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Immigration confrontation contained - Carlsbad forum draws protesters and 150 law officers
SignOnSandiego ^

Posted on 08/12/2005 5:30:37 AM PDT by Happy2BMe

Carlsbad forum draws protesters – and 150 law officers

By Elena Gaona and David Graham

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

August 12, 2005

CARLSBAD – Police from several jurisdictions, most wearing riot gear, formed a barrier to keep the peace between those attending a forum on illegal immigration and protesters who ranged from Latino activists to Muslim students.


PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune
A deputy directed protesters Anthony Porrello (center) and Michaela Saucedo (far right) to stand back from the sidewalk outside the arts center.
While more than 100 protesters jeered, the public forum featuring Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., and other vocal opponents of illegal immigration expounded on how health care, homeland security, education, the economy and the environment are affected by undocumented immigrants.

"Today we have the worst enforcement we've ever had in the history of our country," Pete Nunez, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego, said.

With scores of police guarding the entrance to the Carlsbad Community Cultural Arts Center on the campus of Carlsbad High School, the physical violence anticipated by Carlsbad Unified Superintendent John Roach did not materialize, although the two factions shouted angrily at one another.

Police said that no arrests were made. A sheriff's deputy said one man was held on the ground by protesters and officers extricated him. He did not appear to be injured.

Protesters began lining up five hours before the 7 p.m. forum. Afterward, representatives from immigrant-advocacy groups from Southern California, Arizona and Mexico held a news conference to offer a view of undocumented immigration that contrasted sharply with that expressed by the panelists.

By 3:30 p.m., Carlsbad police requested help from the San Diego Police Department in monitoring the crowd. A mobile field force of San Diego officers was dispatched. Oceanside police and sheriff's deputies in riot gear also came as did police detachments from National City, La Mesa, El Cajon and Chula Vista. All told, about 150 officers were at the scene, a sheriff's deputy said. They formed double lines on the street and leading into the theater.

Chants of "USA! USA!" from the forum attendees waiting in line drowned out Spanish chants of "We want a world without borders."

"Go back home!" one group shouted. "We are home!" the other group responded.

About 250 people who wanted to attend were left outside the forum with an estimated 120 to 150 protesters.

Inside, the forum crowd was of one mind: opposition to illegal immigration.

Tancredo said the issue is not about about racism but about protecting the country for American children of all creeds.

Tancredo received a standing ovation when he said, "All I ask is that once you get here, you disconnect from the old, connect with the new and become American."

All 406 seats in the auditorium were filled, and a few people were standing.

Republican state Sen. Bill Morrow of Oceanside said he organized the forum to discuss how defense of the nation begins at the border, and that he timed it for yesterday based entirely on Tancredo's busy schedule.

Morrow said he has talked to Tancredo for months, even before embattled Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Rancho Santa Fe, announced he will not seek re-election in the 50th District. Morrow said yesterday he will run for Cunningham's seat next year.

"I know what the solution is," Morrow said. "We are not controlling our borders and it's a sea coming through. We are capable of controlling our borders if there is the political will to do it."

James Gilchrist of Aliso Viejo, co-founder of the Minutemen project, said that although President Bush and others call the Minutemen vigilantes, they are not.

They are "immigration-law enforcement-advocacy groups" who have had to pick up where the U.S. government has abandoned them, Gilchrist said.

Tancredo attracted a group of protesters last night from the Muslim community in response to his recent comments on a Florida talk-radio show. He suggested on the show last month that the United States might respond to an Islamic terrorist attack by bombing Muslim holy sites. He did not apologize, but later said the idea was part of a discussion on how to defend the United States, not a proposition to bomb holy sites.

Last night, about two dozen Muslim leaders and families carried signs and joined other protesters.

The majority of protesters, however, came from the Latino community. Some called for more open borders, others for humane treatment of all immigrants.

"Go home, racist, go home," protesters chanted.

Other panelists included Los Angeles medical attorney and author Madeleine Cosman, who said illegal immigrants are a dangerous and hidden cost for the country; and Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, who has favored the creation of a state border police force. Conservative radio talk-show host Roger Hedgecock was the moderator.

Robert Vasquez, commissioner of Canyon County in southwest Idaho, spoke about the cost of illegal immigration on local governments.

When the forum ended around 9 p.m., those in the auditorium were escorted by police through a back door to their cars to avoid more confrontation with the protesters.

The forum was held on the campus after Morrow sued Carlsbad Unified's Roach for rescinding permission for use of a theater on the grounds. Roach had cited fears that crowd unruliness could jeopardize school property.

After Morrow filed suit Monday, Roach changed his mind and said any questions about freedom of speech were more important than questions about crowd behavior. Morrow's attorney said the senator will go to court to seek legal fees from Roach in the coming weeks.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: aliens; california; carlsbad; immigrantlist; immigration
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1 posted on 08/12/2005 5:30:38 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
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To: All
IMMIGRATION RALLY (After Action Photos)

* * *

Dateline: Carlsbad (First person account of SoCal anti-illegal immigration town hall forum)


2 posted on 08/12/2005 5:32:03 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: JohnHuang2; keri; international american; Kay Soze; jpsb; hershey; TomInNJ; dagnabbit; Pro-Bush; ...
CARLSBAD – Police from several jurisdictions, most wearing riot gear, formed a barrier to keep the peace between those attending a forum on illegal immigration and protesters who ranged from Latino activists to Muslim students.

3 posted on 08/12/2005 5:33:42 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: Happy2BMe

"...the physical violence anticipated by Carlsbad Unified Superintendent John Roach did not materialize..."

That is because the left are a bunch of cowards, not just in our country but everywhere.


4 posted on 08/12/2005 6:05:32 AM PDT by Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
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To: Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)

From the looks of it, if violence had been started by the left, they would one and all have ended up in intensive care in the hospital.


5 posted on 08/12/2005 6:13:36 AM PDT by Leatherneck_MT (3-7-77 (No that's not a Date))
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To: Happy2BMe
"Go home, racist, go home," protesters chanted.

There's a movement to define opposition to immigration as racism.

In that case, I guess I'm a racist. The net result of the overuse of "racist" will be to make the term worthless

6 posted on 08/12/2005 6:16:07 AM PDT by SauronOfMordor
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To: SauronOfMordor

"Racist, sexist, anti-gay
We will work for cheap today
Wave us to your car you see
and don't ask us for no stinkin ID"


7 posted on 08/12/2005 6:22:34 AM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: Happy2BMe

...formed a barrier to keep the peace between those attending a forum on illegal immigration and protesters who ranged from Latino activists to Muslim students.
-----
This is just the beginning Washington, DC. We as U.S. citizens, HOPE YOU ARE PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THIS COUNTRY. Now these criminals think THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE. And they DO NOT.


8 posted on 08/12/2005 6:29:44 AM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Happy2BMe

Closer ever closer comes the Social War.


9 posted on 08/12/2005 6:32:35 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: Leatherneck_MT

“From the looks of it, if violence had been started by the left, they would one and all have ended up in intensive care in the hospital.”

I would have considered them lucky had they ended up in intensive care and not worse.


10 posted on 08/12/2005 6:41:02 AM PDT by Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)
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To: Happy2BMe
Chants of "USA! USA!" from the forum attendees waiting in line drowned out Spanish chants of "We want a world without borders."

There's the mission. That way they can all come plunder what we and our forefathers have built with the sweat of our brows.

11 posted on 08/12/2005 6:45:01 AM PDT by America's Resolve (Liberal Democrats are liars, cheats and thieves with no morals, scruples, ethics or honor!)
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To: Happy2BMe

...Chants of "USA! USA!" from the forum attendees waiting in line drowned out Spanish chants of "We want a world without borders."...

Civil War II


12 posted on 08/12/2005 6:51:34 AM PDT by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (Google CFR North American Community)
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To: Happy2BMe
"We are capable of controlling our borders if there is the political will to do it." "

The Secretary of Homeland Security testified before two Congressional committees last month on what legislation he needed them to pass in order for him to be able to secure the borders from terrorists and criminals.

Tancredo immediately vowed to block the legislation.

Has anyone who claims that we can seal the border without immigration law reform ever said how it can be done, other than that idiot Jaime Gorelick? She had a plan to build walls and rows of fences all the way from SanDiego to ElPaso along with 32 guards per mile. That proved ineffective real fast and the plan was abandoned.

See my profile page for a link to the Inspector General's Report about Gorelick's project "Gate Keeper".


13 posted on 08/12/2005 6:52:28 AM PDT by bayourod (Winning elections is the only thing Those who glorify losing are unclear on the concept of democrac)
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To: bayourod

When you have hundreds of thousands of illegals crossing the border then sealing it with a wall and armed guards is a great start.

Then you systematically round up and deport those here illegally.

FDR kicked out 2 million of them in 1939. Eisenhower kicked out over 1 million of them during his administration.

The immigration laws are not broken, they are simply not enforced.


14 posted on 08/12/2005 7:14:24 AM PDT by Pylot
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To: Happy2BMe

btttt


It took 150 police to ensure free speech rights for AMERICANS opposed to the illegal immigration invasion. Without police the low life "protesters" would have gotten violent. Mexican gang type violent


15 posted on 08/12/2005 7:18:23 AM PDT by dennisw ( G_d - ---> Against Amelek for all generations)
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To: bayourod

It took 150 police to control your supporters of illegal immigration. Your allies would have gotten violent and tried to STEAL free speech rights without this police presence.

A VERY SAD COMMENTARY ON the supporters of illegal immigration.


16 posted on 08/12/2005 7:21:25 AM PDT by dennisw ( G_d - ---> Against Amelek for all generations)
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To: Pylot; Happy2BMe; dalereed; Black Tooth; Eaker
These are the faces of the Open Borders Lobby.

America haters who think the American flag is the same as a Nazi Swastika:

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

And neo-commnunists, still screaming "workers of the world unite!"

These are the Open Borders Lobby, American Quislings.

It amazes me that so-called freepers can show up here and defend open borders along with them.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

17 posted on 08/12/2005 7:33:48 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: dennisw

Just look at the allies of the Open Borders Lobby.


18 posted on 08/12/2005 7:34:57 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: Travis McGee

Maybe you will recognize me, look at picture #7, it doesn't show my face but i'm in the yellow shirt and tan shorts.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=8023


19 posted on 08/12/2005 7:40:27 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: bayourod

We know you by your allies, rod. We know you by your allies and your shared goal of keeping the border open to the invasion.


20 posted on 08/12/2005 7:41:31 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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