Posted on 04/25/2006 9:01:19 AM PDT by Crackingham
LIBERAL, Kan. — The pro-immigration rally here two weeks ago was not the largest or most sophisticated, considering the tens of thousands of people who marched in places like Washington, Los Angeles and New York. It came together in just a few days, spread by word of mouth and a hastily written flier posted in stores. People picnicked or milled about as children played and vendors sold ice cream. They chanted "Sí, se puede" — yes, we can — but did not venture many more slogans than that.
But the turnout of 800 or so in this windswept prairie town reflects the activism around the immigration debate that has rippled to rural areas in the Midwest, where the Latino population has soared in recent years but opposition to illegal immigration remains deeply ingrained.
"We've never been united like that, all of us Latinos," said Jose Torres, a meatpacking plant worker who attended the rally. "We are here and not leaving, and we need to let people know that."
The main elements of the national debate are here, just somewhat hidden beneath the surface: the mutually dependent relationship of employers and immigrant workers, the financial benefits and setbacks an influx of immigrants brings to a community, and the awkward question of who is legal and how much it should matter.
Mexican laborers first arrived more than a century ago to help build railroads, and some of their descendants remain.
The marches here and in nearby towns, however, underscored the other, parallel world of newly arrived Mexican laborers living impoverished in trailer parks and working in the unglamorous meatpacking industry.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
NY Slimes!
Consider the source.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620722/posts
Rumors Panic Many Latinos [in Madison,WI], Scared by Rumors of Immigration Sweep
The Slimes -- it never ends.
The reason this many could meet in Liberal, Kansas was due to the fact that Americans have lost their jobs in the meat packing industry here to Mexican illegal aliens willing to work for slave wages.
Vote for Pedro
If Jose is illegal, he apparently isn't too concerned about the INS. (ICE, NICE--whatever)
I'll be sure to let INS know, Jose.
Citizens held every one of those meatpacking jobs 30 years ago. What has changed? When Bill Clinton fined one hundred times as many employers as George Bush has, I think we all know the answer.
A Yahoo 'People Search' turned up two Jose Torres in Liberal, Kansas, with addresses and telephone numbers.
I'd turn him in, but better half just showed up for lunch.
Another search would prob. disclose the closest fed. office. Do yer doody, MF. ;-)
Actually, I had to Google "Liberal, KS" to make sure it was real!
No, usted puede no.
Please correct my Spanish if required. :-)
t is common belief, if difficult to prove, that many of the new arrivals are illegal, but this town generally has taken a "don't ask, don't tell" approach. For many years, it was better not to know — the work that needed to get done was getting done.>>
Of course they are illegal. And the reason why they are taking jobs Americans wont is because Excel,IBP and National moved away from hiring the Asians,Blacks and Whites many years ago and they have created wage stagnation because of that. I applied once and on the application list was 30-40 hispanic names and only one non-hispanic name. Guess who wasnt called for an interview? If you are non-hispanic you literally have to know somebody in a supervisory position to get you hired or have a proffesional degree in a position they need, lastly you can be a Quality Control or OSHA jobs that are closley monitored by the Govt.
I grew up in Dodge and anymore it looks like Mexico with the hispanics living 5-10 people to a small house, 5 cars and no housing upkeep or they live in a crappy trailer. They dont spend there money at any stores except for some fast food and Wal-Mart or Mexican owned businesses, the rest is taken to the local Western-Union and sent back to Mexico.
Believe me these Meatpacking jobs changed over to illegals way before Bush.
Sounds like you live in my city in California. There is almost no way you can get a job here now without speaking Spanish. Every classified here has moved from "Spanish preferred" to Spanish Required". There are many places in town that you just can't go into because they are so dangerous, and yes they look just like Mexico only with better streets.
The future of America.
Here's the correction.:-)
No, usted no puede cabron!
(I think thats a bad word but who is gonna know?)
Un grande deportacion, por La Migra. Si, se puede, senor!
The piece reads more like a description of a victory celebration than it does a report on a civil rights rally.
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