Posted on 09/26/2003 7:53:48 PM PDT by One_American
By David Molina
Speaking with the steel international fence as a backdrop, Isabel Garcia called for immigration reform as scores of protesters rallied in Nogales Wednesday on their way to Washington, D.C.
The protesters came from Tucson after having taken off from Los Angeles as part of what has been titled the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride.
The aim of the ride, by bus, is to caravan to Washington where thousands will amass to protest the immigration laws and will ask U.S. legislators to "make meaningful reform."
Garcia, a leader of the group Derechos Humanos (Human Rights), called on those assembled in a parking lot adjacent to the international border to look at the wall.
"This is a barrier that was not here before," she said as she pointed at the structure. She claimed the fence was made from steel of a former American aircraft carrier vessel.
"And now it is dividing us as a community," she lamented.
She said that before the steel fence, there was just a chain link fence and that residents, years ago, were able to cross the border without interruption.
"The Fifth of May, the Fourth of July, our people could cross and visit each other. As you can now see, you can't cross the fence (freely) and instead they have to go the points of peril to come here (to the U.S.) to better their lives," Garcia said.
She pointed out that now immigrants have to go through the dangerous desert in search of their dream.
Garcia pointed at crosses that were strewn on the ground in front of her, crosses bearing the names of those who have died in the desert trying to get to the United States.
"Each cross represents a person who had families in Mexico," she said. "We want you to take this message with you, that we want no more military along our border.
"Welcome to the ugliness of the world," she said pointing at the fence. "And we will continue to fight until these walls come down."
Other busses have taken off from other parts of the country, such as San Francisco and Denver, all in caravan for a rendezvous in the nation's capital and then on to New York City.
The AFL-CIO labor union with immigrant workers and their supporters leaving from 10 cities is a tactic reminiscent of the anti-segregation freedom rides across the south in the 1950s and 60s organized the protest ride movement.
In Tucson earlier in the day, buses originating in Los Angeles arrived at St. Augustine Cathedral where an interdenominational Mass was led by Bishop Gerald Kicanas. From there, a procession led the protesters to El Presidio Park where a rally was staged.
The two buses then left Tucson at 12:30 p.m. to come to Nogales to focus attention on border policy.
Garcia said that of the buses participating in the ride to the capital and the east coast, the ones that originated in Los Angeles and which came to Nogales are the only two to visit a border city.
All the unions really care about is collecting union dues from as many saps as they can every month.
If a local has 10,000 members paying them $20.00 each every month, they're collecting a cool $200,000.
Now, what if they let 5,000 illegals move into the same trades? As long as those illegals can be strong-armed into paying the local $20.00 each every month, do you think the business agents for the union are going to object to collecting an additional $100,000 every month on priciple?
No, the union officials will take that money and run and the devil take their original 10,000 members! They couldn't care less about them.
I also bet that there was a legal vote at a monthly union meeting and everything.
Most likely, the problem was when the union president asked for a show of hands for everybody that was in favor of letting 5,000 illegal aliens join the union, there were only 3 card carrying members present. Their vote was probably completely overwhelmed by the 50 union business agents that get to vote at the meetings, as well.
The vote probably went 50 to 3, but it went.
The original 10,000 members lost their new cars and the business agents all ordered new Cadillacs.
Follow the money, my friend. Always follow the money trail for your answer. ;^)
The answer, I think, lies in the fact that the unions are ruled by the organized crime figures known as the Democratic Party. The only thing that matters is taking America down.
Who funds this clown? Does she recieve Mexican funds?
You are absolutely right!
The leaders, yes, the working stiffs, no.
Thanks for nothing George Bush.
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