as looking for one here. No, the U.S. is not the land of opportunity presumed in stereotype, at least not in the high-paying area. Many families that I know and love have had to come back, with the half the money and self-respect they had before crossing, while others stayed earning half as much as they were earning here because they didn’t have enough to come back. Mexico has problems, like any country out there, including the U.S.: there are a lot of legal Americans that have emigrated to other countries (mainly Europe, even Mexico) to find better jobs; so don’t brag about not having any problems of this kind, that you do, just not in such a scale and not as documented and criticized as Mexico’s.
We’re both working on those problems, solving them; it’s just that some people don’t want to deal with these problems and go somewhere else to start a new life, thinking that running away will solve everything. For some (many, apparently) it has worked, and good for them! Really! If you’re happy, I’m happy. My cousin’s family is living over there, had to wait almost five years to get accepted, but they are accepted, and they’re very happy. Already having grandchildren…
But, right now I feel like a mother listening to his child talk about his/her dreams, and the only way I can react to that is to support them, although I know that he/she will be happier at home. No, I don’t fully agree with my brothers being over there, I much rather have them here, working side by side building a better country for both of us. But it was their decision to go over there; I know my brothers (and sisters) are smart and know what’s best for them, and if that’s what makes them be well, then I wish the best for them. I just hope one day, they will look back south and see a place where they can truly say “I’m proud to be home.”
LISTEN AMERICANS:
Should we put the VICTIMS of HURRICANE KATRINA in jail for robbing the GROCERY
STORES in New Orleans? Of course not! They are in NEED! The same concept
applies here! Would YOU want your FAMILY to live in poverty for 20 YEARS while
waiting to become a resident of another country? Of course not! If you knew
you could provide for your family a better life, you would run across the border
too!
BUT, BECAUSE you are sitting at home, LUCKY enough to be born in the U.S., and
are OK and have every opportunity you need, then you are a strong critic.
In 1846, The MEXICAN-AMERICAN War was fought under the concept of “MANIFEST
DESTINY” in which the Americans believed that their PROTESTANT AMERICAN PEOPLE
had the “RIGHT” to settle westward in MEXICAN territories as they surely could
run the west BETTER than hispanic CATHOLICS. As a result, MEXICO lost 1/2 of
its country!!! Nevada, Texas, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, California, Colorado,
etc.
Now, I want you to know that “I” am a white American citizen, married to a
Mexican woman, BUT I love the U.S.A. I do NOT, do NOT, mention the war to
BLAME my country for ANYTHING, please understand. NOBODY on the earth today
had ANYTHING to do with that war!!
But, I offer this question: What IF Mexico had WON the war? Were YOU, as an
AMERICAN, born in one of the mentioned areas above? You and ALL of your family
would be MEXICAN right now and in the same SOCIOECONOMIC position. MEXICO has a
50% poverty level. So how would YOU deal with that situation if YOU had to face
it?
The answer is, anyone who LOVES their families and children, and moms and dads,
and cousins, and aunts and uncles, sisters and brothers, etc. would do anything
to insure their futures EVEN if consequences await them. MANY MEXICANS have DIED
trying to cross the desert….my friends….this is not a GAME! These people are
in need.
They aren’t robbing banks, robbing houses, and stealing…they are WORKING,
WORKING!!
Most Americans have NO clue how time consuming and costly the process is to
become a CITIZEN of the U.S. These people in Mexico aren’t making LAWYERS wages,
TEACHER’S wages, not even DISHWASHER wages. Average MEXICAN worker works around
40-50 hours for $50-70 dollars per week. YOU TRY working for those wages and
paying for the FEES you have to pay just to fill out the forms.
As for LAWS….listen, it is TRUE that we need LAWS to govern the country, I will
not deny that. But, over the years, MANY MANY laws have been TWEAKED to fit
the times in which they were implemented. I am NOT saying open borders, but I
AM saying that there is an OBVIOUS problem in MEXICO that has MEXICANS willing
to risk their LIVES to come here. And, although there are BAD people in EVERY
group, for the most part, these people are VERY tranquil people and FAMILY
oriented (Other Latinos, too, not just Mexicans).
LATINOS LISTEN: FIRST AND FOREMOST, this problem ORIGINATES in MEXICO and other
Latino countries. I am a SENIOR in college who has studied LATIN AMERICAN
CULTURE taught to me by both a PERUVIAN and a COLOMBIAN professor. LATIN
AMERICAN cultures have had quite a history involving goverment systems, such
as socialism and communism, that do not work well. The CONCEPTS, for any
EDUCATED person, are actually very good ideas, EQUAL TREATMENT, etc., but they
DON’T work. Most Hispanic nations have had COUNTLESS military goverments, or
“GOLPES DE ESTADO”, which has caused them to be very unstable.
THE POINT IS….these are the GOVERMENTS, the PEOPLE are really victims and
suffer socio-economically.
People, try to educate yourselves more on the problem and its roots, that’s
all I can say.
hows everybody doing? any action on the street today?
I believe that there is a point to be derived from this whole scence. Maybe illegal aliens should not be considered felons but however they should become legal. This is what should be called earned entrance. It seems as if the more I work the more I am taxed. Not to say that society doesnt’ abuse that fact that immigrants are willing to work for lower wages, because they do. My issues concerns problems with my rise from poverty as an American. Just because you live in America doesnt’ mean you live the American dream. You earn it. Our tax dollars pay to suupport medical, education and so forth. How is it fair to me when the next person is able to pocket their earnings without being taxed and are free to will to spend as will. I am working hard to live the white picket fence dream. The key words are learn to “earn.” This attempt to evoke threats depicts ignorance of the subject at hand. I think Matt B said it well. Its a matter of principle. I see posting where people make blank statements in their defense on well who’s going to cut your grass or build or clean your home. That should be a little demeaning within itself. There are millions legal Americans willing to perform these jobs. Once again it shows their ignorance of the subject. It isn’t a race issue. Let that not be a scapegoat. People are so quick to throw the race card on the table.
It’s not a matter of being an immigrant. I’m an immigrant myself (legal). The point is, what other country in the world would accept illegal immigrants as if it were normal and not only that but give them the benefits paid for people who do pay taxes?
It’s not impossible to become a legal resident here, all you need do things right. And I going on a demonstration and protesting against the country that’s given you something you do not deserve ‘yet’, is not the best way to do it. When I think that I have gone through all this, it has cost me money and I’m now filing for citizenship because I’ve done everything the way it should be done, and some people are expecting to receive everything from the American government without doing anything, just because they think they are entitled to it, I get sick. I really do. If those people get the citizenship just like that, will make us legal residents very upset. Those people do not speak for me!!. I don’t agree with what they’re doing, that’s being very ungrateful with the country that’s given them so many things they shouldn’t get.
I participated yesterday, and I am very proud of doing so. I am not sure what our future in this country will be, but I saw that we stand united, and that we will accomplish something, because they saw our power.
Itis funny to see how those against “ilegal immigrants” get so paranoic about us. They have seen how strong we trully are, they have seen that we will not take anymore of their humiliations. These individuals, that we once feared, are now beginning to fear us, no matter how many times they repeat how inferior we are. They know that we are not inferior. We are humans like them.
They say that we are criminals, and that just makes me laugh. They do not know what to make up against them to make us the scape goats of their own government’s failure in the econonomy. Thwy should go to an econiomics class and learn that we really create more jobs for them. We are at the bottom of the latter, in many cases, but if they were less ignorant, they should thank us for making their lives easier.
And if you get mad with what I say, you do so because deep inside you know a lot of what I say is the truth.