Posted on 05/03/2006 11:52:50 AM PDT by skyman
Mario Medina works seven days a week, usually from the 6:30 a.m. start of the breakfast run until he shuts down his "Tacos Michoacn" truck around 11 p.m.
Monday marked a rare day of respite for the 30-year-old entrepreneur who joined thousands of people in Napa County -- and hundreds of thousands across the nation -- in a day-long economic boycott in support of immigrant rights.
"To unite ourselves with the rest of the Latino community, we're not doing any business today," Medina said in Spanish, taking a break from hosing down one of his two trucks' aluminum-plated interior in his back yard. "It's a financial sacrifice but we want to show the government we're more than manual labor, we also produce economic goods."
Several Napans said, however, the boycott only alienated them further from the immigrant population.
Steve May, a 38-year-old bartender at Napa Bowl, said Mexican nationals who work here are treated better than Americans who work in Mexico.
"Two of my friends have businesses down there and they're not allowed to hire Americans," said May while lunching at Soscol Cafe.
Tom Dudum, sitting a few stools away, said he is frustrated because there are more pressing issues facing the nation, like runaway gas prices, the war in Iraq, and the ever-elusive Osama bin Laden.
"The only reason this is happening is we're getting close to the election. It's what government does," said Dudum, a 44-year-old who develops Napa property. "They change the focus to distract people from the real issues."
As Javier, the cafe's head cook and owner, served up a club sandwich to Dudum, a customer walked in and cheerfully called to Javier in Spanish: "Why are you working? It's Monday, you're supposed to be off," said Brian Silver, a cafe regular.
Javier, who declined to comment about Monday's boycott, just smiled, shrugged, and kept grilling hamburgers.
Silver, a 63-year-old attorney, said he thinks the boycott will have little political impact because the Latino community as a whole has failed to turn out and vote.
"I welcome anything that sensitizes them to the democratic process," Silver said. "But I don't think this is the best way to win the hearts and minds of the public."
Attendance was down dramatically at local schools.
Marlene Hernandez, 16, a junior at Napa High, said that in her fourth-period class only four people showed. The rest of her classes weren't that different.
"As they saw that no one was there (students) started leaving," Hernandez said. "I went to school because I wanted to see the difference (in attendance)."
Hernandez said she believes some teachers "pretended like nothing was wrong," while one offered extra credit for the four students who showed up to class.
On and off the job
At Gillwoods Cafe in Napa Town Center, owner Ed Gill said his business was open Monday. Gill said he gave his employees the option to take the day off, but that no one took him up on the offer.
Gill posted a sign on the front door that showed support of immigrants and less punitive forms of immigration reform.
"All of our workers wanted to work, so we decided to put up the sign (in support)," Gill said. "We recognize there are issues that need to be dealt with, and without the cooperation of immigrants we would not be open today."
Andrea Ruiz, 26, who busses tables at Gillwoods, said she couldn't afford the day off.
"I have a 6-year-old son, and I have to take care of him," said Ruiz, who is from Costa Rica.
Jonas Reyes, 35, runs the kitchen at Gillwoods. He has worked at the cafe for 14 years. Boycotting, he said, is not the answer to the immigration debate.
"We thought about it, but it's not the solution," Reyes said.
At Embassy Suites on California Boulevard, the majority of housekeepers took the day off. But representatives said that they were not negatively affected by the absence of their workers. At Travelodge on Coombs Street, it was a different story. All the housekeepers worked.
"We have dedicated employees," said manager Gary Dent, who offered employees the option of not working Monday. "Here, we work as a family, we've all been together for so long."
Blanca Hurtado said two out of 20 workers who package and ship wine from a local Napa warehouse worked Monday. She was not one of them.
Hurtado, a 37-year-old mother of two, said she chose to surrender a day's wages even though she won't be affected by changes in immigration laws.
"Everything would have stayed calm until the government proposed to treat immigrants like criminals. That was the beginning of the struggle," Hurtado said. "I am a citizen. But I know many people who don't have their papers who need and deserve to stay here."
She was also one of several people who protested the government's recent immigration proposal by not working Monday, but still utilized government assistance that day. Monday afternoon Hurtado brought her 6-year-old daughter to get some cavities filled at Clinic Ol, a non-profit health clinic partially funded partially with government dollars.
Miguel Flores, a 35-year-old landscaper who boycotted work also brought his young daughter in for a teeth cleaning.
"We pay taxes for all these services," said Flores. "And how many Americans are there who don't work or who are homeless? I know they're in their own country. But I'm paying for their services too."
Susana de La Cruz, who works cleaning Clinic Ol, came to the clinic Monday after her 1-year-old cut his thumb. Along with her husband, who works in the fields, de La Cruz took the day off.
While the 22-year-old woman participated in the day of protest, she said she is deserving of government-provided services.
"We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage," she said.
The Napa Valley Register just loves it's naive little peon class,..... as Jefferson Street looks like little Mexico more and more each day.
She was also one of several people who protested the government's recent immigration proposal by not working Monday, but still utilized government assistance that day. Monday afternoon Hurtado brought her 6-year-old daughter to get some cavities filled at Clinic Ol, a non-profit health clinic partially funded partially with government dollars.
Miguel Flores, a 35-year-old landscaper who boycotted work also brought his young daughter in for a teeth cleaning.
"We pay taxes for all these services," said Flores. "And how many Americans are there who don't work or who are homeless? I know they're in their own country. But I'm paying for their services too."
Susana de La Cruz, who works cleaning Clinic Ol, came to the clinic Monday after her 1-year-old cut his thumb. Along with her husband, who works in the fields, de La Cruz took the day off.
While the 22-year-old woman participated in the day of protest, she said she is deserving of government-provided services.
"We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage," she said.
These people gag me, entitlement, entitlement.
So much for Gillwood's on my next trip "back" (I lived in Calistoga for a few years in the late 80s and early 90s). If I want politics with my eggs, I'll bring a magazine.
ping
Yup...I could throw-up.
What the NVR fails to mention is that if the illegals in Napa were dealt with in the legal manner presribed by law, one of the two high schools could be closed. I'll bet it would be Napa High.
While the 22-year-old woman participated in the day of protest, she said she is deserving of government-provided services. "We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage," she said.
She works as a cleaning woman. Yeah that high income profession pays a ton of taxes, considering the poverty level is $24k. You betcha. Keep trying to convince me you are paying more taxes than you are sucking up. Convince me your child is not on every social service program we have, expecially since you feel so entitled.
I stop at Gilwoods in St. Helena once a week for breakfast.
I will take my business elsewhere from now on.
Sounds like a good decision. ;)
ping
Somehow I knew this wasn't going to be a "Day Without Medi-Cal, Without Welfare, Without Foodstamps."
"We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage,"
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