Posted on 04/04/2006 5:22:59 PM PDT by Pikamax
WASHINGTON, April 4 (Reuters) - Latino immigrants and their supporters will stage a one-day strike and commercial boycott on May 1 to pressure Congress to grant illegal aliens the right to gain citizenship, protest organizers said on Tuesday.
Participants will stay home from work and school and refuse to buy or sell anything that Monday to press for greater rights for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States, said leaders of several groups that have organized other protests over the past month.
"We're flexing our muscles to send a message that we are not criminals," said Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of the Hispanic-rights group Latino Movement USA.
Congressional attempts to clamp down on illegal immigrants have provoked large rallies across the country in recent weeks. Hundreds of thousands of mostly Hispanic demonstrators have jammed parks and blocked freeways.
The protesters were particularly angry and alarmed about a bill that passed the House of Representatives last December that defines illegal aliens and anyone who helps them as felons and calls for the construction of a 700-mile (1,130-km) fence along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border.
More protests are planned in 10 cities on April 10.
The Senate is currently debating an alternative that would create a temporary guest worker program and provide a way for illegal immigrants already in the country to eventually become U.S. citizens if they learn English and pay a fine.
The Senate is expected to vote by the end of this week. That would be followed by tough negotiations to reconcile the different bills passed by the House and the Senate.
All the bills under discussion propose tougher enforcement of laws banning illegal immigrants from working including fines for employers who give them jobs.
Polls show that the U.S. public is divided between those who would like to force illegal immigrants to go home and those who favor granting them some sort of legal status. The issue is taking on critical importance ahead of congressional mid-term elections in November.
Gutierrez, whose group helped to organize a Los Angeles demonstration that attracted at least 200,000 participants last month, called the Senate bill an "encouraging sign" but said it was still too tough on those who want to become citizens.
"We think that the right thing to do is to grant full rights, full equality, under the laws in the Constitution of the United States to all immigrants, period," he said at a press conference.
Commies.
They want to impress me? Do the boycott on Cinco de Mayo.
Well...I guess we could have a permanent boycott of Mexican restaurants...and hiring Mexicans for any job...legal OR illegal..and then, maybe the LEGAL ones will spread the word to these latino groups to knock it off...
bump
You don't go to work "YOUR FIRED".you don't go to school "YOUR EXPELLED". How do like them apples, ILLEGALS FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES, "BS".
I would like to see that. :)
I think they should teach us a real lesson and go back to where ever it is they came from.
I will support a boycott, permanant with a fence and everything.
TT
Very similar story here.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1609120/posts
You don't go to work "YOUR FIRED".you don't go to school "YOUR EXPELLED". How do like them apples, ILLEGALS FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES, "BS".
What I find amusing about students walking out of school is that they are walking out on the free education that they believe they are entitled to. A lot of them even demand that they be taught in Spanish. I am hoping that the temper of the middle class American is flared enough where we can figure out a way to fight back on this one. Surely our elected officials have abandoned us.
Any legal Hispanic engaging in these shenanigans should be fired ... pronto!
I might even give them a little slack if they did this on Cinco de Mayo (May 5), but taking a Communist holiday won't get any sympathy from me.
It certainly be nice if there were plenty of ICE and busses present to transport them back across the border.
The Red Army always had a big parade in Moscow on May 1 with soldiers, tanks, rockets, etc. going past the public in Red Square.
This promo is Great !
http://www.adaywithoutamexican.com/dos.html
This sounds so lame. It is not criminal to be of Hispanic heritage. But if you are here illegally then you are a CRIMINAL. That is the nature of illegal.
Do you suppose we could get them to give up welfare and stay out of our hospital emergency rooms where they get free treatment for just one day too?
I like it! Thanks for the reminder, I just had a hankering for Chipotle. Got over it.
"GreatER rights for illegal immigrants?" Where in the freaking universe do illegals have any rights at all?!
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