Posted on 04/27/2006 5:47:53 PM PDT by calcowgirl
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Some Democratic state lawmakers are planning to walk off the job Monday - just as millions of others around the country are expected to - in support of immigrants' rights.
The Democratic-controlled Senate, on a party-line vote, approved a resolution supporting the May 1 "Great American Boycott 2006," which supporters say will serve as a warning to Congress to avoid punitive immigration reform.
Organizers believe the boycott, in which large numbers of students also are expected to participate, will show just how vital immigrants are to America's major cities and the nation's economy.
"These immigrants are fighting to embrace this nation," said Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys. "What a good time this is when people can express their anger, their frustration, desires, hopes and dreams, all for the purpose of becoming American. That's a good thing."
Republicans voted unanimously against the resolution, saying it encourages lawlessness.
"The Legislature should not be encouraging students to leave school," said Southern California Sen. Dave Cox. "And, it's irresponsible to recommend to people they leave their jobs, especially when many can lose those jobs, whether they obtained them illegally or not."
Earlier this week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, an immigrant from Austria, implored people to avoid the boycott.
"There are only downsides," he said. "It's bad for workers because some of them will get fired. It's bad for people who they work for because they will not have the workers scheduled to do the job. And it's bad for children if they don't go to school. The way you show that you can become a great contribution to this country and state is by going to school and being responsible."
The resolution to support the boycott isn't supported by all Democrats. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, called on immigrants to stay on the job unless they get their employers' permission, and for children to stay in school. He refused to take up the Senate resolution, and allowed his chambers' own resolution, which would have called on Congress to support immigrants' rights, to die.
Still, Nunez plans on flying down to Los Angeles to take part in marches, after he checks in at the Assembly Monday morning. Members are supposed to be at the Capitol on session days, which are Mondays and Thursdays.
"When you're with thousands of your constituents and you're talking about the very issues at the forefront of their concerns," said Steve Maviglio, Nunez's deputy chief of staff, "I think you're being an effective legislator."
Dick Ackerman, the Senate Republican minority leader from Tustin, said lawmakers should set an example by showing up to work.
"They should be prepared to do the state's work," he said. "A boycott is not taking care of the state's work."
Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, voted in favor of the resolution, but called on parents to urge their children to stay in school.
Teachers should use the boycott as a way to "discuss the value, the history, the conflicts and the enrichment of our society that has come about with the waves of immigration in our time," said Torlakson, a former educator. "But we should also urge students to stay in school to underscore the value of education and use it as an opportunity to learn in a school setting."
But, Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, who authored the resolution, said the boycott will be part of history that will one day be recounted in classrooms across the country.
"It's one day out of 365, out of their lives," she said, "for immigrants to peacefully tell the country that we matter, we want justice."
Rallies are planned for Monday in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, Concord and other cities.
Good for them!
sw
First things first, move all nuclear waste to California. Then let them have the state.
F_ck them all. They have the heads up their ass, and they must like it.
What do the Mexican expect of their leader, Vincente Fox?
Will Vincente Fox be the Democratic nominee for president in 2008?
Well, this here American, so-called hispanic, will not support the illegals and will do a lot of shopping may 1.
Yep, I'm planning to do a good bit of shopping that day myself :)
So these Democratic lawmakers are saying to the people of California, "We don't support the law; we just want more registered Democrats."
Names please...
These people are missing the point entirely.
"the boycott will be part of history that will one day be recounted in classrooms across the country."
Sure, the American Federation of Teachers is run by a bunch of Democrat politicos.
Bastards. So does this mean they won't be showing up for work on Monday either?
On KFI in L.A., John & Ken Show just said the latest approval of the state legislature among likely voters is 16%.
They're trying desperately to equate this with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. This will not sit well at all with blacks. "Civil rights" is a solely owned subsidiary of blacks -- not to be shared with any other group from henceforth in history.
MAKE WAY FOR THE MILITIA and the TANKS, TEARGAS!! How many arrests do you think will occur???
ENDANGERING, AIDING and ENCOURAGING minor children to break the law? US citizens should keep their children at home to avoid potential of getting hurt and teaching them to BREAK the LAW at wishes of someone other than parents!!!
CLASS LAW SUIT should be filed against teachers, other school officials who encourage children to break the law and do dangerous behavior. There must be must be penalty paid by these adult persons starting with forbidding to participate in any carrer relatead to minor children.
"American Federation of Teachers is run by bunch of Democrat politicos"? DEMOCRATS?? You mean TRAITORS!!!, Communists encouraging children to break the law and endangering them by directing them to participate in political movement against permission of parents and authorities of this country.
"Some Democratic state lawmakers are planning to walk off the job Monday - just as millions of others around the country are expected to - in support of immigrants' rights."
They, too, should lose their jobs!
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