Posted on 07/19/2006 7:12:51 PM PDT by SandRat
A conservative nonprofit organization called grassfire.org has put up a billboard on Tucson's Southside that says, "Stop the Invasion. Secure our borders."
This billboard went up Friday and will be up for 30 days.
You can see it from Interstate 10 at the 6th Avenue exit.
Steve Elliott, president of grassfire.org says, "I think those six words express the sentiment of literally millions of people and I would say the vast majority of people in Tucson."
Grassfire raised roughly $150,000 to put 12 of the billboards in 7 states.
Elliott says the purpose is to educate.
He says, "In fact, we have 12-to-20 million people who are in our country illegally. This is an invasion, in fact, that's affecting our economy. It's draining our social services. It's a drain on our health care."
Elliott, who denies the message is racist and anti-immigrant, says, "I'm the son of a Jamaican immigrant. We believe in legal immigration."
On the flipside, Alexis Mazon thinks the billboard is racist. She speaks for the illegal-immigrant rights group Derechos Humanos Coalition.
Mazon says, "This is a horrendous ploy by an Iowa hate group to raise the level of hysteria in this community and to dehumanize anyone who's brown."
Mazon believes that's why the billboard is located on Tucson's Southside.
She says, "That's not to promote dialogue. It's meant to promote hate. Invasion is a term of war."
Mazon says, "if they are really concerned about stopping the number of migrants crossing, they should make a sign that says 'Stop NAFTA'."
There is something both sides agree on.
The billboard stirs emotions.
When grassfire.org formally unveiled the sign Tuesday morning, three police cars and three police bike units stood by to make sure there wasn't trouble.
Already, the billboard's been defaced with what looks like paint thrown at it. Under it, on the ground, News 4 found a paint can lid and what looks like tennis balls that had been filled with paint.
Steve Elliott, president of grassfire.org says, "I think those six words express the sentiment of literally millions of people and I would say the vast majority of people in Tucson." |
Had any of you known about this????
They certainly express the sentiment of the vast majority of the people I know.
I helped pay for one of these in Houston. Check out this link to see how you can help - http://www.grassfire.org/7042/offer.asp?RID=11300627&Ref_ID=882
I think it got a mention a few weeks ago on FNC.
I can't remember for sure, but think it was on Hannity/Colmes...
I heard about it Monday morning, from a local early morning talk show. I'm in Houston.
"She says, "That's not to promote dialogue. It's meant to promote hate. Invasion is a term of war." "
I am so sick of people trying to say black is white and white is black. And they immediately play the racist card.
Look, it's illegal immigration. Sorry if you don't like the word invasion, but that's what it is. This is not a difficult concept. It's illegal, it makes us less safe, it's not racist. Come in legally, you are welcome, come in illegally, you're a criminal.
What part of that do these morons need help with?
They express the sentiment of EVERYONE I know.
I contributed money to them a few months ago for these billboards.
"Had any of you known about this????"
Yes and after the unvailing, interviews and lunch in Tucson, Elliot had a guide give him a tour of the border in Cochise County.
There is a report here posted under "Our Borders"
http://www.unitedpatriotsofamerica.com/
With a link to grassfire on the grassfire site there is a live from the border last night audio report by Elliot.
"Mazon says, 'This is a horrendous ploy by an Iowa hate group to raise the level of hysteria in this community and to dehumanize anyone who's brown.'"
If you think about it, she's the one being racist. The sign encourages people to try and prevent people from breaking the law. It doesn't mention anywhere on there a certain race. By saying it's meant to inspire hate against "brown" people, she's generalizing and saying that all illegal immigrants are hispanic. It's like if people promoted prohibition and she said it discriminated against the Irish! Most of the time the people shouting "racist!" are the racists themselves. Unless it's opposing affirmative action (which everyone should do), I've yet to see a Republican make race an issue. Republicans are the ones who distinguish and separate blacks from whites the least.
A message to all you liberals out there: We're not the ones who used the n word on national TV! (Yeah I'm talking about you, robert byrd!)
PS: See my tagline.
I was told in a phone call today, a friend from Tucson said, people that disagree started throwing paint at the sign yesterday. The caller said the paint colors that hit the sign just draws the eye of people driving by to it.
I'm on Steve's e-mailing list. I knew it was coming, but hadn't gone to the grassfire site to see what it looks like.
I like it.
Has anyone mentioned to this moron that 20? million invaders IS AN INVASION? If the Mexicans have it their way, we can't even tell the truth anymore.
ping
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