When: Thursday, June 9, 2005 6:00-8:00 PM
Speakers:
State Senator Jim Bryson - Jim was elected to the Tennessee State Senate on the wave of the state income tax revolt. He has worked vigorously to reform that body and has now thrown his support behind comprehensive immigration laws on the state level. He will be speaking about what can and should be done in the State Senate.
State Representative Beth Harwell - Beth is being touted as a potential candidate for either U. S. Senate or Governor. She is currently chairing a task force formed to look at immigration reform in the state of Tennessee.
State Senator Bill Ketron - Bill has worked to reform the illegal driver's license law of 2001. That law opened the floodgates, allowing illegal immigrants to obtain official documentation from the state. Bill worked on legislation that resulted in reducing illegal access to driver's certificates only that could not be used as ID. He continues to work on legislation that will further limit illegal access to official documentation.
Michael Leon - Michael is a U.S. military veteran and a Latino member of the Minuteman Project. His father immigrated legally from Mexico. Michael served two stints of duty patrolling the Arizona border during the now-famous Minuteman Project. According to the Associate Press, Michael said he has endured strong criticism from within the Hispanic community, but felt compelled to join the group after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. "It's security for me," said Leon, who said he's been called a traitor to his race. "I love my community, but I love my country more." Michael is flying in from the San Francisco area and will update the rally on the latest news from the Minuteman Project.
State Representative Donna Rowland - Donna knocked off powerful Rep. Mary Ann Echols at the height of the state income tax revolt. Since then, she has doggedly pursued rescinding the illegal driver's license law of 2001 in the House. She continues to push for a law banning illegals from gaining access to official state documentation.
Phil Valentine - Phil is a talk show host on SuperTalk 99.7WTN in Nashville. He organized the Demagnetize Tennessee rally. Phil will outline his plan to stop illegal immigration in Tennessee.
More speakers will be announced at the rally!
Loyal Opposition says:
"The immigrant community is extremely concerned that public officials are utilizing people's fear of change to foster hatred toward immigrants. (The rally) is a great opportunity to people who embrace to increase the diversity of Nashville to come together to demonstrate their support to change the face of Nashville." -David Lubell, state coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition is having a "Unity in Diversity" rally at 5:30 p.m. today at Coleman Park to discuss the city's ethnic diversity growth as well as educate the public on the country's immigration system.
Wish I could be there - I don't get off until 6 EST, 5 Nashville time, and by the time I get there, it'd be over.
Good luck to you all from southeast TN.
I had no idea illegal immigration was such a problem in Tennessee. I am planning to move to Nashville area in the next year or so -- but maybe I'd better rethink it.
We plan to be there.
Thanks for posting this.
The loyal opposition staging the opposing rally is all part of that Nashville Peace and Justice org which was fairly pushy during the election and funded by MoveOn.Org and ANSWER and The Communist Worker's Party.
That's who the OBLs have for allies.
He's a self hating racist don't ya know?
How do you have unity and diversity at the same time?
People can be united, or they can be diverse, but they can't be both at the same time.
I like that term,"Demagnetize'.