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Demonstrators [from BOTH sides] protest outside Bush immigration speech in Irvine [CA]
Associated Press, via The [Riverside] Press-Enterprise ^ | April 24, 2006 | GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press

Posted on 04/24/2006 11:51:46 AM PDT by RonDog

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Demonstrators protest outside Bush immigration speech in Irvine

By GILLIAN FLACCUS

The Associated Press

IRVINE

Several hundred demonstrators from both sides of the immigration issue protested outside President Bush's speech Monday at an Orange County hotel.

With Congress returning from a two-week recess, the speech let Bush relaunch his proposal for a temporary guest worker program. It also gave a venue for protesters in a region where the immigration debate has become increasingly heated.

More than an hour before Bush arrived, protesters from the Minuteman Project the volunteer border patrol group whose co-founder ran for Congress in Orange County were chanting "Go back to Mexico" and "God Bless America."

Across a driveway, a cluster of demonstrators also chanted and waved peace signs to protest the Minuteman group, Bush's immigration policy and the war in Iraq. In all, there were about 250 protesters, split evenly between both sides.

The protest outside the Hyatt Regency Irvine illustrated a political divide in Washington, D.C., where lawmakers remain far apart on whether to crack down on illegal immigrants or embrace them as vital parts of the U.S. economy.

Bush, speaking to the Orange County Business Council at an invitation-only event, said he wants a law that will strengthen border security while giving temporary guest worker permits to illegal immigrants in low-paying jobs.

"It seems rational to me and logical to me to say, 'OK, fine, you can come and do a job Americans won't do for a temporary period of time with a tamperproof card,'" Bush said.

Barbara Coe, founder and chairwoman of the group California Coalition for Immigration Reform, was among demonstrators mingling with members of the Minuteman Project.

"Bush is a traitor to this country," Coe said. "I am terrified for the future of my country and my children. It is our hope that this treacherous amnesty bill will be defeated and our further hope that our borders will be secured and the lives of our people protected."

Ron Weller, 61, a retired warehouse worker from La Habra, said he voted for Bush in 2000 but voted Independent in 2004 because he wants a border fence.

"If a fence doesn't work then why does Bush have one around the White House?" Weller asked.

Nearby, anti-Minuteman demonstrators chanted "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us."

Jim Luna, 40, a legal immigrant who came to the U.S. from Guatemala at 5, said he opposed Bush's policies and believes illegal immigrants are pawns for American corporations.

"They want the cheap labor and Mexico encourages it because they are getting money from all the illegals who send money back," Luna said.

Fellow protesters hoisted peace signs and placards reading, "Bush, stop denying the truth" and "Impeach Bush."

Marya Bangee, 19, was one of about 20 Muslin students from the University of California, Irvine who came to protest the president.

"We believe that he's the executor of unjust wars overseas," Bangee said. "We believe all people should be treated equally and this nation is made of immigrants."

Published: Monday, April 24, 2006 10:19 PDT



TOPICS: Extended News; Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: aar; bush; calvisit; irvine; protest
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More than an hour before Bush arrived, protesters from the Minuteman Project the volunteer border patrol group whose co-founder ran for Congress in Orange County were chanting "Go back to Mexico" and "God Bless America."

Across a driveway, a cluster of demonstrators also chanted and waved peace signs to protest:

the Minuteman group,
Bush's immigration policy and
the war in Iraq.
LOL!
WHATEVER it is, these guys are against it!

1 posted on 04/24/2006 11:51:50 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: RonDog
Wait? I thought they liked the fact Bush wants illegals to get amnesty (guest worker)... is it just the fact they hate any and all things Bush? The DNC/Liberals are sooo f'n lost.
2 posted on 04/24/2006 11:53:54 AM PDT by fhlh (Polls are for Strippers.)
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To: RonDog

They aren't the same group. There were minutemen there protesting but there were pro illegals protesting as well as the anti war crowd. They aren't together.


3 posted on 04/24/2006 11:54:47 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: RonDog
It seems rational to me and logical to me to say, 'OK, fine, you can come and do a job Americans won't do for a temporary period of time with a tamperproof card,'" Bush said

. I hate that saying more than pretty much anything short of Allah Akbar. What a crock of you know what!

4 posted on 04/24/2006 11:55:37 AM PDT by Personal Responsibility (Amnesia is a train of thought.)
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To: RonDog

The entire situation is shocking. And it all falls in the lap of Washington. Without question.

OK, when do we start building the fence???


5 posted on 04/24/2006 11:58:19 AM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: EagleUSA

Fence buiding commences on Memorial Day.


6 posted on 04/24/2006 12:02:14 PM PDT by ClaireSolt (.)
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To: EagleUSA
OK, when do we start building the fence???
Not to worry.

The Hildabeast has a plan:

Hillary Comes Out for Border Wall
NewsMax.com ^ | April 23, 2006 | Carl Limbacher
Posted on 04/23/2006 6:21:47 AM PDT by Carl/NewsMax

Responding to polls showing that a strong majority of Americans support building a wall across the U.S.-Mexican border, 2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton announced Saturday that she backs a border wall plan that would be supplemented by a "smart fence."

"A physical structure is obviously important," Mrs. Clinton told the New York Daily News. "A wall in certain areas would be appropriate."

The News said she also supported deploying a high-tech "smart fence" that could spot people approaching from 200 or 300 yards. Clinton also said the deployment of surveillance drones and infrared cameras should also be considered.

A Time magazine poll released two weeks ago showed that 56 percent of Americans supported building a wall along the entire 2,000 mile U.S.-Mexican border - with only 40 percent opposed...

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

7 posted on 04/24/2006 12:04:07 PM PDT by RonDog
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To: RonDog
Nearby, anti-Minuteman demonstrators chanted "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us."

Was Albert Einstein among the protestors? I mean, it is theoretically impossible, under Relativity, to know if the immigrants crossed the border or the border moved under them, but you'd have to completely ignore human agency for that to work. No, sirs, I think you crossed the border.

8 posted on 04/24/2006 12:04:30 PM PDT by Gordongekko909 (I know. Let's cut his WHOLE BODY off.)
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To: RonDog
"Bush is a traitor to this country," Coe said.

Just another example of the right wing being infiltrated by idiots to discredit conservative goals.

Yeah, comments like that will REALLY help.

9 posted on 04/24/2006 12:06:15 PM PDT by Pukin Dog (Sans Reproache, so if mere words can anger you, it means you can be controlled with little effort.)
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To: RonDog

Clinton was our first black President, Bush is our first Mexican President!


10 posted on 04/24/2006 12:16:15 PM PDT by subrosa sam (subrosasam)
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To: Personal Responsibility

I am with you. EVERYONE can stop saying, right now, 'a job that Americans won't do' -- it is the absolute WORST mantra. Turns my stomach.


11 posted on 04/24/2006 12:22:36 PM PDT by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: Personal Responsibility

I hear that people don't want to be police or teachers either because of the low salaries.

Why don't we let illegal immigrants come here and take those thankless tasks?

Why is it "we" want to import of nation of people we expect to only clean toilets and collect up dirty dishes the rest of their lives?


14 posted on 04/24/2006 12:34:54 PM PDT by weegee ("CBS NEWS? Is that show still on?" - freedomson)
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To: RonDog

"A wall in certain areas would be appropriate."
-----
Certain areas? BS. All areas. A fence that cannot be breached and is defensible.


15 posted on 04/24/2006 12:35:05 PM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Gordongekko909

They are claiming this land by divine right. This is an invasion.


16 posted on 04/24/2006 12:36:12 PM PDT by weegee ("CBS NEWS? Is that show still on?" - freedomson)
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To: everyone

If we and the Rats were evenly divided, that's a good showing for California.


17 posted on 04/24/2006 12:44:22 PM PDT by California Patriot ("That's not Charlie the Tuna out there. It's Jaws.")
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To: Personal Responsibility

If Tony gets in there as WHPS it would be nice if he could convince the Pres. to stop saying "jobs Americans won't do." Loosing the "Nation of Immigrants" would be nice too.


18 posted on 04/24/2006 12:49:22 PM PDT by Flavius Josephus (Nationalism is not a crime.)
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To: everyone

However, it is always wrong to call Bush a "traitor."

That just helps the real traitors, the radical Rats and the Raza nationalists.


19 posted on 04/24/2006 12:49:34 PM PDT by California Patriot ("That's not Charlie the Tuna out there. It's Jaws.")
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To: RonDog

Raymond Herrera of Victorville, Calif., protests outside the Hyatt hotel in Irvine, Calif., where President Bush spoke to Orange County Business Council on Monday. Herrera joined approximately 150 Minuteman Civil Defense Corps members to challenge the President's immigration policy. Several hundred war protesters also rallied against Bush.

20 posted on 04/24/2006 1:06:49 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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