Posted on 10/17/2002 5:26:52 AM PDT by madfly
As part of an international demonstration focusing primarily on immigrants’ rights, advocates from the Rio Grande Valley and Matamoros gathered at both ends of Brownsville’s Gateway International Bridge Saturday morning to voice their concerns.
"Whether we are residents of Mexico or the U.S. side of the border, we suffer similar injustices: poverty, violence, unemployment, low salaries and poor public services such as education, health care, electricity and water," said Helga Garcia-Garza, reading from a statement released by the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SNEEJ), which organized the demonstration.
Garcia-Garza is a member of Tlapalcalli Inc., a group under the umbrella of the SNEEJ organization that is based in Albuquerque, N.M.
Saturday’s protest involved 30 protesters on the U.S. side of the bridge and about 15 on the Matamoros side.
The event was simultaneously held along the U.S.-Mexico border in Juarez-El Paso, Nogales-Nogales and Tijuana-San Diego. It lasted about two hours and was upstaged by a group of motorcyclists in the Valley for this weekend’s BikeFest 2002 who loudly drove their bikes across the international bridge into Matamoros.
Holding up placards and dressed in red and black T-shirts, the 30 protesters, between 20 to 60 years old, represented several human rights, farm workers and religious grassroots organizations, The shouted: "Enough is enough," "We want border justice" and "United without a border."
Saturday’s demonstration particularly focused on the U.S. immigration policy, including Operation Rio Grande — a government initiative began in 1997 to curb illegal immigration.
"Thousands of people are participating right now (in the protest) to demand that the border agenda be brought back to focus for both governments (Mexico and United States)," said Ruben Solis, one of the protesters.
On Sept. 5, 2001, Mexican President Vicente Fox met with President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C., to discuss immigration. The talks included the possibility of legalization for 3 million undocumented Mexican citizens living in the United States, including thousands in the Valley.
There was even talk of opening the U.S.-Mexico borders to free-flowing traffic and trade.
However, immigration reform soon took a back seat to national security concerns after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"The problems we face on the U.S-Mexico border region are common to both sides of the border," Solis said. "We’re too far from Mexico City and too far from Washington, D.C., and that’s the reason we have problems that include human rights violations related to the immigration policies of Operation Rio Grande. It has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of immigrants (who are trying to enter the United States)," he said, referring to illegal immigrants who fall victim to the often harsh South Texas climate and other factors in their attempts to reach such locations as Houston and Dallas.
"We are just trying to send a message. We want to draw attention to the human toll and cost of people trying to immigrate into the United States," Solis said, adding, "everyone has a right to dignified work, housing, free education, social security and health care."
The border protest also included topics ranging from low wages to maquiladoras, violence, lack of adequate health care and an unavailability of necessary water for farmers.
Saturday marked the second straight year for the protests.
"This year we’re back on track (after the Sept. 11 attacks) to building a common borer agenda that takes into account the problems border residents face every day," said Petra Mata from Fuerza Unida, another of the groups represented at the protest.
Richard Moore, SNEEJ director, said protests will continue.
"We are on a five-year plan to impact the policy of the U.S-Mexico border," he said. "In 2004 we have U.S presidential elections and in 2006 we have elections for president in Mexico."
Meanwhile, Immigration and Naturalization Services Spokesman Art Moreno said deaths of illegal immigrants were an occurrence long before Operation Rio Grande was implemented in South Texas.
"While Operation Rio Grande has helped to reduce the flow of the traffic of the people who try to illegally enter the United States, the operation also has helped to save lives," Moreno said.
Regarding alleged human rights abuse by INS personnel and other U.S. law enforcement officers, Moreno said, "On several occasions we’ve met with advocacy groups to talk about this. In fact, if there is a concern regarding a violations of human rights, they can file a complaint."
A righteous question; justifiable anger.
"Bush will never get another vote from me...he is determined to make America a borderless country."
An unjust statement; misdirected anger.
This POTUS has to deal with a more urgent issue first, Mom.
We need to be thankful this man can recognize, & then act on the nation's priorities, right now.
Unlike the last guy, who needed "focus group(s)," "polls," & input from a collection of the worst pack of America-hating Liberal-Socialist maniacs this Republic's ever witnessed before he made the WRONG decision.
You & I must permit and support this POTUS as he finishes what he's started; namely, eliminate the primary threat & safe haven for the losely-knit pack of anaimals who killed thousands of our citizens and are now busy terrorizing the entire world.
Later, this POTUS must come back to plug the holes terrorist stragglers could & will use to come here to do their dirty work.
Insodoing his solutions to one problem, will ideally solve the other problem; while addressing our concerns regarding the Mexican illegal.
Don't take your eye off the ball, now.
...nothing could possibly please the disgraceful, shameless likes of Daschle & Gephardt.
Now our POTUS had some time before 9/11 and what was he doing with it? He was being very friendly to Fox, he was speaking of 'they only want a better life', 'they are jut hard working family people, 'they are doing the work no one else will do'. He was inviting Fox to speak to Congress so he could personally demand that the US give rights to his citizens - freedoms US citizens don't enjoy. No it is not just the fact he is doing nothing, he has encouraged it. He does not get a pass on this - there is no way you can spin it. This is his plan.
[ [Later, this POTUS must come back to plug the holes terrorist stragglers could & will use to come here to do their dirty work.]
Are you willing to wait until he is through with Afghanistan and Iraq to remove and prevent the terrorist 'stragglers'? What exactly does that mean? How many does 'stragglers' make? Is it 5 people with bio weapons, 25 people? 100? 'Stragglers' makes it sound sort of benign, but explain just how many you are willing to allow across the border before you think he should take notice. Think of the tons of illegal drugs that are brought across the border, it would take only a small amount of biochemicals to seriously harm this country. After all, we are going after Saddam because he has these weapons, aren't we? Why then are we leaving them the perfect entry route for bringing it to us?
[ Insodoing his solutions to one problem, will ideally solve the other problem; while addressing our concerns regarding the Mexican illegal.] That may be too late for our safety and I firmly believe it will be too late to 'address our concerns regarding the illegals' (all illegals). By then, he will have his amnesty bill passed and he can say 'what illegals?'
Now I don't think he intends for terrorists to come across the border, but I do believe it is is plan for the illegal Mexicans and he can't stop one without the other.
Yes, a plan that he, the Border Governors and numerous Open-Border groups have been working on for some time. They all feel cheated because what happened on 9-11 brought attention to flaws in the Immigration services and put a cog in their wheel. They believe their demands should override US security and sovereignty.
I can have hated Clinton and hate open borders today and remain consistant in my love of America...
For Heaven's sake I never for an instant meant to imply otherwise of you, Mom.
Just suggested (urged?) you to cool down & try being more patient.
Doing so -- especially in view of the circumstances -- is without a doubt an extremely hard thing to do.
I know; I'm trying my best, too.
The problem's horrible even for us Hoosiers; so, I can just imagine the hell those living in the southern border states must be experiencing.
But Mom?
The 'Rats aren't going to be the solution, either; furthermore, a non-vote or a vote for a Libertarian, Constitutionalist or whatever just turns into a vote for the 'Rats in our two party system.
You know that, too.
The 'Rats will surely accelerate this entire illegal problem beyond your & my wildest nightmares, & do so by default.
That is to say the 'Rats will never even recognize this as an issue needing rectification; but, instead the 'Rat will begin in earnest labeling those who're pleading for help as nothing more than "bigots" & "racists" all in an attempt to increase, win-over & combine these minorities into the numbers of those who're here, already.
For the 'Rats, it's the only chance they have for survival; because, people are waking up & getting savvy to the 'Rat's bullshit more & more everyday.
They must import more dupes to make-up those voters who've fled & invent ways to supplement the rest.
They've the "tools" to pull that off, too; whatwith, their stranglehold on our Lamestream sycophant-infested media, acadamia pinheads, the union thugs & on & on & on.
They've done that before, Mom; &, by God they'd do it again in a heartbeat IF it'd mean they could gain, maintain, or acquire more power to implement their Liberal-Socialist agenda.
Think this POTUS would ever turn lapdog "Praetorian Guards" (in the various forms of institutions I've described) loose on the nation's peoples who're trying to raise this issue?
If you do?
Then that's where we've (you & I) have a major problem.
...because I don't.
Well, Robert Ringer is right. Wants have become rights.
These people don't understand that, nothing is free, someone has to pay for it.
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