Posted on 03/25/2006 8:03:27 PM PST by Amerigomag
Angered by what they see as increasing hostility toward immigrants, hundreds of thousands of people converged on City Hall Saturday to demand amnesty for illegal aliens and reject federal legislation that would build more walls along the U.S.-Mexico border. Protesters, wearing white T-shirts to symbolize peace, danced, chanted and carried large banners as they filled dozens of streets in downtown.
They chanted "Mexico!" "USA!" and "Si se puede," an old Mexican-American civil rights shout that means "Yes, we can." Many protesters said lawmakers were unfairly targeting immigrants who provide a major labor pool for America's economy.
The rally was organized by unions, religious organizations and immigrant rights groups, with disc jockeys on Spanish-language radio stations calling on listeners to attend. Crowd estimates varied widely through the afternoon as protesters came and went and dozens of streets were closed down. Police Cmdr. Louis Gray Jr., incident commander for the Los Angeles rally, said aerial helicopter snapshots and other crowd estimation techniques placed the estimated number of demonstrators at more than 500,000.
"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws," Bush said in his weekly radio address about the emotional immigration issue that has driven a wedge into his party. Bush sides with business leaders who want legislation to let some immigrants stay in the country and work for a set period of time.
Many protesters also took issue with the argument that amnesty for immigrants who entered illegally would be unfair to those who entered legally. "You always hear the argument about 'being unfair to the people waiting in line,'" said Perias Pillay, 44, who immigrated legally from Malaysia when he was 18. "But the reality is that most people don't qualify to wait in line. The government needs to make it easier to immigrate."
(Excerpt) Read more at pe.com ...
"California used to be a Republican state until Gov. Wilson nd the legislature introduces anti-immigrant measures.'
This is a myth; if the majority of California was in favor of 187 when it passed, how is it that 187 caused a loss of votes?
It is more likely the recent arrival of anchor babies coming of age to vote, who are now voting as a socialist block and the Democrats seem to cater very well to this mindset of new voters.
Actually, there are few Mexicans with real Conquistidore ancestry ~ for the most part these people are part Indian, and a whole lotta' ordinary Spanish peasant-class people. Their ancestors, in turn, were mostly Moslems or Jews who agreed to convert to Christianity to avoid being expelled in 1492.
Also the first state to vote in anti illegal immigrant legislation. Go Figure.
That pic really pisses me off.
This is a supply side problem, keep the draconian penalties for employers who hire illegals. When the jobs dry up and the illegals want to go home "Bush's Humanitarian Brigades" will provide transportation back to Mexico.
OBTW: If OTMs (Other than Mexicans) come in through Mexico then they should be sent back to Mexico.
So what do you suggest, we make them pay income tax, mandatory auto insurance, smog inspections, and health insurance like the rest of us?
These people now only protesting because we call them what they are people illegally resign in a foreign county, but wait until the guest amnesty plan takes effect and we do more than name calling, we start hauling them off to jail for not paying for what every citizen has to pay ?
So Toms idea of fining the employers who are skipping out on these fees sound better and better, turn the magnet off and momma and the kids will find better tortillas back in their home town.
I hate how they lump all immigrants, legal or not, together. Nobody has a right to break the law. By definition, an illegal immigrant is a law-breaker. To be anti-illegal immigration is not to be anti-immigration, per se.
I tend to agree. Its pretty bold to demonstrate like this. Just so the Republican's get ahead of the curve on this. My congressman is on board and I am going to a townhall tomorrow to support him.
That sounds ludicrous. Where di you get that from? The Mexicans (the "white" ones) are ex Moslems and Jews? Whatever.
"These clowns are going to hand over the next election to the Republicans"
Republicans, for the most part, haven't done a thing to stem the tide, so there's not much partisan advantage in these protests, unless somebody actually takes action instead of jawboning. The brazenness of these noncitizens, protesting as if they're being put upon somehow ... they're the ones who jumped the border, illegally, to come here.
It does look like more than 25k, but I'm not thinking along the lines of 500k. There may be 100k there. I don't think it looks like more than two Dodger stadiums full.
It might help their cause if they weren't waving Mexican flag and shouting and carrying sign in Spanish.
Cop crowd estimates tend to be inflated by a factor of three or more. What is wrong with cops? Sometimes, I think, if their lips are moving, they must be lying, at least the cop aristocracy is.
I'm not sure what the thinking is for the police spokesperson. It could be as simple as being told to make sure it's clear that there is a lot of need for more officers in L.A. The national park service does the same thing in D.C. What gets me about them, is that conservative groups are rounded down and leftist orgainizations are reported out by a factor of ten. At least it sure seems that way.
"It might help their cause if they weren't waving Mexican flag and shouting and carrying sign in Spanish."
It is more than a bit inflammatory, isn't it? Something tells me that this is intended more to impress the folks back home.
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